Princess of Wales brings back the Lady Diana pie crust collar

Rebecca CopeMon, August 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM UTC

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There are certain items of clothing that will always be associated with Princess Diana, including, but certainly not limited to, shoulder pads, pleated midi skirts and oversized sweatshirts worn with cycling shorts. And this weekend saw the current Princess of Wales wearing another of Diana’s most famous wardrobe staples: the pie crust collar blouse.

Catherine was photographed leaving a church service with her family in Balmoral on Sunday wearing Holland Cooper’s £149 Audley Lace blouse, which features not only the aforementioned frilly collar but also pretty bib detailing and fluted cuffs. She wore the blouse underneath a herringbone blazer and accessorised with a brown Lock and Co hat as well as statement dangly earrings from Ralph Lauren, clearly going all out for the occasion.

Catherine wore a Holland Cooper Audley Lace blouse for a church service in Balmoral on Sunday - Jane Barlow

Her choice of blouse echoes those loved by her late mother-in-law, who popularised the style in the 1980s. Back then, Diana was known for her love of more-is-more frilled collars, which she wore both on blouses and dresses, often with a fitted jacket layered over the top. As with almost everything Diana wore back then, it became one of the biggest trends of the era, with women flocking to the high street to emulate her look.

It is almost certainly no coincidence that Catherine chose this weekend to wear the Sloane Ranger staple. Last week, her husband’s uncle and Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, announced that he would soon publish a tell-all book about his sister, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. Meanwhile, the Royal family have been in the headlines again following the announcement that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be moving back to England in the next few days, reportedly choosing a school close to the Spencer side of the family.

Princess Diana wearing a pie crust collar to the races, circa 1981 - Kypros/Getty Images

Of course, everything that the royals wear has been carefully chosen and is often imbued with meaning. It’s not the first time that the Princess has nodded to Diana, either. It’s something she often does when she wants to emphasise a sense of continuity between the different generations of royal women.

Sometimes, the similarities are obvious. Perhaps the most striking occasion was when she was photographed leaving hospital with Prince George in 2013. The then-Duchess of Cambridge chose a blue and white polka dot dress by Jenny Packham to present her first son to the world, closely echoing Diana’s similar dress from 1982, when she was photographed on the same Lindo Wing steps with a newborn Prince William.

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1982: Princess Diana and Prince Charles with newborn Prince William outside the Lindo Wing - Getty

2013: the then-Duchess of Cambridge wore a polka-dot Jenny Packham dress after giving birth to their first son - WireImage

The Princess of Wales employed a similar tactic in 2018, following the birth of her second son, Prince Louis, choosing a red dress with a white Peter Pan collar that mimicked the one Diana wore after giving birth to Prince Harry in 1984.

She also looked to Diana’s wardrobe when planning the looks for hers and Prince William’s landmark trip to Pakistan in 2019, choosing a turquoise Catherine Walker set similar to one worn by the late royal for her own solo visit in 1991. She’s also often taken inspiration from Diana for occasions such as Royal Ascot, Commonwealth Day Service and Trooping the Colour

1984: Diana after giving birth to Prince Harry - WireImage

2018: Catherine wore a red dress after giving birth to Louis - Eddie Mulholland

Other less significant but equally as fun “twinning” moments with her late mother-in-law include the No Time to Die premiere in 2021, when the Princess’s gold beaded Jenny Packham dress was strikingly similar to the gold pleated gown by Bruce Oldfield that Diana had worn to another Bond premiere for A View to a Kill in 1985.

As well as offering a link between the different generations of royals, Catherine’s emulation of Diana is clearly an uplifting way to pay homage to her impact on the fashion world, not to mention the fact that she is revered as a style icon today. It’s also a subtle way of keeping her memory alive – something that William has always been keen to do.

Diana wearing the collar style at home in Kensington Palace, with the then-Prince Charles, William and Harry in 1986 - Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

In order to wear the pie crust collar yourself, remember the golden rule of blouses: if your collar is doing something interesting, then your sleeves need to be as simple as possible. Let your collar be the focal point of your look – you can emphasise it by layering another top underneath it, à la Diana and Catherine too. They look best when tucked into jeans or smart trousers, rather than with skirts (they risk feeling a little art teacher) and do lean into an equestrian, Sloaney Pony vibe too if you so wish. It’s the perfect transitional autumn look.

Five of the best pie-crust collar blouses to buy now

Pintuck blouse, £130, With Nothing Underneath; Frill neck shirt, £36, Marks & Spencer; Cotton ruffle stripe shirt, £55, Monsoon

Frill trimmed blouse, £19.99, H&M;Cotton shirt, £165, Wyse

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”