The Most Beautiful Royal Gowns, Ranked

The British Royal Family must abide by a list of centuries-old rules and protocols, and that extends to their fashion choices. That’s right — the Royals have a dress code. Dresses have to be an appropriate length, shoes must be of a sensible height, and only married women can wear tiaras. Regardless of these restrictions, the Royal women always bring it when it comes to fashion. Take a look at our ranking of some of the most beautiful royal gowns.

When visiting Hong Kong in 1989, Princess Diana wore this white silk, pearl, and sequin gown by Catherine Walker. Because of the matching bolero (ah, the '80s), the press at the time dubbed the gown “the Elvis dress.” Whilst this look isn’t everyone’s taste, we reckon it's a daring look by our favorite Royal rebel. In 2012, designer Catherine Walker recalled, “She shone in the dress and the dress shone around her in a shimmering column of glistening pearls.”

British royals are known for supporting British fashion designers, and Duchess Catherine of Cambridge is no different. The Duchess — or Catherine, or Kate — is a fan of Jenny Packham gowns, and regularly steps out in her creations. This is a blush metallic gown with elaborate detailing. This was one of Kate’s first appearances after her globally televised 2011 royal wedding. According to etiquette experts, when dressing, royals need to look “memorably good” as a way of complimenting those waiting for them.

Here we have Princess Anne — the Queen’s only daughter — in a very 1970s ruffled floral dress, paired with white evening gloves. The Princess was attending an event in London’s Dorchester Hotel, and looks almost bohemian, except for her signature chignon. Princess Anne was an successful equestrian in her youth, and won two silver and one gold medal at the European Eventing Championships. Impressively, Anne was the first member of the British royal family to compete in the Olympic games.

This stunning, one-shoulder, white silk, silver beaded dress was custom-made for Princess Diana by Japanese designer Hachi. In this image, the Princess is attending the National Gallery in Washington D.C. in 1985. The dress was one of the first one-shoulder gowns that Diana wore, and the shape went on to become one of her staples. This dress was part of an exhibition of Diana’s clothes, and was eventually sold at an auction for $60,000.