THEN AND NOW: Royal maternity fashion over the years, from Queen Elizabeth's maternity coats to Meghan Markle's designer gowns

Talia LakritzMar 17, 2021, 02:01 IST

Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Meghan Markle during their pregnancies.Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images, Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images, Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions

Women in the royal family continue to carry out engagements while pregnant, when possible.
Queen Elizabeth wore maternity coats and matching sets, while Diana opted for billowing dresses.

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the 169th renewal of the Derby Stakes in 1948 a day after subtly announcing her pregnancy.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1948. AP

She wore the same outfit again a month later with a different hat, bag, gloves, and pin to attend a wedding in July 1948.

Queen Elizabeth (left) and Princess Margaret in 1948. AP

Queen Elizabeth visited Prince Philip in Malta, where he was on duty with the British Navy, while pregnant with Princess Anne.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1950. AP

She wore a maternity coat to visit a maternity ward in Malta.

Queen Elizabeth in 1950. AP

When prime minister of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah visited Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth told him she would have to cancel her trip to Ghana because of her pregnancy.

Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne with Kwame Nkrumah, prime minister of Ghana. Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

When prime minister of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah visited Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth told him she would have to cancel her trip to Ghana because of her pregnancy.

Queen Elizabeth attended a ballet performance at Covent Garden Opera while pregnant in 1963.

Queen Elizabeth in 1963. Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Princess Diana wore a red Bellville Sassoon coat on the day she announced her first pregnancy in 1981.

Princess Diana in 1981. Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

She made an entrance in another red Bellville Sassoon piece, a maternity gown with a square neckline and flared sleeves.

Princess Diana in 1982. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

Princess Diana wore a gown with voluminous sleeves to a movie premiere while pregnant with Prince William.

Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor in 1982. Dave Caulkin/BIPNA/Pool/AP

At her last public engagement before giving birth, she unveiled a plaque in South Wales in a dusty pink ensemble.

Princess Diana in 1982. Dave Caulkin/AP

She wore another pink look while pregnant with Prince Harry two years later.

Princess Diana in 1984. John Redman/AP

For Trooping the Colour in 1982, Princess Diana wore an emerald green dress.

Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Princess Diana, and Prince Charles in 1982. Tim Graham/Getty Images

She wore a white tuxedo with a wing collar to a concert while pregnant with Prince Harry in 1984.

Princess Diana in 1984. AP

She sported a nautical matching top and skirt at a polo tournament.

Princess Diana in 1984. John Redman/AP

She wore a blue Catherine Walker gown to a movie premiere three months before giving birth to Prince Harry.

Princess Diana in June 1984. Tim Graham/Getty Images

Kate Middleton wore a similar shade of blue in 2013 while pregnant with Prince George.

Kate Middleton in 2013. Tim P. Whitby/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Middleton often wore patterned maternity dresses.

Kate Middleton in 2013. Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

She wore a floral print dress from Erdem while visiting The Willows Primary School in 2013.

Kate Middleton in 2013. Paul Ellis/WPA Pool/Getty Images

She wore Erdem again in Sweden while pregnant with Prince Louis.

Kate Middleton in 2018. Pool/Getty Images

This Seraphine dress made multiple appearances during her pregnancies.

Kate Middleton in 2015. Eddie Mulholland/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Another blue Seraphine dress became a favorite.

Kate Middleton in 2018. Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/Getty Images

She also wore lots of vibrant coats while pregnant.

Kate Middleton in 2018. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

Middleton is a fan of designer Jenny Packham.

Kate Middleton in 2018. KGC-178/STAR MAX/IPx 2018/AP

She wore a Tara Jarmon peach-colored coat in 2013.

Kate Middleton in 2013. David Parker/WPA Pool/Getty Images

She went to the 2018 BAFTAs in an emerald green dress with a black sash and clutch.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at the EE British Academy Film Awards in London, England. Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Chris Jackson/Getty Images

In Norway, she floated down the halls in an ethereal pale pink gown by Alexander McQueen.

Kate Middleton in 2018. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Meghan Markle's maternity wardrobe featured one stunning look after another when she was pregnant with Archie.

Meghan Markle in 2018. Max Mumby/Indigo / Contributor

She wore a silk floral dress by Figue on her first royal tour with Prince Harry in Fiji in 2018.

Meghan Markle in 2018. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

She wore a white, floral dress with a square neckline while visiting the Royal Variety Charity's nursing and care home.

