The Evolution of Royal Pregnancy Style Through the Years

The queen's first two pregnancies occurred before she acceded to the throne, and her dressing in the early stages was all about concealing any tell-tale signs with clever tailoring, overlapping separates, and a fair bit of bow detailing at the waist.

During her second pregnancy (with Princess Anne), Elizabeth again opted for the art of misdirection, wearing dresses and coats with flourishes that detracted from any first signs of a bump.

It was still all about 1950s propriety when the queen was pregnant with Prince Andrew, and a favored look was separates worn in the same print.

The queen's sister was her usual glamorous self during her two pregnancies and continued to dress in jewels and furs.

Margaret drew criticism at the time of her pregnancy when she continued to wear high heels.

There was significant change in attitude between Princess Margaret's second pregnancy in the mid 1960s and Princess Anne's first pregnancy in the mid 1970s. Gone was the idea of concealing an expanding waistline, and in its place was more of an acceptance that royal baby bumps were not something that needed to be hidden away. Princess Anne dressed for comfort, and it's said that she favored changing the tailoring of her existing clothes rather than buying lots of new maternity wear.

Days before she gave birth to daughter Zara, Anne attended a family wedding in an awesome cape/coat combo with a matching dress and headgear.

Interest in Diana's style naturally graduated to her pregnancy fashion choices, too, and she continued to favor many glamorous pieces. The princess opted for plenty of color, cute accessories, feminine accents such as ruffles and bows, and tailoring which flattered rather than disguised her bump.

Diana attended assorted black-tie events during her pregnancies, teaming drop-dead glamorous evening wear with diamonds and heels, but she looked her most relaxed in simple, colorful, comfortable designs and flat pumps.

Similarly to Diana, Sarah chose to flatter rather than disguise her bump during her pregnancies with daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The duchess had more of a flamboyant style than Diana, though, so her pregnancy choices included a naval-themed maternity dress worn with a straw boater and elaborate evening wear with puffball hemlines, puffed sleeves, lavish embroidery, and tiered ruffles.

While Sarah's occasion wear was adventurous and lavish, her dressed-down pregnancy style was far simpler. The duchess favored colorblock dresses and soft and comfy separates.

Leaving the 1980s firmly in the past, when Sophie was pregnant with daughter Louise, smart pregnancy wear was all about keeping things sleek and simple. The countess took a leaf out of the queen's pregnancy style book when she wore a dress and coat in the same shade, accessorizing with simple jewelry.

Sophie's pregnancy style was classic and stylish when carrying both of her children — tonal separates meant trouser suits with a feminine blouse and tailored coat and dress combos.

The wife of the queen's eldest grandchild, Peter, was the embodiment of laid-back no-fuss pregnancy style. Autumn dressed for comfort in jeans and cargo pants with colorful tees and lightweight leisurewear.

During her second pregnancy Autumn favored pretty asymmetrical empire-line tops in different colors worn with jeans, flat pumps, and soft, cozy knits.

When Kate became a member of the royal family, she left behind the higher hemlines of her younger years and favored knee-length skirts and dresses. However, when she was pregnant with Prince George, Kate's hemlines once again soared. Although the duchess emulated the queen's and Sophie's pregnancy style with a tonal dress and coat pairing, the mid-thigh hemline was the one big difference. By the time she was expecting Princess Charlotte, however, the hemlines were lower again.

One of Kate's pregnancy fashion staples is the colorblock coat, and since she will now be pregnant once again trough the Winter months, we can expect to see plenty more of those. Kate's other maternity style favorites include tunic dresses, pretty pieces by Seraphine, and of course, her trusty towering stilettos.

Zara very much followed in the sensible footsteps of her mother, Princess Anne, and sister-in-law Autumn Phillips when it came to dressing during her pregnancy with daughter Mia. Zara dressed for comfort but still looked stylish in layered soft knits, wrap coats, skinny jeans, and knee-high boots.