Kate Middleton's Lilac Dress for Queen Elizabeth's 100th Birthday Bash Was the Ultimate Nod to Monarch's Colorful Wardrobe

Helen MurphyWed, April 22, 2026 at 2:44 PM UTC

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Queen Elizabeth in 2011; Kate Middleton at an event honoring the late monarch in April 2026.Credit: Indigo/Getty; Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty -

Kate Middleton wore a lilac dress to a Buckingham Palace reception honoring the late Queen Elizabeth on what would have been the monarch's 100th birthday

The ensemble was a subtle nod to the late Queen, who often wore bright colors to stand out

The Princess of Wales also wore a three-strand pearl necklace that previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth

Kate Middleton's outfit choice for an event honoring Queen Elizabeth's centenary was a subtle nod to the late monarch's iconic fashion.

On Tuesday, April 21, the Princess of Wales stepped out with Prince William and other members of the royal family for a Buckingham Palace reception marking what would have been Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday. (The late monarch died in 2022, at age 96.)

For the event, Princess Kate, 44, wore a long-sleeved lilac dress. The eye-catching hue of the ensemble called to mind Queen Elizabeth's penchant for wearing bright colors, with the purple shade a regular in her rotation.

The color wasn't the only tribute to the late monarch: Princess Kate also paired the dress with earrings and a three-strand pearl necklace that previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth. The pearls were a go-to piece for the late Queen, and she wore them in the final official portrait ever taken of her. The Princess of Wales has previously worn the necklace since the monarch's death, including at a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022.

Kate Middleton at the Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday, April 21.Credit: Aaron Chown - Pool/Getty

Queen Elizabeth's colorful wardrobe wasn't an accident. According to Caroline de Guitaut, the curator of the new exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, it was "really, really important" for the Queen to sport such bold hues.

"At the beginning of the Queen’s reign, she could often be the only woman in the room, so standing out from darkly tailored suits was important," de Guitaut said of the late sovereign. "Even if she’s half a mile away, if she’s wearing that red coat, you’re definitely going to see her."

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Queen Elizabeth sporting a lime green hue in 2016.Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage

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Blues and yellows were the most popular colors in her closet, de Guitaut said, closely followed by greens and pinks.

Princess Kate has taken these lessons to heart, often wearing bright hues to official royal events.

King Charles greeting citizens celebrating their 100th birthdays, in honor of Queen Elizabeth's centenary.Credit: WPA Pool/Getty

Many other members of the royal family joined the palace reception on Tuesday, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Prince Edward and Sophie (the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh). Also in attendance were citizens celebrating their 100th birthdays.

The reception was just one of many events celebrating Queen Elizabeth's legacy. On April 20, King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the Buckingham Palace exhibit of Queen Elizabeth's fashion, where they viewed items including her wedding dress and the ensemble she wore for the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony in London.

The following day, on Tuesday, April 21, Princess Anne opened a garden named in her mother's honor. The King and Queen also viewed the design recommendations for the Queen Elizabeth Memorial at the British Museum.

Kate Middleton and Prince William also marked the special occasion with a social media post that featured photos of their family, including their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, with the Queen.

"Remembering Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Inspiring generations through a lifetime of duty," the post read.

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