Catherine, Princess of Wales Wears Two Show-Stopping Looks at the Sultan of Oman's State Visit — Photos

The Princess of Wales had a magnificent royal wardrobe at her disposal, but even palace jewels couldn't keep the evening's fashion critics entirely on her side.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, joined Prince William for the opening day of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's three-day state visit to Windsor, England, on October 20, 2026.

Her two appearances promised quite a royal fashion feast, although the photographs would leave some admirers swooning and others rather distracted by her husband's contribution.

Windsor Rolls Out the Royal Welcome

A state visit at Windsor comes with considerably more ceremony than a handshake at the front door. The royal welcome had an entire town to move through, and Catherine had dressed for an occasion that would put her firmly in view.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted the Sultan at Windsor Castle, with William greeting the visiting monarch on the King's behalf before the Sultan traveled to Datchet Road. Catherine attended the formal welcome at the Royal Dais, where the daytime photographs captured her first ensemble.

According to the palace, the Sovereign's Escort gave a Royal Salute and the Omani national anthem played before a carriage procession carried the visit through Windsor to the castle's Quadrangle. Well, if there is ever a moment to get the hat right, it is before boarding a carriage.

The ceremonial welcome continued with a Guard of Honour drawn from Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards and F Company Scots Guards, accompanied by the Band of the Scots Guards. Following the inspection, the Sultan and Charles rejoined Camilla to watch the military march-pasts before the party headed inside for a private lunch.

There was historical weight behind all that pageantry, too. As Harper's Bazaar noted, 44 years had passed since an Omani monarch last made a state visit to the United Kingdom.

Catherine Gives a Familiar Favorite Some Flirtation

For her part in the welcome, Catherine chose an emerald-green Alexander McQueen coatdress, bringing back a piece she had worn to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in 2025. A royal repeat, yes, but this one had arrived with a rather fetching adjustment.

Beneath the structured coatdress sat a black lace top with a high neckline, its delicate fabric visible above the green lapels. That little glimpse gave the tailored ensemble a softer, flirtier edge, without requiring Catherine to abandon the polished silhouette she clearly enjoys.

The coatdress itself had pointed shoulders, notch lapels and a midi-length hem, with a double-breasted fastening and a button at the waist. There was real definition through the upper half, so the lace had a crisp frame around it.

Then came the accessories, and Catherine committed thoroughly to the color. A quilted green patent-leather Chanel flap bag accompanied green velvet Manolo Blahnik pumps and a bespoke fascinator from Juliette millinery.

Cassandra Goad chandelier-style earrings supplied movement, while the Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch brought a family connection. The piece, also identified as the Queen Alexandra Three Feathers Brooch, had previously belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Green for a Visit That Was 44 Years in the Making

With more than 20 variations of green coats in Catherine's wardrobe over the years, the shade is clearly a trusted companion. Still, familiarity is precisely what divided a few spectators. On Instagram, one commenter wrote, "Green is her colour but ..... I don't know feels like the same old style .. [sic]."

Another admirer simply wrote, "So elegant." Elsewhere on Instagram, the verdicts required considerably fewer alterations. One commenter declared, "Love the fit 🤏🏻." Another added, "Picture of absolute perfection! 💗"

The daytime ensemble had certainly found its champions. But Catherine still had an evening entrance to make, and her next choice would leave the restrained tailoring behind.

A Castle Banquet Calls for a Cape

At Windsor Castle that evening, Catherine, 44, arrived in a yellow Elie Saab gown with a flowing cape. After the close fit of the morning's coatdress, this was a much more sweeping proposition.

The gown featured a braided neckline and a keyhole cutout, giving the eye somewhere to settle before following the fabric's long fall. The cape supplied the drama, and really, a state banquet is a perfectly reasonable place to indulge one's inner leading lady.

According to People, Catherine paired the dress with Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, a familiar favorite among her royal headpieces. Yellow fabric beneath that glittering tiara made for a completely different mood from the green daytime ensemble.

Earrings and a bracelet that had belonged to Queen Elizabeth II accompanied the gown. Between the inherited jewels and the elaborate dress, this was an outfit with plenty to occupy even the most dedicated royal fashion watcher.

Pinned to the dress were Charles' Royal Family Order, featuring the monarch's portrait, and the Royal Victorian Order sash and star. Formal honors have their own place in the composition of a royal evening look, and Catherine's gown carried those alongside its decorative neckline.

Is Yellow Her Color or Not?

The setting was equally grand. A table for 160 guests stretched through St. George's Hall, where Catherine took her place beside the Sultan and opposite William after the procession.

As for him, the future king wore a Windsor tailcoat with the Most Noble Order of the Garter and sash with the Lesser George. His formal clothing followed the occasion's grandeur, while the scruff on his face gave some spectators something else to examine.

Royal insignia can be quite intricate, but apparently the facial hair was easier to discuss. On Reddit, one commenter offered William a brisk grooming recommendation: "He should just shave his head."

A Little Too Scruffy?

Catherine's beauty choices also drew criticism. One person wrote, "Her make-up is not good here, very heavy handed on the eye shadow!" Another preferred a different combination altogether: "Don't like the hair down with the dress and the eye makeup is too heavy for the dress." A third delivered a simpler verdict: "I don't think yellow is her color."

The discussion continued on Instagram, where one commenter took aim at the couple together: "They look raggedy. Wills face scruff isn't regal! [sic]"

Another echoed the objection to Catherine's gown shade, writing, "Yellow is not her color." Palace banquet or otherwise, yellow was going to need its own defense counsel.

Fortunately, the enthusiastic admirers were very much in attendance. One wrote, "She is soooo beautiful she's stunning [sic]." Another exclaimed, "So beautiful! So radiant! Gorgeous Princess Catherine 💚."

The royal dress code may be formal; the audience remains totally uninhibited.

Catherine's State Occasion Wardrobe Has More to Give

Across the two appearances, Catherine moved from sharply shaped outerwear to a gown designed to flow, giving the photographs two distinct silhouettes. The accessories rewarded attention, too, from the daytime brooch to the evening's tiara and inherited jewelry.

For anyone who enjoys royal dressing, those choices are half the pleasure of a state visit. The ceremony follows its appointed course, while a neckline or a hairstyle can keep the conversation going long after dinner.

And this latest pair of entrances join a wardrobe already filled with state banquet glamour and carefully assembled state visit looks. The photographs below bring back those earlier royal fashion treats, with regal coats among the gowns, jewels and grand arrivals worth remembering.

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