There’s a reason why Catherine, Princess of Wales and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark draw so many comparisons. There’s their backgrounds, for one, both women who married into their respective royal families and quickly carved out reputations for their eloquence and dedication to social issues over the course of their career. But Kate and Mary’s approach to dress is another common denominator. Style aside, the royals share a wry understanding of the relationship between fashion, image and diplomacy. Their reputation as trendsetters emerges from this nexus, which they occupy effortlessly.
Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that Kate and Mary often end up mirroring each other with their ensembles. Some instances will see them wear the exact same design on separate occasions; take for example the cap-sleeved, pastel Beulah midi dress, worn by the duchess at Wimbledon in 2020 and the princess in 2019. Other times, they’ll turn to different designers for a similar result: a pink power suit, a blue bodycon, or a belted polka-dot dress.
Here, as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announces her abdication, paving the way for Mary to become the first ever Australian-born royal, Vogue looks back on 15 times the Duchess of Cambridge and Crown Princess Mary were royal style twins.
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