25+ Mostly Embarrassing Royal Wardrobe Malfunction

Year: 2013
What Happened: Kate’s heel got caught

Even the most seasoned of us have struggled with shoe problems. Those of us who walk in the city in heels are already aware of the difficulty of avoiding grates that want to trip us up. Kate Middleton tripped over a pavement grate during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in 2013. Her heel became caught, and the pregnant Princess had to rely on Prince William for support to extricate herself. Kate should wear blockier heels in the future to prevent this from happening again.

Year: 2011
What Happened: Beatrice and Eugenie’s hats were widely criticized

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice wore bizarre-looking hats to Prince William’s 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton, sparking a million memes about these weird, alien-like fashion accessories. The hats were created by Philip Treacy, one of the world’s most famous milliners. The Daily Mail described these hats as one of Treacy’s “only flops,” and the outrage reportedly forced Eugenie and Beatrice to cry during a Buckingham Palace garden party.

Year: 1985
What Happened: Turning an heirloom choker into a headband

In this case, the wardrobe malfunction was not caused by the wind, sun, or heels getting caught in the grates. It has to do with Princess Diana’s wardrobe choices with the ancestral jewelry. The jewelry was a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth II. The exquisite piece was meant to be worn as a choker, but Diana transformed it into a headband. While this novel approach piqued people’s interest, sources indicate that the Queen was not pleased with this risky move.

Year: 2018
What Happened: Prince Harry’s shoes had holes in them

According to some estimations, Prince Harry is worth over $60 million, which allows him to buy whatever shoes he likes. However, he is similar to many men in that once he finds a favorite pair of shoes, it is difficult to get him to part with them. Even if the shoes have holes in them. At a 2018 wedding, Harry walked around in brogues with holes in the left sole. While we’re adoring the shoes, maybe it’s time to let them go (or have them repaired—the Royals undoubtedly know some fine cobblers).

Year: 2016
What Happened: Kate Middleton’s feet weren’t done

Some of the wardrobe malfunctions on this list (the majority, in fact) are legitimate, while others may be said to be just reasons for the Internet to get angry. We’ll let you decide on the next one, which involves, gasp!, unpolished toenails. Kate Middleton removed her shoes as a sign of respect when visiting India’s Mahatma Gandhi Museum. The Internet chastised her for not having her toes done, but to be fair, she may have had nude polish on. Also, who cares?

Year: 1979
What Happened: Strong winds caused the Queen’s hat to fly away

In another episode of Royals vs the Wind, this fashion faux pas occurred in 1979 while the late Queen Elizabeth II was touring Muscat, Oman with Sultan Qaboos. The winds were high that day in Omani city. They were so fierce that they kept blowing the Queen’s safari-style bonnet off her head. The reporters took numerous images of her attempting to retake control of her headgear. She eventually got the headpiece, keeping her poised public appearance.

Year: 2019
What Happened: Camilla wore the same color as Elizabeth

According to Royal blogs and watchers, Queen Consort Camilla committed a major fashion faux pas in 2019 when she attended the Commonwealth Day Service in the same hue of purple as Queen Elizabeth. Apparently, wearing the same hue as the Queen to an event is against the rules. Despite the fact that the two women wore different accessories, the media focused on the wardrobe malfunction, circulating rumors that there was strife between the two women as a result of “Purplegate.”

Year: 2018
What Happened: Heels sinking in the mud

Take note, ladies (and anyone else wearing heels). If you’re heading to an outdoor event where there’s any chance you’ll be walking on grass, wear block heels and nothing else. Wedges and blocks are your friends, as Meghan Markle learned at the Invictus Games a few years ago. Her lovely, presumably-pricey heels sank in the mud, resulting in a fashion malfunction and messy catastrophe that was probably quite difficult to repair.

Year: 1983
What Happened: Diana wore a double-meaning sweater

In a 1995 interview, Princess Diana was rather frank about her feelings. She informed the interviewer that she did not believe “people would want [her] to be queen.” She then emphasized that when she said “people,” she meant “the establishment” into which she had married. Diana was a misfit at the Royal Palace. When she wore the black sheep sweater in 1983, it was seen as a statement that she felt like the black sheep of the family, which was understandable.

