Kate Middleton’s Rarely Seen Second Wedding Dress Is Trending—Here’s Why

When Kate Middleton said “I do” to Prince William on April 29, 2011, the royal wedding left a lasting impression on the world. Although no one has stopped talking about the historic event in the last decade, there’s one detail from the wedding that isn’t as well-known. The Duchess of Cambridge had an outfit change, and her second wedding dress is just as iconic as her first.

According to Newsweek, everyone is talking about her rarely seen reception dress on TikTok. User @allacortedi posted a video in August 2022 of the duchess descending a staircase at Clarence House in a silk A-line gown featuring a sweetheart neckline and a sparkly silver belt, which she layered with a fuzzy white cardigan. 

The bride wore the ensemble during a reception that Queen Elizabeth hosted at Buckingham Palace for 650 people. The publication reported that no one could actually photograph the dress on the wedding day. Instead, photographers could capture the royal couple leaving Prince Charles’s London residence on their way to the palace.

Like her first dress, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen also designed her reception gown. In 2014, the designer reflected on her experience creating the ensemble. “I loved making the dress, and we put our hearts into it,” she told E! Online. “I respect the intimate nature of that lovely project, and I respect the friendships that were forged during it. An instinctive, intelligent, and imaginative young woman’s wish for a beautiful wedding dress—or any kind of dress—is the most natural thing in the world. And, I was honored to pick up the challenge and always will be.”