The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style

by Bethan Holt

Thrust into the global spotlight on her engagement to Prince William, Kate Middleton chose to wear a sapphire blue wrap dress by London-based label Issa, which promptly sold out. It was the first step in Kate's evolution to become the modern royal style icon she is today.In the decade since, Kate has become the Duchess of Cambridge, a future Queen and a mother of three. Her outfits range from high street to haute couture, with women worldwide fascinated by her style and eager to copy it. The Duchess has used her clothing to make diplomatic gestures, to send messages of solidarity, and to show respect. One day, her wardrobe underscores her status as a senior royal; the next it's all about being just like any 30-something Mum. But, thanks to an explosion of 24/7 news coverage and social media, her choices are analysed more closely than those of any royal before. In this book, Bethan Holt marks the tenth anniversary of Kate’s royal life by taking readers on a highly illustrated journey through the Duchess’s style evolution.

Genres: Nonfiction, Fashion, Royalty, Photography

176 pages, Hardcover

Published February 9, 2021

Reviews

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

London, England December 2006. Bethan Holt’s, fashion news and features director at The Telegraph (London), The Duchess of Cambridge: A decade of modern royal style presents the Duchess of Cambridge and many of her fashion choices before, during her engagement to Prince William, and after her marriage to Prince William in 2011. TRH The Duchess and Prince William celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary this past April (2021). “Anyone who has spent time with Kate always returns to one fundamental aspect of her personality: her resolute, quiet confident sense of self”. From her Issa “inky blue shade” engagement dress to her Alexander McQueen traditional wedding dress that “showed off Kate” to the many outfits when “Kate on Tour”, the Kate effect is seen in the British fashion industry to the tune of towards $1 billon a year. The Duchess is also known as a phenomenal recycler of certain fashions. The photography seen in this book covers casual to ‘motherhood’ to “regal glamour”, and towards the end photographs of Kate “channeling Diana” are radiant. Into royals? This book is for you! Highly recommended! 5 stars.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very good. There were a few places I wished for more detail or outfits I wish had been covered in depth, but I thought it did a good job of covering the strategy behind royal fashion, Kate's specific strengths, weaknesses, evolution, and her blunders and controversies.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice collection of the Duchess’ most popular looks up to the present day. I enjoyed flipping through this one.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are comparing this to HRH by Elizabeth Holmes, the content is better, more like Holmes' insta account, but the pictures are not as plentiful.

Holt does a great job explaining and show the progression of the Duchess of Cambridge's style. How she blends high street to high end pieces. The evolution is fascinating since I have watched it all in real time, but haven't really noticed the significant changes that seem so obvious now.

[Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Duchess of Cambridge - A Decade of Modern Royal Style, is written by Bethan Holt who is a columnist for the Telegraph. If you’ve followed Catherine’s journey from commoner to Duchess, then this book won’t offer the reader anything new. It’s clear the book has not been read by a proof reader. There are a few sentences that make no sense and references to outfits which are not shown in the book. Save your money and don’t bother buying this book.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the eleventh wedding anniversary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge coming up this month, why not find a cozy spot to relax, pour your favourite drink and settle in to enjoy a beautiful book that displays the first decade of Kate’s royal style? The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style takes readers on a highly illustrated journey through Kate’s fashion evolution from the moment Will laid eyes on her at St. Andrews University to the highly-publicized role she now fulfills as a key member of the Royal Family. For over a decade now, we have seen Kate wear everything from skinny jeans and sneakers to designer gowns paired with priceless tiaras. Fashion is not what defines the Duchess of Cambridge, and yet, she expertly uses her clothing to make diplomatic gestures, send messages of solidarity and to show respect to everyone across the UK and beyond. One day she might wear an elaborate gown and jewels to portray her status as the wife of a future king, while the next day she might be seen in an average jacket and jeans to enhance her image as the most relatable royal in history. In this book, you’ll get to see some of her most popular outfits, gain insight from some of the designers who have created her clothes and learn how she manages to look effortlessly perfect in all sorts of outings. You will even come to understand how much time and planning has gone into creating her signature look and how she has become a source of inspiration for millions of women around the world. To summarize, fashion and royal lovers alike will adore this book that contains nearly 200 glossy photos of Kate and her clothes. It is sure to make you just a bit jealous of her amazing wardrobe and it might even cause you to get swept up in the “Kate Effect” by sending you on a mission to hunt down some of her tried and true high street pieces!

