Happy birthday, Queenie!
To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II‘s 88th birthday on April 21, take a look at how Her Royal Highness has seemingly influenced the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton‘s regal, monochromatic style.
Throughout her reign since 1952, the Queen has worn classic silhouettes and solid colors in textured fabrics, as in her March 2014 appearance in a pink tweed coat. In similar fashion, a then-pregnant Middleton also wore a pastel pink Alexander McQueen coat to the Trooping the Colour event in June 2013 to celebrate the Queen’s 87th birthday.
While the Duchess, 32, mixes high and low clothes with both bespoke and off-the-rack pieces, senior Dresser and Personal Assistant Angela Kelly has designed for the Queen since 2002. Kelly and her team of designers use both old and new fabrics—some dating back to when she was Princess Elizabeth. In that vein, Middleton is a master at recycling looks whether in her striped shirt and navy jeans uniform or designer evening gowns.
Prince George‘s mum has also taken a cue from the Queen’s ability to turn a coat from an accessory into an outfit. The Duchess echoed the blue color of the Queen’s topper from a March 2014 visit to Royal Holloway at University of London with an Alexander McQueen coat for a wreath-laying ceremony in New Zealand.
Named by British Vogue as one of the world’s most glamorous women in 2007, the Queen wears both pastels and vivid hues alike. On April 11, the monarch opted for a red coat and matching hat while in Newbury, England. Middleton also wore a cherry red Catherine Walker coat for her arrival in New Zealand on April 7.