Year: 2018
What Happened: Meghan’s bra outline showed

This fashion faux pas occurs to the best of us, and it’s actually not a huge deal. The world will not come to an end simply because someone discovers that a woman is wearing a bra. That comes as cold consolation to Meghan Markle, who was hazed by the press after her bra outline was seen. During her visit with Irish President Michael Higgins, the outline of her strapless bra could be seen through her grey outfit. The bra outline made Markle’s stylish, conservative ensemble appear somewhat more translucent than she intended.

Year: 2017
What Happened: Beatrice wore a see-through gown

Now that Queen Elizabeth II has passed away, it’s unclear whether the old fashion regulations still apply. However, fresh material has revealed that the Queen was not always quite conservative in her wardrobe choices. Princess Beatrice’s appearance at the 2017 V&A Summer Party in her see-through outfit was deemed scandalous. According to Express, Queen Elizabeth “encouraged” Beatrice to wear the $400 dress, so it wasn’t a fashion mishap for her.

Year: 2010s
What Happened: The wind blew up Kate’s skirt

Kate Middleton battled the wind once more in this snap (though we can see she’s wearing block heels, which rescued her from another fashion faux pas of her heel becoming stuck in a grate), taken a few years back. She had to fight the wind to keep her skirt down, which made her glad she was wearing tights. Perhaps Kate might take a page from the late Queen’s book and sew weights into her skirts, however unpleasant it may appear.

Year: 1997
What Happened: Diana wore body armor to protest landmines

Diana’s body armor, rather than her white shirt and khaki slacks, sparked controversy when she visited Angola in 1997. Princess Diana wore the armor to protest landmines while working for the Halo Trust. Her work with the group is now lauded, but she was widely criticized at the time for taking a “political” stance as a Royal. However, it is unclear what the political aspect is in terms of removing deadly landmines from third-world countries.

Year: 2016
What Happened: Kate’s “fur” gloves

Kate Middleton got into hot water while on a winter holiday in 2016. We’ll label this Royal wardrobe malfunction a “potential” one because it’s never been determined if the gloves were made of real fur or not. PETA UK highly criticized Kate for her glove choice, which had fur protruding out of them. PETA vowed to contact Kate, claiming that they wanted to make her aware of how bad the fur trade is.

Year: 2011
What Happened: Kate Middleton wore wedge heels

One little-known detail about Queen Elizabeth was that she despised wedge heels on ladies. There is no evident reason why she disliked them; they simply were not her cup of tea. Perhaps she believed they were too casual. In any case, this animosity was made public in 2011 when Kate Middleton wore wedge heels, much to the Queen’s annoyance. The Queen’s disdain was reportedly well-known across the family, including Kate, who met William in 2001.

Year: 1994
What Happened: Diana wore this iconic, controversial dress

This appearance is now considered an infamous fashion choice, rather than a Royal wardrobe mishap. Princess Diana wore this small black, sassy dress in 1994, and it became known as the Revenge Dress. The Princess wore it out in London on the same night that her ex, King Charles, revealed his affair with Queen Consort Camilla to the country. Diana was looking super-hot and stunting on her ex, which made the Palace shake their heads and the rest of us clap.

Year: 2018
What Happened: A tag left on a dress

When Meghan Markle visited Tonga, many people commented on how stunning she looked in her $500 outfit. The red dress complemented her nicely, and the former Duchess of Sussex wore it with black heels. Of course, the media was all over Meghan’s visit, and the former Duchess was swiftly exposed for a wardrobe disaster. People noticed the tag remained on her dress in many of the photographs. The Royals do buy their own clothes (albeit they don’t browse Target like we do), so Meghan may have planned to return the dress after she wore it.

Year: 2018
What Happened: Her top came unbuttoned

Meghan Markle attended a wedding with Prince Harry when she was 37 years old, and she wore a stunning black dress with a matching clutch and fascinator. Meghan’s shirt came unfastened as she tried to get in the door. Of course, the reporters caught the entire event, revealing a tiny amount of black, lacy underwear. It’s against the Royal Code for ladies to reveal cleavage, although it’s evident this was an accident.

Year: 2016
What Happened: Kate had to save her dress from the wind

The wind and the Royals aren’t pals. Royal women are famous for their costumes, which range from exquisite evening gowns to stylish daytime wear. And the wind comes for everyone, blowing, blustering, and wrecking havoc. For example, Kate Middleton had a Marilyn Monroe moment a few years ago when a gust of wind hit her outfit. She had to lean over to prevent the wind from exposing her. It’s no surprise that she like wool coat dresses, which are windproof.

