The British royal family followed tradition with their annual stroll to St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, on Christmas Day. This customary event saw several prominent royals in attendance.

King Charles and Queen Camilla led the procession, accompanied by Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, previously known as the Countess of Wessex. Joining them were Princess Anne, Prince William, the Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton), and their children.

As they mingled with well-wishers gathered outside, the royals’ fashion choices caught the public’s eye. Notably, Kate chose a color that experts predict she’ll favor more in 2026. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne’s outfits seemed to carry a subtle message directed at Meghan Markle.

Queen Camilla and Princess Anne debunk Meghan’s color claim

In the third episode of Harry & Meghan, the former Suits actress elaborated on this point, saying, “You can’t ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there’s a group event,” and added that matching colors with other senior royals was also frowned upon.

In episode three of Harry & Meghan, the former Suits star claimed she had to wear muted colors. “You can’t ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there’s a group event,” she explained. “But then you also should never be wearing the same color as one of the other more senior members of the family.”

However, it seems the other ladies in the family never got that memo as cameras have spotted them together wearing the same colors several times. For example, at Kate’s Christmas Carol Service in 2023, she, Zara Tindall, and Princess Charlotte all wore maroon. Another time, the Princess of Wales and Princess Beatrice wore nearly identical green coats as they walked to church.

For the royals’ 2025 walk, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne both wore long festive red coats.

A fashion expert noted that the queen’s jacket is one we’re likely to see on the runways next year.

Lauren Bulla is a fashion journalist who has been featured in The Independent, New Wave Magazine, and several other publications. She recently became the Fashion Editor of Groupie Magazine. There, she has revamped their fashion offerings, notably providing in-depth, on-the-ground coverage of New York, Paris, London, Berlin, and Copenhagen fashion weeks.

Speaking on behalf of AceOdds, Bulla told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Going a quintessentially festive route, Camilla donned a vibrant, bright red ensemble, topped with a matching oversized hat and colourful scarf. Aligning with trends on the runway throughout 25’, her jacket features slightly exaggerated shoulder padding, harkening back to trend predictions for 2026 — where 80’s silhouettes will continue dominating runways to come. Camilla remains elegant, yet ties her look into oncoming trends. Keeping her ensemble fresh, yet poised.”

Kate highlighted her desire to combine personal taste with current trends

Bulla also spoke about the Princess of Wales’ Christmas attire. She believes we’ll see Prince William’s wife wearing the color more often in the coming year.

“Kate’s ability to maintain her personal tastes, whilst constantly pushing her ensembles toward what’s trending — is noteworthy,” Bulla said. “Her Christmas ensemble was no different, reflective of the ongoing integration of deep browns into her wardrobe, which riddled fashion trend reports continuously throughout the duration of 2025. And surely will continue into the new year to come.

“She’s seen wearing a black and brown patterned plaid coat, paired with dark brown suede boots and a bag with gold metallic hardware. She’s gone for a more subtle ensemble, honing into quiet elegance, and attentiveness to detail — of which both shine in this look. Kate is also donning a floral ornamented deep brown hat, as well as minimalist jewelry … Interestingly, brown is seen as a symbol of stability — nodding to notions of warmth and reliability.”