How Kate Middleton is using her bright-coloured blazers to follow in the Queen’s footsteps 

For official engagements, the Princess of Wales often turns to a tried-and-tested uniform, whether it’s her Alexander McQueen coat dresses or Alessandra Rich spotty dresses. 

Another key wardrobe staple for the royal is the classic blazer in various colourful iterations, using them to add freshness to simple silhouettes and an extra hint of polish to otherwise laid-back looks. 

Dating back to her early appearances on the public stage, Catherine has had a technicolour range of blazers on heavy rotation, ranging from sellout Zara bouclé designs to LK Bennett sunny shades and more recently a vintage Chanel jacket dating back to 1995, often paired with jeans or tailored trousers.

Blazers are a modern take on royal tailoring and despite their generational differences, parallel style nuances can be spotted between the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess of Wales.

From neat tailored silhouettes to matching block colour palettes always a solid pillar, Kate and the late monarch find themselves sartorially matching, even down to exaggerated double breasted buttons and detailed collars and cuffs. 

Where the Queen chose looser fits with longer hemlines, Kate’s jackets flare over her hips and nip in at the waist, although the unifying feature for both are neat lapels.

The Queen’s faultless style was underpinned by staples that became constants throughout her seven decades on the throne. 

Made to measure coats by Hardy Amies, Stewart Parvin and her royal dresser Angela Kelly, together with Launer handbags, prim Anello & Davide pumps and a collection of heirloom brooches formed the backbone of her wardrobe. 

Following in her footsteps, Kate has equally found a formula that fits her many royal engagements, mixing high-street pieces and luxury fashion.

Dusty Blue

Soft dusty blue contrasted with black accessories is what draws these two royal looks together. With matching high necklines and double breasted buttons, the Queen, when attending Ascot, opted for a cashmere coat by Stewart Parvin. 

The princess, appearing at West Ham’s stadium, modernised the shade in a £720 Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini blazer featuring bronze buttons, worn with black jeans and Russell and Bromley boots.

Pillar Box Red

Through their respective sartorial histories, both royals have shown equal inclination towards pillar box red. For a festive event in 2008, the Queen donned a red coat with braided trim and matching hat, with Kate taking a leaf out of her style book when stepping out during a visit to Copenhagen.  

Wearing an equally bold red in honour of the host country’s flag, her structured £59.99 Zara bouclé blazer was layered over a ME & EM blouse and Roland Mouret trousers. Kate’s Aspinal of London bag and Gianvito Rossi pumps mirrored The Queen’s signature accessories.

Peachy Pink

Stepping out at Newbury racecourse, the Queen’s Stewart Parvin double breasted pastel wool coat was contrasted with black accents and a glittering brooch. 

In a more casual nod to the late monarch’s look, Kate opted for a peach blazer by Chloé, £2550, paired with & Other Stories pale blue jeans and Superga trainers for an engagement at the Natural History Museum. 

Featuring matching strong shoulders and a pastel peach hue, they both use the power of colour to soften the sharp lines of tailoring.

Canary Yellow

To visit a Dame Kelly Holmes program for mental health, Kate opted for a sunny blazer over all white look. 

Her H&M top, Alexander McQueen trainers and Veja trainers were the perfect base for the yellow LK Bennett blazer, £379, to really stand out and make a statement. 

Her look seemed to pay tribute to the late Queen’s ensemble worn when boarding the Royal Britannia in 2007. Here she teamed a canary coat and skirt with equally bright white accessories.

Creamy Beige

Here, minimalist style reigned supreme for the royal pair in their monochrome looks.

For the late monarch it was a chic bouclé coat with a neat embellished trim paired with her favourite black Launer handbag and Anello & Davide pumps when attending Ascot. 

Kate mirrored the classic and sophisticated colour palette in a £298 Reiss blazer, LK Bennett cigarette pants and Boden flat pumps which similarly had a buckle across the toe.

Cobalt Blue

Royal blue has always been a mainstay in the late monarchs closet and equally for Kate too. 

Both in a vibrant cobalt shade of tweed trimmed with black and featuring double breasted buttons, the royal pair mirror each others looks. 

For the Queen it was a long line Angela Kelly designed coat with coordinating hat at Ascot, while the princess chose a vintage Chanel blazer dating back to 1995 with Roland Mouret trousers during a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Powder Blue

Striking in the palest powder blue, the Queen accessorised her Stewart Parvin coat with two art-deco style Boucheron brooches and her signature string of pearls when visiting Mayflower primary school. 

For Kate it was a £298 Reiss linen blazer in the same soft shade for The Big Lunch event in Windsor, although hers was dressed down with tailored trousers and Veja trainers. Both coats featured strong shoulders and hip placed pockets for polished silhouettes.

Chic Checks

Both stepping out in checks, it was houndstooth for the Queen at a church service in Sandringham together with a matching dress. Teamed with her favourite black brogues and Launer handbag she looked chic and on trend. 

For the Princess of Wales it was a pale blue gingham £59.99 Zara blazer when attending an event in Windsor worn over a Ralph Lauren top, LK Bennett trousers and Emmy pumps. Despite their generational differences, they were equally stylish and standout.