Year: 2013
What Happened: Kate’s midriff was exposed

Of course, lookie-loos made a huge fuss of Kate Middleton’s wardrobe mishap. The famously athletic Royal was in the middle of a volleyball match with her husband, Prince William, when her shirt popped up. While this is to be expected when playing volleyball, such wardrobe difficulties are frequently frowned upon by the Royal family. Even though this was a mistake, it is not acceptable for ladies to show too much skin.

Year: 2023
What Happened: The sun made Meghan Markle’s skirt see-through

Sheer textiles have been “in” for many years, but they are not without concerns. Meghan Markle’s pleated Givenchy skirt ($1,755) turned see-through while traveling New Zealand due to exposure to sunlight. Markle probably didn’t notice (and neither did her admirers), but the journalists did. There was nothing wrong with Meghan’s outfit; it was just unfortunate that the sun caught the skirt in such a way that it revealed her underwear and legs. The New Zealand sun is harsh and, reportedly, merciless.

Year: 2017
What Happened: A possibly racist brooch

We’ll never know why Princess Michael of Kent believed this brooch was a good idea. When the Royal attended Queen Elizabeth II’s Christmas supper in 2017, she wore a Blackamoor brooch. This immediately aroused criticism, as Blackmoor brooches are notorious for their exoticized depictions of African enslaved peoples and slaves. The Princess eventually had to apologize for what she wore, stating that she was “distressed” to have caused such “offense.”

Year: 2018
What Happened: The wind was blowing Camilla’s dress up

On the day Princess Charlotte was christened, royal fashion faced its most formidable foe: the wind. Everyone looked their Sunday best at the ceremony, despite having to face the wind the entire time. For example, Queen Consort Camilla struggled to hold her dress down in the wind, and the cameras were present throughout. Camilla had her hands busy with her dress and headgear.

Year: 2013
What Happened: Wrap dress came unwrapped

Kate Middleton enjoys wearing airy wrap dresses, which have become a wardrobe staple for the Royals. Kate’s love of wrap dresses has encouraged millions of women to wear similarly, emulating their favorite fashion icon. There is a disadvantage to these clothes, as Kate discovered at her Action on Addiction engagement. The Royal’s wrap became untied, requiring her to re-secure it in public.

Year: 2012
What Happened: Prince Philip spreading his legs

Prince Philip was never one for convention, and he most likely assumed that the tried-and-true Royal tradition of keeping your knees together when sitting was only for Royal women. At the 2012 Highland Games, he wore a kilt that demonstrated why that is sound advise for all. The journalists captured him spreading his legs a little too much while at the games. He should have taken a hint from the late Queen next to him, who was seated with her knees perfectly clasped, as per Royal tradition.

Year: 2010
What Happened: Queen Elizabeth II broke her purse

Queen Elizabeth, God rest her soul, was always regarded as prim and proper. She would even put weights into her garments to keep her skirts from flying up. However, even the Queen could not avoid the occasional accident. One evening during a birthday party, her beautiful purse strap snapped. Apparently, Amazon’s cheap purses aren’t the only items that break easily. Hopefully, the castle jeweler was able to repair the broken strap.

Year: 2010
What Happened: Queen Elizabeth spilled food on herself  

In 2010, when visiting Greece’s Crown Prince Pavlos’ birthday party, Queen Elizabeth snapped the strap of her (undoubtedly pricey) purse. However, this was not the only wardrobe mishap that night in London. According to the photographs, she also had a little spill. She had spilled food or drink on her clothing. While we’ve all done it, it’s even more embarrassing when a million cameras are following you around to document it.

Year: 2010
What Happened: Denmark’s princess’ heel got caught in a sidewalk

Princess Mary of Denmark experienced a very familiar incident a few years ago. There is nothing less prim and proper than standing barefoot on a dirty street, attempting to extricate your heel from the grasp of a sidewalk crack. Princess Mary was terribly stuck in the crack, and she had to step out of her heel and rip it out. Mary handled things like a champ, though—no calling for help to get her shoe out; she did it alone.

