Princess Charlotte's Glamorous Style Transformation

Princess Catherine is famous for her amazing fashion moments and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, is becoming a little fashionista in her own right. Looking back at the young princess' glamorous style transformation, it's apparent that Charlotte is a royal to watch in the future. And as her style transforms, so will her already lucrative influence on the fashion milieu. "The royal children have a positive impact on the sales of particular clothes and toys brands they wear or play with," explained Brand Finance CEO David Haigh, per Business Insider. "In this sense, they have a very similar effect on brands as their mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, who has a real Midas touch – everything she touches turns into gold."

As she gets older and settles into her lofty role within The Firm, Charlotte's style will no doubt blossom and perhaps reflect the effortlessly chic regalia worn by her mother. Then again, Charlotte may have some entirely different style plans up her sleeve. Unafraid of showing off her sassy attitude, Princess Charlotte has proven herself one of the most headstrong royals. (For instance, she's long been known to keep her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, in check.) One can't help but think she'll rule the style world in the distant future. Let's take a look at Princess Charlotte's glamorous style transformation.

While mommy blogging is now a ubiquitous trend on social media, it's fairly unusual for a literal baby to become a style icon. But following her birth in 2015, Princess Charlotte was steadily making a major impact on the fashion world. In fact, from the outset of her introduction to the world — when a proud Princess Catherine cradled her baby girl on the steps of the Lindo Wing at London's St. Mary's hospital — Charlotte was catalyzing mass fashion frenzies. The shawl that the hours-old infant was draped in, for instance, began selling like hotcakes. And thus the "Princess Charlotte effect" was in full force.

When Catherine shared an Instagram snap of her 6-month-old daughter in a pale pink cardigan and floral dress, royal fans were desperate to recreate the outfit on their own little ones. "Demand for items Princess Charlotte wears will surge massively on our site," a representative for children's retailer Alex and Alexa told The Telegraph. "We saw an increase in customers searching for pale pink cardigans and floral dresses."

As a baby, Charlotte's style was a notable departure from the mainstream children's fashion of the 2010s, which typically saw kids dressed as mini adults. "There seems to be a backlash against the vulgarity of dressing children as mini-mes ... Parents want to keep their children looking as though they've just tumbled out of Enid Blytons faraway tree," magazine editor Estelle Lee told The Telegraph.

The royals have long been fashion trendsetters. This extends to the smallest members of the Windsor brood, with Princess Charlotte proving herself a fashionista at the tender age of 2. As a toddler, she was frequently seen wearing dresses made in Liberty fabric. 

For instance, when she embarked on a royal tour of Germany with her parents, Princess Catherine and Prince William, Charlotte donned a ditsy, red and white Liberty print dress, complete with matching Mary Jane shoes and little white socks. The princess' toddler style was whimsical and vintage-inspired, harking back to the doll-like outfits that Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, wore as kids in the 1930s.

Liberty is a British heritage brand dating back to 1875 and in recent times has mostly been associated with vintage fashion. But by donning a Liberty dress, Charlotte caused a major surge in demand for the heritage fabrics, as searches for "Liberty Dress" began trending sixfold on eBay. "The royal family are hugely popular with British buyers with Her Majesty regularly attracting the attention of shoppers," eBay exec Murray Lambell explained to Yahoo! Life. "But it's the youngest generation of royals who really generate the must-have fashion items – and driving a new generation of shopping behavior on eBay." It was a remarkable impact from such a young child, who essentially became an unwitting walking (or crawling, given her age) advertisement for Liberty. Charlotte stans, consider yourselves influenced.  

In 2018, Princess Charlotte showcased a preppy outfit while visiting her mom in hospital following the birth of her little brother, Prince Louis. Accompanying her dad, Prince William, and big brother, Prince George, to the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, Charlotte wore a navy cardigan over a light blue floral dress. The ensemble was topped off with matching navy Mary Janes and white socks. Its color palette was slightly darker than the outfits Charlotte had previously worn, and since her mom was recovering in hospital, it appears that someone else may have dressed her for the visit: we're looking at you, William (the proud papa was also decked out in navy and blue). 

