The Princess of Wales has undergone a gradual but very significant fashion evolution from trendy It-Girl to elegant royal.

When Kate Middleton first made headlines as Prince William’s girlfriend at St Andrews University, it was not unusual for her to embrace ’00s fashion trends, from low-rise jeans to cropped tank tops and mini dresses.

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This rebellious style was also reflected in the looks of her wedding guests, as shown in the photos from the wedding of Lady Rose Windsor and George Gilman in July 2008.

Kate, 26, was photographed performing solo at the Queen’s Chapel at St James’ Palace as her then-boyfriend Prince William was providing disaster relief in the Caribbean.

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She looked beautiful in a knee-length purple floral dress with a white, black and blue boho print. The colorful dress featured a deep V-neck and a flowy skirt and she paired it with a waist-hugging white jacket with corset closures, black heels and a matching fascinator with feathers.

While white is often reserved for the bride, it is often worn by bridesmaids at royal weddings because it was believed to ward off evil spirits.

Some rule-breaking royal wedding guests like Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne have worn the forbidden hue in the past, but in Kate’s case, the shade may have had a deeper meaning.

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Colour expert Gabi Winters of Chromology previously told HELLO!: “Scientifically speaking, white contains a balanced proportion of all the colours of the spectrum, so of course the most fundamental quality of white is uniformity, neutrality and independence.”

“Culturally, white is a symbol of purity, cleanliness, flawlessness and perfection.” She also said, “White is the color of peace and the color of new beginnings.”

This could be related to the revival of the relationship between Kate and William after their brief separation in 2007.

The separation of Kate and William

© Mark Cuthbert

“We were both very young,” William said during his engagement interview with Kate in 2010, a year before their royal wedding. “We were both finding ourselves and being different characters. We were trying to find our own way and growing up.”

Kate added: “I wasn’t very happy about it at the time, but actually it made me a stronger person.

“You find out things about yourself that you may not have been aware of, or I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when you’re young, and I really appreciated that time for myself, even though I didn’t think so at the time. When I look back.”

Kate’s style as a wedding guest

The Queen had previously appeared with William at his wedding twice, in June 2005 and May 2006. At the wedding, Kate celebrated Will’s friend Hugh Van Cutsem Jr.’s big day with Rose Astor in a cream blazer and a Karen Millen skirt.

At the wedding of his stepsister Laura Parker-Bowles and Harry Lopes, Kate looked beautiful in a brocade coat by DAY Birger et Mikkelsen.

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