Sartorially speaking, 2025 has been quite the year. Having been HELLO!‘s Lifestyle Writer for over two years, I have kept up with every royal fashion moment as it happens, and it has been evening gowns, classic coats, sculpted suits, and sundresses galore this year.
This year has been full of royal firsts, from the Princess of Wales attending three state banquets in a year to Meghan Markle stepping out in Europe for the first time since the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf in 2023. With every outing, my eye goes straight to what the royal ladies are wearing and every season, from the floral sundresses of spring/summer to the structured coats of autumn/winter, they have offered endless style inspiration.
To round up the year, I’m coming to you with my favourite royal style moments of 2025. Reducing the style set’s every move down to just eight looks was no mean feat, but in this guide, you’ll find a mixture of tiara moments, race-day glamour, and even a Fashion Week sighting. Keep scrolling to see each look in full…
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The Princess of Wales
© GettyThe Princess of Wales posed the hardest decision as she stepped out in so many fabulous looks throughout the year. Her appearance at the German state banquet at Windsor Castle on 3 December was by far the most impressive tiara appearance, but I have chosen a look that is elegant in a quieter fashion, and one that broke a golden style rule.
To welcome President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for their state visit to the UK in July 2025, Kate, 43, embraced a style first as she debuted a Dior look. Honouring their French guests, Kate’s look by the French fashion house featured a stunning tulle skirt with a sculpted blazer – both in a soft blush hue.
Not only did she style out a fashion first, but she also broke her usual preference for dressing in diplomatic colours for a state visit. Royal followers, myself included, expected Kate to wear white or red in line with France’s national colours, but the soft pink was an unexpected yet chic choice.
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The Duchess of Sussex
© GettyThe Duchess of Sussex released her Netflix documentary, With Love, Meghan, this year, but her cosy-core looks could never outdo her surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week in October, in my humble opinion. Stepping out for dinner after the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show on 4 October, Meghan Markle was, rather aptly, dressed in head-to-toe Balenciaga.
The anchor of the look was an asymmetrical midi dress with a low back and caped detail over one shoulder. Styling out a rare monochrome moment, Meghan, 44, teamed the shin-skimming number with a pair of pointed-toe pumps and found no need for a bag, proving she really is the queen of minimal elegance.
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Zara Tindall
© GettyPrincess Anne‘s daughter is most at home at the races, and Royal Ascot is the pinnacle of the British equestrian calendar. Zara Tindall, 44, who is herself a professional equestrian and past Team GB Olympic rider, channelled old Hollywood as she swapped her jodhpurs for a black and white gown on day three of the event on 19 June.
The royal oozed glamour in the fit-and-flare ‘Camille’ dress by Laura Green with a sharp black collar, puffed sleeves, and a belted waistline. Accessorised to perfection, Zara added a pair of buckle-adorned pumps, as well as a statement Juliette Botterill hat and pearl drop earrings.
48
Duchess of Edinburgh
© Getty ImagesThe Duchess of Edinburgh made an appearance at Trooping the Colour in June, the King’s annual birthday parade, and made a case for jewel green in summer. The wife of Prince Edward, 60, chose the ‘Francine’ dress by Beulah London as she rode in a carriage down the Mall.
Her dress of choice paired perfectly with her pillbox hat and was elevated by her G.Collins and Sons ‘Diamond Set Infinity Pendant’, which is priced at £4,850. Her shoes were hidden due to her appearance being restricted to the carriage procession and Buckingham Palace balcony wave, but she usually opts for styles by Penelope Chilvers or Jimmy Choo.
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Princess Beatrice
© WireImageLike her cousin Zara, Princess Beatrice never disappoints sartorially when making an appearance at Royal Ascot. This year, the daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson kicked things off in gingham.
Appearing on day one of the week-long event, Beatrice impressed in a picnic-core-inspired gingham look by Beulah London featuring a puff-sleeve top and floaty A-line skirt. The subtle peplum style was paired with a soft pink accented hat and capped-toe heels. I loved the whimsical feel of this look and how she balanced classic elegance in the hat and heels with the playful energy of the summer-appropriate gingham.
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Queen Mary
© GettyQueen Mary of Denmark waited for the state banquet at Riga Castle during her and King Frederik‘s two-day state visit to Latvia to pull out what I believe was her best look of 2025. Stepping out on 28 October alongside her husband, Mary dazzled in a ruby red ball gown by Soeren Le Schmidt, featuring a unique V-shaped neckline, capped sleeves, and a full skirt.
Elevating the look to pure regal magic was her Antique Edwardian tiara. The diadem was purchased by Mary from an auction at Bruun Rasmussen in 2012 along with a pair of matching earrings. The tiara is special because it can be converted into a necklace, as Mary previously did in 2015 when she attended her mother-in-law Queen Margrethe‘s 75th birthday event at Concert Hall Aarhus.
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Princess Charlene
© Getty ImagesIt’s not every day that Princess Charlene of Monaco pulls out a tiara, but she made an exception on 19 November while attending the Monaco National Day gala evening with her husband, Prince Albert. For the event which celebrates Monaco’s sovereign and people, former Olympic swimmer Charlene wore a cream sparkly evening dress with a slinky silhouette and subtle boat neckline.
What makes this look a winner over her other (brilliant) outfits was her addition of her Diamond Foam Tiara. The outing marked the first time Charlene, 47, had taken the headpiece for a public spin since her wedding day in 2011, and it added an undeniably regal flair to the already glamorous look. The tiara features a dainty wave design, a nod to her past as a pro swimmer, and was crafted by Lorenz Baumer, who is a renowned German-French jeweller and owner of an eponymous atelier on Place Vendôme in Paris.
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Queen Letizia
© GettyRounding off my picks of 2025 is none other than the supremely elegant Queen Letizia. I personally love to see a royal embrace their romantic girlish side in a pink look, and the Spanish queen, 53, did just that on 21 November when she joined her husband, King Felipe, at the 50 Years Later: The Crown in the Transition to Democracy event at the Spanish Parliament in Madrid.
Former news anchor Letizia was every bit the royal Barbie in a structured tweed blazer and pencil skirt by one of her go-to Spanish designers, Carolina Herrera. The high-fashion co-ord featured subtle floral embroidery and was paired with patent slingbacks and a small handbag in the same powder pink hue.