As a result of her impeccable style, Charlotte unintentionally found herself becoming a toddler influencer. Her enviable hold and influence on the fashion market led to her net value rocketing to an estimated £3 billion (around $3.8 billion), eclipsing that of George, who was valued at £2.4 billion (around $3 billion). "This is actually as simple as the relative size of the men's and women's fashion markets," Robert Haigh, marketing director at Brand Finance, told Marie Claire in 2018, "by which I mean that Charlotte's endorsement effect will likely be felt across a much broader range of products and brands or types of clothing than will George's, allowing a greater scope for the monetisation of her 'brand' and hence a higher value."

Christmas at Sandringham is an annual tradition in the Windsor family and subject to much media interest, in part due to anticipation of what the royals will wear. From Queen Elizabeth II's fuchsia festive fits to Meghan Markle's famous camel coat, royal Christmas fashion is always a sight to behold. When Princess Charlotte showcased her first Christmas look, she did not disappoint.

In 2019, there was much anticipation for Charlotte and Prince George's joint appearance at Sandringham. "It will be so sweet. George and Charlotte will make their Christmas debut, as long as they're both on good form on the day," a source told The Sun. "It's the picture all royal fans want to see. The royals walking to church on Christmas Day is a rite of passage and so William and Kate didn't want to expose their children too early, but they feel they're old enough now."

Charlotte was on her best behavior on the day, and the family was indeed the picture perfect embodiment of resplendent aristocracy in their elegant garb. Then aged 4, Charlotte made her festive Sandringham debut in a chic green coat by Amaia. It was classic royal regalia, but still quintessentially Charlotte due to the addition of cutesy Mary Jane flats. Marie Claire wrote that she was "so dapper," E! News praised her charming coat, and Town & Country observed that the young royal looked right at home at the event.

As a royal, there are many things that Princess Charlotte will never be able to do. But she is able to use her royal bearing to help those in need. That's just what she did in the lead-up to her 5th birthday in May 2020. At the time, the U.K. was under strict lockdown rules, with folks ordered to stay at home to prevent the deadly virus from spreading. However, the government did allow volunteers to help out the most vulnerable in society by delivering essential goods, so long as these visits remained socially distanced. In lieu of traditional celebrations, Charlotte sweetly joined her parents in volunteering the day before her birthday.

On Instagram, Princess Catherine shared a series of photos of the little one helping out elderly people by delivering food packages outside their doors. The princess kept things simple in a black and white checked dress and thick gray tights. Though Charlotte was hitherto famed for her florals and vibrant looks, her style was noticeably muted in the snaps, which may be viewed as a rejection of extravagance during a time of worldwide turmoil. According to a friend who spoke to Vanity Fair, Charlotte and her family were "giving back to a small and tight knit community that has always looked out for them."

For many years, ditsy prints formed much of Princess Charlotte's signature style. When the princess turned 6 in 2021, the royal family's X account shared a photo of the youngster beaming while donning an eye-catching navy and pink floral dress. With its button-up Peter Pan collar and retro print, the dress, which retailed for a modest £59 (around $75) at Rachel Riley, was giving '90s vibes, once again showing the youngster's commitment to vintage aesthetics.

The photo unexpectedly led to a buying frenzy and the dress swiftly sold out at Rachel Riley. Once again, Charlotte was hailed a style icon. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Riley said that the retail fever caused by Charlotte's ensemble was an indicator of her future star power as a fashionista in the making. "It was such a treat to see Princess Charlotte wearing our button front floral dress to mark her sixth birthday! She looks so happy in the picture," Riley enthused. "We look forward to seeing Princess Charlotte's style develop as she continues to grow and mature and we have no doubt she will become as much of a style icon as her mother is."

Some royals love borrowing clothes from their mom's closet. When she gets a little older, we can certainly picture Princess Charlotte swapping garb with her elegant mom, Princess Catherine, but for now the youngster will have to make do with mini versions of her mother's fits. Attending Easter service at Windsor Castle in 2022, Charlotte and Catherine had a cute twinning moment. Catherine wore a chic powder blue coat dress with a full skirt, evoking Cinderella's ballgown. Meanwhile, her 6-year-old mini-me sported a floral dress in the same shade, with matching colorful tights.

