Celeb Style

All that glitters: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge’s most sparkling gowns through the years

She shines brighter than anyone else in these designs.
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Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but sequins, glitter and all other kinds of embellishments shine just as brightly when they’re worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

The stylish royal has made a name for herself as a trend-setter among the ladies of the British royal family, with dresses and coats she dons often selling out within minutes of her being photographed in them.

But it’s Catherine’s taste in evening gowns that has won the hearts of royal watchers and fashion critics alike, especially when those gowns are designed with a little added sparkle.

She has been a fan of sparkle since long before she became a royal, donning this delightfully sequined top to a roller disco in 2008 with sister Pippa.

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Through the years, Catherine has transitioned from sequinned tops for nights out in London to glittering jewelled dresses designed by Jenny Packham and Alexander McQueen.

Royalty has become her and refined her taste in fashion, first shaping her style choices as she found her footing within her own royal wardrobe, then becoming the basis for her fashion explorations.

In recent years, the duchess has expanded her sartorial horizons and embrace more eclectic designs featuring all manners of sparkling embellishment – and it is those we are celebrating here.

Keep scrolling to see Catherine’s best moments in glittering gowns through the years.

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01

The glittering details were subtle, but they were what set this divine Jenny Packham gown apart when Catherine stepped out at an event in Jamaica in March 2022.

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02

Catherine wowed in this bespoke shimmering pink dress from The Vampire’s Wife on the third evening of her and Prince William’s royal tour of the Caribbean in March 2022.

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03

Just a few months prior she had recycled this embellished Jenny Packham frock to attend the annual Royal Variety Performance in November 2021.

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04

She first wore the emerald green ensemble at a special reception during her and William’s October 2019 royal tour of Pakistan, styling it with a matching sash.

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05

Arguably one of Catherine’s most iconic moments in sparkles, she made headlines around the world when she stepped out at the No Time To Die world premiere in September 2021 in this gold Jenny Packham caped gown.

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06

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the duchess chose this lightly embellished blue number – another Jenny Packham – to host a gala dinner at Buckingham Palace in March 2020. In fact, it was a recycled piece too.

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07

Fashion afficionados first spotted the royal in this blue frock in April 2016, when she paired it with a sparkling matching shawl to attend a Bollywood inspired charity during a royal visit to India and Bhutan.

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08

For a reception hosted in Ireland in 2020 the Duchess of Cambridge a chose a shimmering green dress by The Vampire’s Wife.

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09

A more subdued look, there was still plenty of shimmer tucked into the details of this divine Alexander McQueen gown to the British Academy Film Awards ceremony in February 2020.

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10

We first saw her in it eight years prior, when she styled it with a sparkling gold clutch to attend an event in Malaysia in September 2012.

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11

Talk about looking ravishing in red – Catherine wowed in this red embellished frock from emerging British brand, Needle and Thread, at Buckingham Palace in January 2020.

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12

The duchess shimmered in this icy blue Missoni dress as she pulled pints of lager during a February 2019 trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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13

The royal took embellishment to a whole new level in this layered Jenny Packham gown she donned for the Royal Variety Performance in November 2017.

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14

She wore a similar style from the same designer in silver for an elegant dinner at the British Embassy in Paris in March that year.

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15

Just one month prior, she chose a shorter shimmering silver-white frock by Erdem for an event at Buckingham Palace. She completed the look with sparkling silver shoes.

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16

In September 2013, shortly after welcoming Prince George, Catherine wore this sequinned Jenny Packham gown for the Tusk Conservation Awards.

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17

Just months after she and William tied the knot, Catherine wore this pearlescent gown to the ARK 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner – and yes, of course it was a Jenny Packham design.

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18

Honourable mention: We have to praise Catherine’s shimmering shoe choices too, especially these chic gradient Jimmy Choo heels she wore in 2019 (right) and again in 2020 (left).

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