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, if you have been following Kate Middleton/Duchess of Cambridge's style for a while (like for the 10 years she has been married) there won't be anything new in this book - you will have seen all of the pictures, all of the outfits, and be familiar with all of the events being referenced. However, that doesn't mean that this isn't an interesting read! I enjoyed how the author chose to frame the outfits and tracked a gradual change in style that showed Kate growing more comfortable with herself and her role. I also appreciated that she showed how much thought goes into each outfit - ensuring that it photographs well from all angles, shows the appropriate level of formality, and communicates care to the people she is meeting. Finally, I appreciated that the author did not shy away from the controversy over some outfits (particularly when Kate wore Dolce and Gabbana and Gucci). As clear as it is that the author is a fan of Kate's fashion she wasn't gushy about it.

[Martyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the wide variety of pieces covered in it, from dresses to jeans to jewelry. However, I do have a small issue with this book: there are a few factual errors. I spotted them easily just from being a fan of Catherine’s for many years, and they could also be easily identified with a quick Google search. I’m not sure if it’s the author’s mistake or lack of proper editing, but I’m a bit skeptical to trust the rest of the information after seeing those mistakes.

Still, I enjoyed the overview of fashion and the stories of deeper meaning behind Catherine’s pieces, and I would love to see an updated version of this book one day about Catherine’s updated style and fashion choices as The Princess of Wales.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was well written, and the pictures included were clear and well-chosen. My main issue with this book is that it includes descriptions/mentions of outfits that are not pictured anywhere in the book. Usually they are referencing a related item to the pictured outfit, but are nowhere to be seen for comparison's sake. I understand wanting to balance the pictures with the text but I was looking for more images and definitely an inclusive text where what you read about is also pictured. Other than that it was a great addition to my royal anthology collection!

[its_m_miracle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it a lot because of the nuanced details and the amount of research that went into this book! The author, who's a Telegraph Fashion Columnist has put the effort and passion and you can really see and admire it. For me, it took a lot of time because every time I read this book, I had to have Google opened to the side so that I could see the images of her wearing that particular dress or shoes or jewellery. The amount of thought that goes into each look was just marvelous and mind-blowing to read! Overall, an amazing book if you're into royal fashion or just fashion at all.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely one of my favorite books I've read on Kate's style. Beautiful pictures, insightful text and commentary. I especially loved the chapter on the behind the scenes stylists, people I've often wondered about and we hear so little of. A rundown of the duchess's favorite designers was interesting also. I loved reading some of their stories of creating these dresses and the work that went into them.
The author doesn't fawn over Kate; she points out outfits that missed the mark or caused a stir. But I enjoyed the positive, kind tone throughout.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Clothing is a form of communication: the Duchess' choice of Zara hair bands and Topshop maternity dress is intentional, meaning to tell the mass that she is relatable - but it's also the image of the rich of today's Era. They want to blend into the scene and not stand out through outlandish, vulgar "luxury brand" purchases (which is something either the poor or new money do)

- The Duchess' dressing choice tend to be simple, limit in color yet has a huge emphasis on cut, meant to show her slim figure. Her shoes are never understated, yet fits into the color plate of the dress perfectly

[Michell Karnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book which explores the evolution of The Duchess of Cambridge's fashion style.

[Morgan Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book overall, however found two items misidentified that could’ve easily been corrected with a google fact check search.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really anything new here - no interesting never-before-known tidbits. Only two pages covering the tiaras 🫤

[Vanessa Taveras · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Duchess of Cambridge is one of the best fashionistas of the UK royals! She is a true fashion lover.

[C Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive guide to the Duchess of Cambridge style. Some great pictures I haven’t seen before.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book about one of my favorite Royals.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun and enjoyable.

[Dana Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pick up this book again and again seeking to understand what "style" is. The pictures are so beautiful and crisp. I can see how the Duchess has evolved by what she is doing and how she is dressed. This is a wonderfully curated book.