Year: 2018
What Happened: A rogue gust of wind exposed a slip

Queen Consort Camilla was at the NHS Heroes Award ceremony a few years back when she found herself (and her costume) in a furious struggle with the wind. Blustery days do not discriminate, even when it comes to the Royals. A huge gust of wind hit Camilla on the red carpet, causing her dress to flap and exposing her naked slip. Surely, the Queen Consort was merely glad she was wearing one; image the BBC’s reaction if she wasn’t.

Year: 1981
What Happened: Diana accidentally showed some cleavage

Princess Diana was revered around the world for a variety of reasons, including her design taste. The late Royal was also a regular target of the press, which jumped on her for wearing a strapless gown to a Royal event. Princess Diana was revered around the world for a variety of reasons, including her design taste. The late Royal was also a regular target of the press, which jumped on her for wearing a strapless gown to a Royal event.

Year: 2010s
What Happened: Paparazzi flashes caused a wardrobe malfunction  

When preparing a Royal function, Royal ladies must be especially aware of the paparazzi’s flashes. These flash cameras can illuminate anything, including flimsy underwear, as Kate Middleton discovered. Middleton was blinded by camera flashes as she walked into a nighttime gathering dressed in black. These flashes were so bright and strong that they lit up her clothing, showing just the tan bra she was wearing underneath.

Year: 1981
What Happened: Creases in a $115K gown 

David and Elizabeth Emanuel created this enormous, regal $115,000 gown for Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding. The garment is so well-known that it has its own Wikipedia page, but there was one flaw that shocked the designers. When Diana exited her carriage, the dress was reportedly so crumpled that Elizabeth Emanuel felt “faint” and “horrified.” Fortunately, no one noticed the creases except the gown’s fastidious designers.

Year: 2018
What Happened: Kate’s dress caused a big stir

Kate Middleton found herself in a conundrum at the 2018 BAFTAs, and her dress just added to the intensity. At the time, women in the business wore black to events in support of the #MeToo, Time’s Up movement. Kate, as a Royal, was expected to be impartial. However, she donned a black belt with her outfit, which sparked media speculation about what the accessory actually represented. The gown created a sensation, which Royals often shun like the plague.

Year: 1973
What Happened: A risky, bold fashion choice

A woman in a pantsuit? Who cares? That is our current mentality, however in 1973, such an ensemble was deemed a complete wardrobe malfunction. Princess Anne wore a blue, linen pantsuit in 1973. A woman in a pantsuit? Who cares? That is our current mentality, however in 1973, such an ensemble was deemed a complete wardrobe malfunction. Princess Anne wore a blue, linen pantsuit in 1973.

Year: 2019
What Happened: A dark spot on Prince William’s shoe

Prince William sits with his legs crossed during an interview with David Attenborough at the World Economic Forum in 2019. This would not have been a major deal if it hadn’t been for his heavily worn shoes causing a wardrobe malfunction. Fans watching the live interview noted that William’s sneaker appeared to have a hole in the sole. Despite William’s excellent suit and polished appearance, the wardrobe malfunction was not overlooked.

Year: 1980
What Happened: Diana wore a see-through skirt

Diana Spencer once made a fashion faux pas while working at a nursery. In the 1981 shot, she was wearing a vest, dress shirt, and skirt while caring for the children. When she was photographed, the sun hit the camera in such a way that the skirt appeared translucent. Diana, who was only nineteen years old at the time, was shocked that the photo had been made public since she had not intended to show off so much of her body.

Year: 2018
What Happened: The tailor’s stitch wasn’t removed

Meghan Markle had an issue with her coat when visiting Birmingham, England, with Prince Harry. The coat stayed put, revealing its strong, sewn attachment. Fortunately, this was not as serious as the other wardrobe difficulties on this list. Even the best among us forget to remove the tailor’s thread on occasion. The stitch keeps the coat in form while it is on show, but it should be removed before wearing (and photographing).

Year: 2023
What Happened: Kate’s dress got wrinkled

Kate Middleton looked like a fashionista as she strolled onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court a few months ago in her beautiful green dress. Unfortunately, it became clear that the dress’s fabric was not wrinkle-resistant. Kate’s outfit became noticeably wrinkled and creased as the Gentlemen’s Singles progressed. Unfortunately, for such an up-and-down affair, we recommend a wrinkle-resistant fabric the next time.