Oh, to be a duchess, and to be drop-dead gorgeous. Kate Middleton turns heads everywhere she goes — not just because of her royal status, but also because she is a natural beauty, too. With her luscious locks and deep, green eyes, she definitely has the look. Plus, the Duchess of Cambridge is outstandingly poised and just exudes confidence, compassion, and even approachability, which makes her all the more appealing to her fans and even the general public. She’s certainly appears to be a duchess deserving of the title, so we can imagine that any time Kate makes an unexpected appearance, there are quite a few jaws on the floor.
While Kate definitely sticks with more traditional and classic looks that will keep the royal family happy and never, ever incite scandal, she does occasionally try new things. She’s been known to sport clothing from new designers, as well as brands that make ready-to-wear clothes for the average woman. She sometimes surprises the public with a new makeup look or subtle changes to her hair, but mostly, it all comes down to Kate’s styling and her regal demeanor.
The Duchess of Cambridge has a way of making everything she wears look just so, and whether she’s in jeans and sneakers — or a sequined gown — she’s always a stunner. The shock value of a surprise appearance — especially in an unexpected venue, or at an unexpected moment — matched with the fact that she sometimes debuts new looks at said appearances, has definitely created some head-turning moments.
Keep scrolling to see some of our favorites.
Cheering on Serena
In 2019, practically the whole world noticed when Kate — a known tennis fan — showed up at Wimbledon. This time, it wasn’t her look — though we have to say it was quite chic — it was because she was enthusiastically cheering for Serena Williams, who happens to be one of her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle’s, best friends, at a time when rumors of a feud between the two royal wives were circulating.
On the TV
Kate does not make a lot of television appearances, so fans of the British children’s show Blue Peter were quite surprised when the duchess popped up unexpectedly on the program. Not only was she sporting the perfect casual look for the gardening segment she appeared in, but Kate also surprised people by getting right down in the dirt with the kiddos.
Glowing in Pale Blue
Just a day after Prince Louis’ christening, Kate Middleton — along with Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and other members of the royal family — made a surprise appearance at a Royal Air Force centenary event. Kate is a patron of the RAF Air Cadets, and her husband, Prince William, was an RAF pilot. While it was certainly fitting that she attend, it wasn’t expected, but she showed up — and she showed up absolutely glowing in a pale blue suit and the perfect nude pumps.
An Unexpected Look
Shortly after New Year’s Day 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge surprised their fans with a visit to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham for Sunday service. The pair were dressed in their Sunday best, with Kate debuting a more modern look. While her long coat and hat maintained tradition, the marled coat was paired with a fedora-style hat in a complementary color, rather than an exact match — as well as tall boots. Kate was clearly ready to bring it in 2020.
She’s Got Rhythm
Kate, William, and Prince Harry showed up at a children’s charity event at London’s Paddington Station. The then-pregnant duchess shared a dance with the beloved bear, undoubtedly bringing smiles to the faces of Brits everywhere. Kate Middleton was absolutely adorable in a pink sheath dress and hinted at her dance skills, despite her oversized partner.
Blue Might Be Her Color
Once again popping up on British television, Kate and William made a perfectly polished virtual appearance on the program Big Night In to cheer on frontline workers, alongside their three children. William somewhat surprisingly nailed the legendary dry, British humor, but it was Kate who absolutely owned the show with her “stuck inside and need to get out” look. She appeared in a flowy, blue dress that coordinated with the rest of her family.
A Vision in Cream
Kate made for quite the lovely picture when she showed up unannounced at the Household Division’s “Beating Retreat” in spring 2019. She wore a knee-length cream coatdress and nude heels. The duchess always looks incredible in cream or white, but she looked particularly regal at this event. We can just imagine her standing next to William as queen consort in something similar 20 years from now.
A Surprise Guest Stole the Show
While Kate’s attendance at the 2019 Anzac Day Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving was anticipated, she still turned heads by showing up with her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, who at the time was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his first child, Archie Harrison. The pair appeared to be truly enjoying each other’s company, and there was an obvious air of excitement about them.
Throwing It Back
About a month after giving birth to her first child, Prince George, Kate surprised her fans with her first public appearance since becoming a mother. She attended the Ring O’Fire Anglesey Coastal Ultra Marathon to kick off the event and showed up absolutely glowing in a perfectly put-together, but ultra-casual look. The real eye-catcher, though, was Kate’s hair. She wore it down in thick, natural-looking waves. As is the case for many women, it appears that all those prenatal vitamins made Kate’s already gorgeous locks completely sublime.
Retro Vibes
Kate Middleton gave us all the retro vibes when she showed up at an event to celebrate youth who had graduated a sports coach mentoring program that she and royal brothers founded. The unannounced appearance was just days after the Duchess of Cambridge revealed that she was pregnant with her third child. Kate stepped out in a gorgeous retro look, complete with a 1960s-inspired flippy hairdo.
Festival in Floral
Kate turned up at the opening of the Back to Nature garden in Wisley with baking queen extraordinaire Mary Berry. She wore an absolutely gorgeous mid-length floral shirt dress that fit the setting unbelievably well, and Kate looked like she belonged in the gardens — which she actually helped design and plan along with landscape architects.
Aside from the fact that she looked drop-dead gorgeous in a summery, dark emerald dress with not a hair out of place, Kate was every mom when she and Prince William took then-1-year-old Prince George to see the butterfly exhibit at Bucklebury Farm Garden near her parents’ home. The kicker? She was 40 weeks pregnant at the time, so everyone was quite surprised to see her out and about.
Kate & Queen Elizabeth
In summer 2019 after weeks of vacation, William and Kate popped up at the Queen’s vacation home Scotland and were caught having a pretty typical family moment as they drove to church with their grandmother. They, of course, were dressed to the nines, and Kate had a look about her that made it totally seem like she loved that her presence was unexpected.
Pretty in Place
Even while sheltering in place, Kate slayed her looks. The duchess appeared in a video for children in which she spoke about the importance of kindness. She looked incredibly vibrant, but her super-affordable $40 dress from British retailer Marks & Spencer was even more attention-grabbing than her sheltering in place glow up.
Social Distancing
The Duchess of Cambridge made her first socially distanced in-person appearance in late June of 2020, after sheltering in place for months. During the unexpected outing, she showed up at Fakenham Garden Centre in a bid to promote shopping at small businesses. Between the shock of seeing Kate at a neighborhood shop, and her gorgeous, garden-inspired look — complete with noticeably lighter locks, we bet the locals were in awe.
That Hair, Tho
Yes, we’re back to the hair. Viewers had to look twice during a broadcast video call in support of children’s hospice care workers during the our new normal. While Kate’s hair is typically seen in formal updos or long, loose waves, it was completely and expertly straightened during the video call — and her new look did not go unnoticed. We still prefer the waves, but her is stunning straight as well.
Staying Indoors Was Good for Her
To the delight of viewers, back in spring, Kate appeared on This Morning via video call. The appearance was meant to announce a new photography project she’s working on, but between her flattering yellow, floral outfit, soft waves, and grown-in eyebrows, Kate looked younger, refreshed, and ready to come out and tackle the world.