Princess Kate's most stunning BAFTA looks from Diana nod to controversial gown

19 February 2023 , 17:00

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Princess Kate isn't one for showy displays, preferring to recycle her outfits and stick to a smart yet practical style for day-to-day engagements.

But all bets are off when it comes to the BAFTAs.

With husband Prince William as the president of the awards body, Kate, 41, goes all out for the annual ceremony, dressing up in designer gowns worth eye-watering amounts.

The mother-of-three doesn't shy away from accessories either, breaking out the bling, which she pairs with stunning heels.

As Kate prepares to make a return to the BAFTAs red carpet tonight following a two-year hiatus, The Mirror revisits her most dazzling looks from the ceremony...

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2020

Princess Kate's most stunning BAFTA looks from Diana nod to controversial gown

Kate recycled an old dress for the 2020 BAFTAs (PA)

Kate first wore the gown in Malaysia in 2012 (Getty)

The awards were held just before lockdown, with the memo being for guests to wear something old rather than something new.

In the name of sustainability, attendees were asked to re-wear outfits, hire gowns or opt for vintage buys for the evening.

Sticking to the theme, Kate - who famously loves to recycle - opted for a cream and gold Alexander McQueen dress that she first wore it in Malaysia in 2012.

The bespoke piece is covered in gold Malaysian hibiscus flowers and was worn by Kate to a state dinner on the Cambridge's Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012.

The dress was slightly tweaked for the BAFTAs, with the flowing cap sleeves turned into a more structured shoulder.

She teamed it with a set of Van Cleef and Arpels dangling earrings and a drop necklace worth £7,603 along with a pair of £525 Jimmy Choo glitter heels.

2019

Kate dazzled in Alexander McQueen in 2019 (GETTY)

She paid tribute to Princess Diana by wearing her earrings to the event (GETTY)

Kate stuck with one of her favourite designers, Alexander McQueen - who designed her wedding dress in 2011 - for the glitzy bash.

She wowed in a billowing white chiffon gown with one-shoulder detailling coupled with a pair of towering £525 Jimmy Choo heels.

In a nod to her regal role, she wore the Queen's Quatrefoil bracelet, which was once owned by the Queen Mother.

And she paid a touching tribute to William's late mum, Princess Diana, by choosing the same South Sea Pearl accessories Diana wore to a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1991.

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2018

Pregnant Kate's outfit proved to be controversial (GETTY)

Pregnant with her youngest son Louis when she walked the red carpet, Kate opted for a plunging Jenny Packham dress with lashings of emeralds.

Kate copped some flack that night for not wearing black along with the actresses as a show of support for the #MeToo movement.

The Harvey Weinstein sex scandal had just happened and women in Hollywood had bravely come forward with their own experiences of sexual harassment.

But it is royal tradition for members of the family not to make political statements.

Kate did accessorise her dark forest green gown with a black bow above her bump and black bag, but Kensington Palace refused to comment on whether it was a nod to the protests.

She also opted for a stunning Columbian emerald and diamond necklace estimated to be worth £1million and thought to be a symbol of 'hope and victory'.

2017

Kate glowed in an off-the-shoulder tiered gown (Adam Gray SWNS.com)

She re-wore the dress in 2019 (PA)

It was the first time that Kate had attended with Prince William amid claims organisers feared she might overshadow the other guests.

On the night, a glowing Kate wore an off-the-shoulder tiered floral print gown by Alexander McQueen.

And naturally, it made another appearance in 2019 when Kate wore a reworked version featuring a cap sleeve for the Portrait Gala at the National Portrait Gallery in London.