The Meaning of Kate Middleton and Pippa Middleton's Dresses at Wimbledon

Kate Middleton and Pippa Middleton looked elegant during their joint appearance at Wimbledon, but there was a deeper meaning behind both of their fashion choices.

The Princess of Wales donned a purple outfit for her rare public appearance at Wimbledon on July 14, where she made her second appearance since revealing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year. Princess Kate, 42, is the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, and the royal hue of her outfit paid tribute to her role.

Since taking over from Queen Elizabeth in 2016, Kate has accessorized her Wimbledon outfits with a bow tie brooch to represent her role. The pin features the club's official colors of purple and dark green, which may have inspired her to choose the shade for the men's singles final. Kate has also adopted the late queen's practice of wearing bright, vibrant colors so she can be easily spotted in a crowd.

Princess Kate attended Wimbledon three times in 2023, wearing green (the club's other color) for each appearance. But over the years, Kate has opted for a rainbow of different colors at the tennis tournament, from bright yellow to blue polka dots to pale pink.

Kate the purple dress is from Safiyaaa brand that the Princess of Wales previously wore to the Royal Variety Performance in November 2023. She wore a fitted teal gown with a crystal-embellished neckline and floor-length slit sleeves that created a cape effect for the event. The London-based brand has also been worn by Meghan Markle and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Pippa, 40, joined her big sister and niece Princess Charlotte in the front row of the royal box at Centre Court, proudly watching Princess Kate as she received a standing ovation from the crowd gathered at Centre Court.

Pippa wore a pink floral dress that was already in her closet. She had previously worn the Beulah piece for another occasion to support another family member: her brother, James Middleton, at his 2021 wedding to Alizee Thevenet.

Kate's family, including her parents and siblings, have been very supportive during her cancer treatment. After his older sister's condition was announced, James shared a photo of them on Instagram with the caption: “Over the years we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”

Princess Charlotte, 9, had her own fashion moment at the Wimbledon Championships, sporting a mini version of a blue polka dot dress that could have been pulled from her mom's closet. Princess Kate has worn near-identical prints before, including her Alessandra Rich dress that she wore to Wimbledon in 2022!

Charlotte, who made her tennis debut last year, wore her hair in her usual style: two mini braids tied in a bow while the rest of her hair was down. The young princess has worn her hair in a similar style during Christmas outings with the royal family and at the Trooping the Colour parade.

Most recently, she sported a bohemian version of the two-braid style without the knot for Taylor Swift's concert in London on June 21.

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Just like last year, Princess Charlotte also made a style statement with sunglasses. At the game, she was spotted wearing pink Ray Ban Kids shades.

Wimbledon marks Princess Kate's second outing since she announced the news of her cancer. On June 15, she made her first public appearance with the royal family since Christmas for Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of King Charles' birthday.

Palace aides have stressed, however, that her exit does not mean a return to public life. No date has been set for her return to full-time work, and any exit in the near future will be decided based on when she feels able to do so and under the supervision of her medical team.

It's likely that the royals will largely retreat from the spotlight over the next few months, as they traditionally spend their summer months away from the public eye. Part of that break could be spent vacationing at one of their favorite destinations, including Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where King Charles and the British royal family gather every August.