Maternity style has undergone a dramatic overhaul in recent decades — with women ditching oversized, shapeless dresses of years past for more form-fitting, trend-forward silhouettes.
The women of the royal family have undergone the same transition. When Queen Elizabeth II was pregnant, she favored oversized pieces that camouflaged her growing bump in the 1950s. While her jackets, skirts and pumps gave off a sophisticated air, they also served to create the illusion of a flat stomach.
Princess Diana, known for her sense of style, pulled off a series of chic looks while waiting for the births of sons Prince William and Prince Harry. In 1982, the royal was chic in midi dresses and pumps for more relaxed events, embodying an ’80s cool while still seeming pulled-together.
Dressing up while pregnant can be more difficult, but Kate Middleton has perfected the formula through the births of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. At the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in London in 2018 — just weeks from Prince Louis’ birth — the Duchess of Cambridge was chic as can be in a tailored green coat, matching fascinator and black block-heeled Tod’s pumps.
Meghan Markle, who is due any day now, has followed in Middleton’s footsteps, favoring tailored pieces that show off her bump. The Duchess of Sussex has even perfected the night-out look, dazzling in a glamorous Roland Mouret gown at Royal Albert Hall when she was already six months pregnant. Like her sister-in-law, Markle hasn’t shied away from heels — wowing that night in a pair of soaring Stuart Weitzman Nudistsong sandals.
Click through the gallery to see more royal maternity style through the years.
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