Meghan Markle loves them, Kate Middleton is a fan too: Why royals have jumped on cape fashion trend
Evening dresses with cape detailing have been favoured by royals around the world, with Kate the Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands all wearing them.
Cape dresses are a royal classic as they exude elegance and simple sophistication you can dress up with dazzling jewels.
The Princess of Wales certainly caused a frenzy when she donned a cape at the James Bond premiere for ‘No Time to Die’, where she wore a dazzling Jenny Packham ‘goldfinger’ dress.
Kate sparkled in the dramatic floor-length sheer cape, which was covered in gold metallic sequins. Originally thought to be a custom creation, after Kate wore the £4,000 dress it sold out in the majority of sizes.
Dresses with cape detailing are also a go-to for the Duchess of Sussex as she has worn them to a number of occasions over the years. Meghan wore the £1,295 ruby red ‘Kalika’ dress by Safiyaa to the the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London. It features a gorgeous shoulder cape silhouette, back drape detailing and slits around the lower leg.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium
Queen Mathilde of Belgium attends a concert in a yellow cape dress at Flagey concert Hall, July 2023
Queen Mathilde wears a beautiful yellow cape dress accompanied by husband King Philippe
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is pictured wearing a stunning beige caped dress as stands next to her husband, King Philippe
Queen Maxima wore a three-coloured ballgown when she offered a concert to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in 2017. The dress featured a red, white and navy diagonal design whilst the second half of the dress is a muted beige.
Queen Letizia of Spain also wore an elegant red floor-length caped ballgown which she matched with silver jewellery and a clutch bag.
Princess Margaret donned a regal sheer white cape dress with silver detailing when she and her husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, attended the Royal Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in 1974.
Others who have jumped on the trend include: Princess Charlene of Monaco, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Princess Caroline of Monaco and her daughter Charlotte Casiraghi and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
Kate, Princess of Wales
Kate sparkled in the dramatic floor-length sheer cape covered in gold metallic sequins
Kate in a cape! The Royal Family are huge fans of the James Bond franchise, William and Kate attended the ‘No Time To Die’ World Premiere, Royal Albert Hall, London in September 2021
Regal: Kate wowed in a white embellished cape dress, also made by Jenny Packham, in November 2022
She paired the regal cape with Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara – a favourite of her late mother-in-law, Diana
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex
One of the most notable times she wore this style of ballgown was when Harry appeared in his official capacity as Captain General of the Royal Marines for the last time in March 2020
She wore the £1,295 ruby red ‘Kalika’ dress by Safiyaa to the the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London
For the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan wore a black dress with cape detailing that dropped just below the knee
Meghan also wore a stunning royal blue cape gown to a state dinner in Fiji
The Duchess of Sussex also donned an emerald green dress with cape detailing when she attended the Commonwealth Day Service in March 2020
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands
King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands pictured at a concert in 2017
She also wore this style of clothing more recently on January 23 for the first new year reception
Queen Maxima also recently re-wore the beige cap, as King Willem-Alexander has invited a hundred guests for lunch to celebrate his ten-year reign
Queen Maxima sported a sheer floral cape dress when she visited Pipiltin chocolate factory in March 2020
Ballgowns seem to be a favourite of Queen Maxima as she is pictured here wearing a cape while greeting the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri
Queen Letizia of Spain
Queen Letizia of Spain also wore an elegant red floor-length ballgown which she matched with silver jewellery and a clutch bag. She is pictured with her husband, King Felipe of Spain in 2017
Princess Margaret
Princess Margaret wore a regal sheer white cape dress with silver detailing back in the 1970s
She and husband Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, attended the Royal Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, May 1974
Princess Charlene of Monaco
Green goddess: Charlene left a lasting impression in a green cape dress by Marchesa Notte, which she styled with embellished pumps and Repossi earrings
More recently, she attended the Christmas Tree at Monaco Palace on December 14, 2022, donning a navy blue cape coat
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
The flowing silk dress sweeps Mary’s figure and frames the shoulders due to the cape sleeves
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark on 4, January 2023
Princess Caroline of Monaco
Princess Caroline attends a Gala during Monaco National Day sporting a ruby coloured dress with white gloves
Stunning: The caped ballgown fell perfectly and draped along the floor (L-R) Princess Caroline, Andrea Casiraghi, Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II of Monaco
Charlotte Casiraghi
Charlotte Casiraghi wore the gorgeous caped dress after the religious wedding ceremony of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monaco
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
Crown Princess Mette-Marit wears a gorgeous grey (lined with green) cape which she has worn before when attended a ceremony in Oslo in 2022. She was attending a welcome ceremony in Castle Square as part of the Italian President’s state visit
