Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Style
    2. Shopping

    Kate Middleton's maternity dress was a moving tribute to Princess Diana

    Someone's been cutting onions.

    Megan C. Hills's avatar
    By Megan C. Hills
    Published 23 April 2018 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    kate middleton maternity dress
    (Image credit: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Someone's been cutting onions.

    Today has been a whirlwind centred around the birth of the third royal baby, who arrived at 11am to Kate Middleton and Prince William. The proud parents just stepped outside the wings of St Mary’s Hospital for a first glimpse of the royal baby and we’ve not only fallen in love with their bundle of joy, but with the thoughtful style tribute Kate Middleton paid to Princess Diana.

    Kate looked radiant in a bespoke shift dress by one of her favourite fashion brands, Jenny Packham. The cherry red dress with its white Peter Pan collar was reminiscent of a similar one that Princess Diana stepped out in back in 1984, when she and Prince Charles announced Prince Harry to the world.

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock
    (Image credit: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

    Kate opted for a slightly softer look with a floral lace collar, opposed to Diana's edgier menswear-inspired look and its peekaboo stripes seen below.

    kate middleton maternity dress

    JOHN SHELLEY./REX/Shutterstock
    (Image credit: JOHN SHELLEY./REX/Shutterstock)

    It’s not the first time that Kate's turned to Jenny Packham, as she previously wore custom dresses by the designer to introduce both Prince George and Charlotte from the same very steps.

    You may like
    • The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
    • Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress
    • Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan' Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral

    Similar Style: Maje Embellished Collar Shift Dress

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Maje Embellished Collar Shift Dress, Harrods

    Priced at £209, available at Harrods

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Buy now

    Previously, Kate wore a yellow silk floral shift by Jenny Packham and nude Stuart Weitzman heels just hours after giving birth to Princess Charlotte. She accessorised with a quintessential pair of Kate Middleton earrings, her favourite Annoushka pearl drops.

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Ray Tang/REX/Shutterstock
    (Image credit: Ray Tang/REX/Shutterstock)

    Similar Style: Beatrice Floral-Print Crepe Dress

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Beatrice Floral-Print Crepe Dress, Borgo De Nor

    What to read next
    • Realisation Par The Internet's Most-Wanted Dress Is Back in Stock—It's So Good, You Can Wear It (Almost) Anywhere
    • Julia Restoin Roitfeld Marie Claire'd Anatomy of A Wardrobe 'I Function Better With Less': Julia Restoin-Roitfeld on Timeless Style, Wardrobe Investments and Borrowing From Her Mother’s Closet
    • Kaia Gerber Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to

    Priced at £640, available at NET-A-PORTER

    Buy now

    To welcome George into the world, she wore a powder blue polka dot shift dress again by Jenny Packham and a pair of low white heels. It was a thoughtful nod to Princess Diana, who sported a similar dress following the birth of Prince William.

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Beretta/Sims/REX/Shutterstock
    (Image credit: Beretta/Sims/REX/Shutterstock)

    Similar Style: Maternity Blue Floral Shirred Waist Dress

    kate middleton maternity dress

    Maternity Blue Floral Shirred Waist Dress, New Look

    Priced at £14.99, available at New Look

    Buy now

    Kate’s stylist Natasha Archer was spotted leaving the hospital this morning, presumably to make sure the Duchess’ royal wardrobe was in order. She wasn’t the only person in Kate’s beauty posse to make an appearance though, as her hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker was also spotted coming and going from the hospital. When it comes to a royal photo opp, it takes a village.

    Megan C. Hills
    Megan C. Hills
    Social Links Navigation

    Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband. 

    Read more
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
    Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street
    Fashion “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress
     
     
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
    Realisation Par
    Fashion The Internet's Most-Wanted Dress Is Back in Stock—It's So Good, You Can Wear It (Almost) Anywhere
     
     
    Latest in Shopping
    Kinda Chic Trend
    Shopping Is "Kinda Chic" Kinda Cringe? Everyone's Favourite Fashion Word Just Went Completely Out of Fashion
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to
     
     
    Monikh Dale
    Shopping 4 Stylish Throw-On Outfits for Busy Mums Currently Juggling Kids’ School Holidays, Work and Everything In Between
    Copenhagen Fashion Week street style
    Shopping Kitten-Heel Sandals, Lace Dresses and the Season's New Favourite Shade of Blue— These are the Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style Trends to Note
     
     
    Latest in News
    Kinda Chic Trend
    Shopping Is "Kinda Chic" Kinda Cringe? Everyone's Favourite Fashion Word Just Went Completely Out of Fashion
    Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: The Foundation Using Exosome Technology, the Treatment That Transformed My Skin Texture—Plus, the Ever-Earlier Advent Calendar Race
     
     
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Everything Kaia Gerber Wears Is a Masterclass in Minimalism—These Are the Pieces and Brands She Always Goes Back to
    Copenhagen Fashion Week street style
    Shopping Kitten-Heel Sandals, Lace Dresses and the Season's New Favourite Shade of Blue— These are the Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style Trends to Note
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.