Senior royals are bound by a range of rules and protocols when it comes to their wardrobe, but it hasn’t stopped Kate, Princess of Wales from experimenting with her looks.
Perhaps following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, the 41-year-old has debuted hundreds of stylish outfits in her lifetime, many of which featured a Bardot neckline.
The timeless silhouette was coined in the 1950s after it was adopted by model, actress, and fashion icon, Brigitte Bardot at Cannes Film Festival in 1953.
Known for its chest-grazing cut, the barely-there collar is lesser-spotted on royal women who are generally expected to keep their decolletage and shoulders covered for royal engagements.
Kate has paid homage to Diana’s memorable fashion sense on several occasions with Bardot styles, as has Meghan Markle. But as the only senior working royal of the two, the neckline is now almost exclusively worn by the Princess of Wales for the most glamorous occasions.
Arguably the most iconic Bardot look served by Princess Kate was the rented green dress she wore for Earthshot Prize 2022.
The royal turned heads on the green carpet in the gown by Solace London, which was made with a sleek silhouette and waist-cinching design. The brand described The Sabina as a “floor-length modern gown featuring an exaggerated neckline”.
While the statement ensemble was memorable in its own right, Kate’s careful pairing of a bejewelled choker necklace was reminiscent of Diana’s world-renowned revenge dress.
Designed by Christina Stambolian, Diana debuted the chic black number with a sapphire pearl choker necklace.
Though they were worn years apart, Kate wore an almost identical style, opting for emerald jewels rather than blue gems.
Kate’s spectacular necklace is known as Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker renowned as a diamond-encrusted heirloom.
The piece was commissioned by Queen Mary, the late Queen Elizabeth’s paternal grandmother, from the royal jeweller Garrard in the 1920s. Queen Elizabeth II was thought to have given Princess Diana the jewel as a loan when she married Prince Charles in 1981, and it became a firm favourite for formal engagements.
Other Diana-esque outfits styled by Kate include the monochrome number she wore to the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in May 2022.
The Roland Mouret column frock featured a similar folded detail in contrasting colours as Diana’s Catherine Walker gown, which she wore to the Royal Ballet at the Berlin Opera House.
More recently, Kate gave her love of Bardot necklines a modern twist. The royal was pictured at the Houghton Music Festival in Norfolk wearing super casual jeans and a top co-ord.
The all-black outfit comprised skinny jeans and a long sleeve bardot top which showed off the Princess’s shoulders and collar bones.
She teamed the look with a pair of white Veja trainers, specifically the “Esplar Metallic-Trimmed Leather Sneakers” (£120), and statement gold earrings.
While it was unlike anything she had been seen wearing before, the low-key style was still synonymous with Kate’s trendy fashion sense.