Meghan Markle in 2018. WPA Pool/GettyImages

The flowing cream gown she wore to a reception in Morocco was custom made by Dior.

Meghan Markle in 2019. Yui Mok/Pool via AP

She visited King Mohammed VI of Morocco while wearing a fluttery blue Carolina Herrera dress.

Meghan Markle in 2019. Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage

In between gowns, she also threw in a casual look to visit a cooking school in Morocco.

Meghan Markle in 2019. Tim P. Whitby/Pool via AP

Back at Buckingham Palace, she wore a silver brocade dress with gold floral embroidery and a cream coat by Amanda Wakeley.

Meghan Markle in 2019. Dominic Lipinski/ WPA Pool/ Getty Images

For International Women's Day 2019, she spoke on a panel in a retro-inspired shift dress.

Meghan Markle in 2019. Frank Augstein/AP

She wore another retro-inspired look by Victoria Beckham while attending the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.

Meghan Markle in 2019. zz/KGC-107/STAR MAX/IPx 2019/AP

Markle wore a maxi dress by Carolina Herrera to announce her second pregnancy in February.

Markle wore a $4,700 belted, silk Armani gown in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.

Meghan Markle in 2021. Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions

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THEN AND NOW: Royal maternity fashion over the years, from Queen Elizabeth's maternity coats to Meghan Markle's designer gowns

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh attended the 169th renewal of the Derby Stakes in 1948 a day after subtly announcing her pregnancy.

She wore the same outfit again a month later with a different hat, bag, gloves, and pin to attend a wedding in July 1948.

Queen Elizabeth visited Prince Philip in Malta, where he was on duty with the British Navy, while pregnant with Princess Anne.

She wore a maternity coat to visit a maternity ward in Malta.

When prime minister of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah visited Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth told him she would have to cancel her trip to Ghana because of her pregnancy.

Queen Elizabeth attended a ballet performance at Covent Garden Opera while pregnant in 1963.

Princess Diana wore a red Bellville Sassoon coat on the day she announced her first pregnancy in 1981.

She made an entrance in another red Bellville Sassoon piece, a maternity gown with a square neckline and flared sleeves.

Princess Diana wore a gown with voluminous sleeves to a movie premiere while pregnant with Prince William.

At her last public engagement before giving birth, she unveiled a plaque in South Wales in a dusty pink ensemble.

She wore another pink look while pregnant with Prince Harry two years later.

For Trooping the Colour in 1982, Princess Diana wore an emerald green dress.

She wore a white tuxedo with a wing collar to a concert while pregnant with Prince Harry in 1984.

She sported a nautical matching top and skirt at a polo tournament.

She wore a blue Catherine Walker gown to a movie premiere three months before giving birth to Prince Harry.

Kate Middleton wore a similar shade of blue in 2013 while pregnant with Prince George.

Middleton often wore patterned maternity dresses.

She wore a floral print dress from Erdem while visiting The Willows Primary School in 2013.

She wore Erdem again in Sweden while pregnant with Prince Louis.

This Seraphine dress made multiple appearances during her pregnancies.

Another blue Seraphine dress became a favorite.

She also wore lots of vibrant coats while pregnant.

Middleton is a fan of designer Jenny Packham.

She wore a Tara Jarmon peach-colored coat in 2013.

She went to the 2018 BAFTAs in an emerald green dress with a black sash and clutch.

In Norway, she floated down the halls in an ethereal pale pink gown by Alexander McQueen.

Meghan Markle's maternity wardrobe featured one stunning look after another when she was pregnant with Archie.

She wore a silk floral dress by Figue on her first royal tour with Prince Harry in Fiji in 2018.

She wore a white, floral dress with a square neckline while visiting the Royal Variety Charity's nursing and care home.

The flowing cream gown she wore to a reception in Morocco was custom made by Dior.

She visited King Mohammed VI of Morocco while wearing a fluttery blue Carolina Herrera dress.

In between gowns, she also threw in a casual look to visit a cooking school in Morocco.

Back at Buckingham Palace, she wore a silver brocade dress with gold floral embroidery and a cream coat by Amanda Wakeley.

For International Women's Day 2019, she spoke on a panel in a retro-inspired shift dress.

She wore another retro-inspired look by Victoria Beckham while attending the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.

Markle wore a maxi dress by Carolina Herrera to announce her second pregnancy in February.

Markle wore a $4,700 belted, silk Armani gown in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.