16 Royal Shoe Moments That'll Make You Rethink Your Whole Footwear Collection
The ladies of the British royal family never fail to wow us with their outfit choices. From Meghan's perfect maternity wardrobe to Kate's signature color and Beatrice's fearless approach to fashion, we've come to expect a certain level of poise and polish during royal engagements. That goes right down to their feet, where closed-toe high heels are the order of the day for most royal events (because when you're in the company of the queen, strappy sandals just won't do). But even a duchess or a princess can surprise us occasionally, and some of our favorite moments have been when the royals have stepped out in surprising choices: be that Kate's cool sneakers, Meghan's utility boots, or Beatrice's killer heels. Keep reading for 16 royal shoe moments from recent years that show just how varied those royal footwear collections really are. You can even shop some of the key styles for yourself.
Meghan's Beige Aquazzura Heels
Meghan is definitely partial to these beige ankle-strap heels. As well as wearing them for a trip to the National Theatre in London, she also wore them for a very important occasion: her engagement announcement.
Meghan's Beige Aquazzura Heels
The strappy, pointed-toe shoe is the Aquazzura Very Matilde Pump, another style from one of Meghan's go-to footwear brands.
Aquazzura Very Matilde Pump 105
Kate's Oscar de la Renta Pumps
For special occasions like the Royal Variety Performance in 2017, Kate often pulls out her shimmering silver Oscar de la Renta pumps.
The sparkling style is the Platinum Lamé Cabrina Pump.
Oscar de la Renta Platinum Lamé Cabrina Pumps
Kate's Nike Air Sneakers
Kate's no stranger to getting sporty, but she surprised us all when she stepped out in a pair of Nike sneakers to play tennis with some kids at a London school in 2018.
Kate's Nike Air Sneakers
The duchess chose a pair of Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit sneakers with bubble soles. They were a far cry from her usual more subtle styles.
Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit 3 Sneakers
Meghan's Aquazzura Deneuve Pumps
Meghan is a bit of an Aquazzura addict, and she owns the Deneuve pumps in a few colors. For a visit to Canada House on Commonwealth Day in 2019, she wore the classic black version.
Meghan's Aquazzura Deneuve Pumps
The shoes, in black suede, feature a cute bow detail on the back.
Princess Beatrice's Metal Stilettos
Beatrice showed she meant business when she attended the Easter Sunday church service in Windsor in 2016 wearing a pair of black patent shoes with metal stiletto heels.
Princess Beatrice's Metal Stilettos
Beatrice's spike heel is the Britton style by the British shoe label Kurt Geiger.
Kurt Geiger Britton Black High Heel Court Shoe
Meghan's Classic Espadrilles
During the royal tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, Meghan packed a pair of comfy, classic espadrilles.
Meghan's Classic Espadrilles
Meghan's wedges are made by Spanish espadrille brand Castañer. The duchess chose the Carina 60 canvas wedge espadrilles in black.
Castañer Carina 60 Canvas Wedge Espadrilles
Meghan's Stuart Weitzman Boots
While visiting New Zealand in October 2019, Meghan wore a pair of black suede lace-up boots with gold hardware.
Meghan's Stuart Weitzman Boots
Meghan's lace-up boots are the not-so-glamorously named Veruca sock boots by Stuart Weitzman.
Stuart Weitzman Veruka Boots
Stuart Weitzman Veruka Boots ($610, originally $825)
Meghan's Green Satin Heels
Meghan wore a Victoria Beckham ensemble to the Commonwealth Day service in 2019 and contrasted her cream colored coat and chain-print dress with a pair of green satin pumps.
Meghan's Green Satin Heels
Meghan's shoes featured a classic pointed toe and a stiletto heel.
Meghan's Velvet Jimmy Choos
For a trip to Northern Ireland in 2019, Meghan sported a pair of luxe Jimmy Choo pumps in a bold orange-brown velvet.
Meghan's Velvet Jimmy Choos
Meghan's shoes are the Romy 100 pump, in a special colorway called Oxid that featured in the Cruise '18 collection.
Meghan's Cow Print Gianvito Rossi Pumps
What do you wear to a work meeting when you're almost six months pregnant? A pair of cow print high heels with PVC inserts, of course. Meghan definitely didn't let baby Sussex cramp her style when she wore these shoes for a trip to the charity SmartWorks.
Meghan's Cow Print Gianvito Rossi Pumps
Meghan's unusual printed heels have been in her closet for a few years, as canny fans recognized them from a "shelfie" posted to her now-defunct instagram account.
Kate's Metallic Jimmy Choos
At the royal premiere of Spectre back in 2015, Kate teamed her Jenny Packham dress with a pair of sandals by Jimmy Choo.
Kate's Metallic Jimmy Choos
Kate's metallic strappy Vamp sandals have a mock-croc texture, a platform sole, and a stiletto heel.
Meghan's Royal Blue Aquazzura Heels
Another day, another gorgeous pair of Aquazzura pumps for the Duchess of Sussex! Meghan teamed a ruffled Jason Wu dress with a pair of blue slingbacks for a concert in London.
Meghan's Royal Blue Aquazzura Heels
Meghan's heels are the Aquazzura Portrait of a Lady style, which is sold out in blue but still available in other colors.
Aquazzura Portrait of a Lady Slingbacks
Meghan's Sarah Flint Sandals
On the royal tour to Australia, Meghan stepped out in the sunshine wearing a pair of flat ankle-tie leather sandals by Sarah Flint.
Meghan's Sarah Flint Sandals
Meghan has had these sandals for years and wore them on a number of occasions before the royal tour.
Princess Beatrice's Buttoned Boots
Beatrice is never afraid to experiment with her footwear, and in 2016, she sported a pair of calf-length boots with silver buttons.
Princess Beatrice's Buttoned Boots
Beatrice's boots featured silver buttons and fasteners all up the leg, with a chunky block heel.
Princess Beatrice's Mesh Stilettos
Also in 2016, Beatrice topped a lace Milly dress with a pair of lace-up mesh panel stilettos.
Princess Beatrice's Mesh Stilettos
Though they weren't identified at the time, it's possible Beatrice's statement shoes are from everyone's favorite fast fashion retailer Zara.
Kate's LK Bennett Boots
Kate took a page out of her sister-in-law's book when she opted to wear a pair of lace-up ankle boots for a number of royal engagements in early 2019. The duchess usually chooses suede pumps or knee-high boots when wearing dresses, but these cute ankle boots gave the look a more modern feel.
Kate's LK Bennett Boots
Kate's boots are the Marisa style from one of the duchess's favorite labels, LK Bennett. Unsurprisingly, the style has sold out since it got the royal seal of approval.
Princess Eugenie's Booties
Princess Eugenie has got a ton of wear out of her black booties, which feature high sides and a deep split on the vamp.
Princess Eugenie's Booties
The modern style is worlds away from the classic pumps worn by most of the royal family, which just makes us love them even more.