- Princess Charlotte is a preteen now, turning 11 years old on May 2.
- As she gets older, the young princess’s style is evolving from “a sweet little girl” to “a slightly more grown-up tween vibe.”
- Charlotte’s subtle style shift was evident at her only public appearance of 2026, when she joined the rest of the royal family for church on Easter Sunday.
Princess Charlotte turns 11 years old on May 2, making her a preteen—and with that comes a subtle shift in her style.
Largely gone are the childrenswear labels that Charlotte used to wear with aplomb, and in its place are labels loved by both her mother Kate Middleton and her grandmother Princess Diana. Case in point? For Charlotte’s only public appearance so far in 2026, the young royal stepped out on Easter Sunday on April 5 in a bespoke butterscotch Catherine Walker coat. Catherine Walker was Diana’s favorite designer, and one that Kate wears often up to the present day. Underneath her coat—which was a rewear from Christmas Day 2025—was a blue Self-Portrait dress, the same label that the Princess of Wales wore on the same day.
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While still holding true to her age and not maturing her too quickly, Charlotte’s style is evolving, often mirroring her mother’s. Her wardrobe is transitioning from “a sweet little girl in smocked floral dresses to a slightly more grown-up tween vibe,” Bethan Holt, fashion director at The Telegraph, told People.
This transition also includes her footwear, said Nicole Robinson, co-founder of Papouelli, a shoe brand the royal family often turns to. “We are always thrilled when she wears our shoes,” Robinson told People. “She has transitioned from a very gorgeous Mary Jane shoe into a ballerina style, which is very age-appropriate.”
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“I think Kate has a really elegant, effortless classic style, and she always looks amazing, so you would assume that would filter down to what she chooses to dress her daughter in,” Robinson said.
She added, “The Princess of Wales dresses Charlotte so beautifully. She always looks immaculately turned out, and I’m sure as she gets older that will continue to be the case.” Robinson added of Kate’s styling choices that “She always gets it spot on.”
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Stylist Charlotte Kewley told Hello! that Charlotte “has become something of a fashion icon for timeless, heritage-inspired dressing. Her outfits are always beautiful and avoid any obvious trends, but it’s the thoughtful details that make her look—the neatly tied hair bow, velvet collars, patent Mary Janes, and the classic wool coat.”
“At a time when many children aspire to look older than their years, it’s refreshing and lovely to see a [then] 10-year-old girl looking her age,” Kewley continued. “Not overly mature, not too casual. And never dressed in anything synthetic.”
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Designer Rachel Riley told Hello! that, when it comes to Kate dressing Charlotte, she “always gets it just right when it comes to her fashion choices.”
“She combines high street with designer, wears lots of British brands, and is known for wearing outfits on several occasions,” Riley said. “I have no doubt Princess Charlotte will become as much of a style icon as her mother is, and I look forward to seeing Princess Charlotte’s style develop as she continues to grow and mature.”