Catherine often wears varying shades of blue — particularly for Easter events — possibly because blue symbolizes responsibility and also represents one of the colors of the Union Jack. "She has since worn every shade of blue, from a soft and pale (one might even call it Cinderella blue) to a deep navy," royal fashion writer Elizabeth Holmes told Vogue. The mom and daughter duo's blue twinning moment may thus be seen as a continuation of the lineage of royal responsibilities, which Charlotte will have to take on further as she grows up. Moreover, while Charlotte's outfit was an appropriately girlish take on her mother's formal regalia, it was also undoubtedly an indication of the more mature regal looks royal fans can expect to see from her in future.

At King Charles III's coronation in May 2023, Princess Charlotte was looking more regal than ever. Swapping her high street-brand dresses for haute couture, she wowed in a white Alexander McQueen dress and embroidered cape. The look was complete with a floral crown, which matched her mom's majestic headpiece, and served as a tribute to royal styles both past and present. "In spite of eschewing the traditional platinum and diamonds, Kate's leaf crown nevertheless follows a long tradition of royal headgear paying homage to the natural world," jewelry expert Rachel Garrahan told Vogue. It was undoubtedly a more mature look for the princess, then aged 8. Notably, Alexander McQueen is one of Catherine's favorite labels and she famously wore a McQueen gown on her wedding day.

When Charlotte attended Trooping the Colour the following month, she seemingly upcycled her coronation dress, which then featured a red sailor collar and bow. Again, this was another sophisticated look for the pre-teen, indicating a shift in her personal style. "It looks like the coronation dress," children's clothing designer Amaia Arrieta told People. "The way the skirt moves is exactly the same, but it looks like the sleeves were changed and the collar and belt added. It fitted her perfectly and it was just weeks ago, so it makes sense." Princess Catherine is known for repeating her own gorgeous royal looks, so she has evidently passed this passion for sustainable fashion onto her daughter.

Child fashion influencers have become increasingly prevalent on social media. But in Princess Charlotte's case, she has essentially become a de facto child influencer. The clothing that Charlotte dons invariably sells out, leading to some understandable consternation from Princess Catherine and Prince William. "The last thing the Waleses will want is for Charlotte to become a fashion trend setter," royal writer Kate Mansey told the Daily Mail. "They're already treading a delicate balance between allowing the world to see their children, allowing the public to have a relationship, while protecting their privacy."

Posing in designer garb on Instagram may not be on the cards for Charlotte just yet, but she certainly looked every inch the mini influencer at Wimbledon in July 2023. She was giving it-girl in a blue floral dress and pair of pink Leosun shades as she enjoyed the tournament. Somewhat unsurprisingly, her fans then desperately searched for the sunglasses on the Leosun website, only to find that Charlotte was wearing a discontinued style of shades. 

Wearing an older product may have been by design, with Charlotte's parents apparently worried about her astonishing, albeit unintended, ability to influence the retail market. "We've already seen Kate choose clothes for photoshoots that aren't the latest season's trends no doubt for that very reason," added Mansey.

All eyes were on Princess Charlotte when she posed backstage with Taylor Swift in London in June 2024. In an Instagram snap shared by Swift, there was an evident sartorial shift in Charlotte, who is reportedly a dedicated Swiftie. "Princess Charlotte is the huge Taylor Swift fan in the family," a source told Entertainment Tonight. "She has wanted to go to the concert for months." As Charlotte explored her interest in music, she also appeared to experiment with tween fashion styles. Wearing a sequined fit and styling her hair in braids, her Eras aesthetic was on point.

When Charlotte attended Wimbledon a few weeks later, she once again showcased her newfound style. The 9-year-old wore a frilly polka dot dress and ballerina bumps, which were markedly more grown-up than the ditsy florals and Mary Janes that were once her wardrobe staples. A notable part of Charlotte's ensemble was her friendship bracelets, the likes of which have become synonymous with Swifties. Sweetly, her grandfather, King Charles III, had also been seen wearing an Eras-style friendship bracelet, leading to speculation that Charlotte may have gifted it to him.

Now a tween, Charlotte is probably keen to explore her own personal aesthetic, likely having been dressed by her parents most of her life. "It felt like a bit of a milestone, like she's transitioning from a sweet little girl in smocked floral dresses to a slightly more grown-up tween vibe," style writer Bethan Holt told People of Charlotte's Wimbledon look.