Catherine, Princess of Wales, 'in control' of her royal wardrobe since former stylist's departure
When the Princess of Wales received a special mention last month on the Vogue Best Dressed Brits list of 2025, it was quite an achievement.
But it turns out it was even more impressive given she has been curating her outfits without the help of a stylist since her longtime employee left her post last year.
The Princess of Wales is widely considered one of the world's most fashionable women.
But while many assumed someone new would step into the role, The Times this week quoted sources close to Kensington Palace who said no one had replaced Archer and it was Catherine who was "very much in control" of her latest looks.
Since then, Catherine has made appearances at no less than three state banquets, during which she stunned in her choice of outfits and accessories.
Among them was the stunning gold dress she wore for the state banquet in honour of visiting US president Donald Trump, which took place at Windsor Castle in September.
It has been reported that Catherine chose the hue after learning gold was President Trump's favourite colour.
The Princess of Wales dazzled at a state banquet in honour of US President Donald Trump.
The dress by British designer Phillipa Lepley featured a long silk crepe gown with a gold Chantilly lace overlay that was hand-embroidered in an intricate floral design.
It also bore a striking similarity to a dress the late Queen Elizabeth wore when she hosted a state banquet for another US president, George W Bush, in 2003.
Catherine paired the gown with the famed Lover's Knot Tiara that was a favourite of Princess Diana, a gold clutch and matching shoes.
A few months earlier, Catherine was at it again, wearing a flowing red gown with an attached cape for a July state banquet in honour of French President Emmanuel Macron.
For that occasion, she chose to wear a dress from the French label Givenchy, by British designer Sarah Burton, which she again paired with her go-to Lover's Knot Tiara and a red clutch.
She repeated the cape-style design in December for yet another state banquet, this time in honour of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Catherine has been praised for the thoughtful details she brings to her outfits.
The princess chose a heavily embellished blue dress by long-favoured British fashion designer Jenny Packham, which she paired for the very first time with the Oriental Circlet Tiara.
The tiara was designed by German born Prince Albert for his wife Queen Victoria and had only ever been worn by queens before then.
Catherine has also stunned at a number of other evening and daytime public appearances since Archer left her post.
These include the Royal Variety Performance held in November, where she donned a green velvet floor-length gown by German designer Talbot Runhof, paired with the Greville Chandelier Earrings she often borrows from the royal collection and Queen Mary's Diamond Choker Bracelet.
The following month, she again chose green, this time in the form of a double-breasted coat by another favoured British designer Catherine Walker, for her Together at Christmas carols service.
She had worn the coat before but added a faux-fur collar by Troy London and paired it with trendy long black suede boots.
Catherine donned green for the Together At Christmas carol service.
Many saw her choice of green for two high-profile events not just as a nod to the festive season but as a symbol of renewal and hope following her cancer battle.
Her recent outings also showed the Princess of Wales is more than capable of taking control of her wardrobe as she inches closer to one day becoming queen and is given another honour – the rare privilege to bestow royal warrants from early this year.
She will be the first Princess of Wales to receive the honour since Princess Mary of Teck in 1910.
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