The Royal Children's Wardrobe: The British Brands Kate Dresses Them In
The British brands behind the royal children's wardrobe, from Amaia to Rachel Riley, and the high-low mix that makes Kate's children so well dressed.
Few things trigger a shopping frenzy quite like a royal child in a new outfit. When Prince George, Princess Charlotte or Prince Louis step out in a smocked dress or a knitted jumper, the “Charlotte effect” can sell out a style overnight. Like their mother, the young Wales royals are dressed in a very particular, very British way.
The royal children’s wardrobe is a lesson in timeless, understated childrenswear: traditional smocking, Peter Pan collars, hand-knits and classic shoes, drawn largely from small British and Spanish-influenced labels. And, just like the Princess of Wales, the children are dressed in a clever mix of the bespoke and the affordable: a high-low approach that keeps them looking every inch the royals they are, without always costing a fortune.
Here are the British brands behind the royal children’s wardrobe, and how to get the look.
Amaia: Princess Charlotte’s favourite
If one label defines the royal children’s style, it is Amaia (Amaia Kids). The London-based brand, known for its classic, Spanish-influenced smocked dresses and rompers, is to Princess Charlotte what Alexander McQueen is to her mother. Charlotte has worn Amaia countless times, including a bespoke coat to the Coronation Concert, while Prince Louis has appeared in Amaia jackets and Prince George in Amaia knits.
The appeal is exactly the understated, timeless quality the royals favour: beautifully made, traditional children’s clothes that never look try-hard. Amaia pieces are sold through the brand’s own boutique and website rather than the High Street, which only adds to their quiet cachet.
Rachel Riley and the traditional look
For a more traditional, heritage look, the Princess of Wales has long turned to Rachel Riley, the British designer who has dressed royal children for years. Prince George wore a Rachel Riley two-piece to Princess Charlotte’s christening in 2015, and Charlotte owns several of the brand’s dresses.
Rachel Riley’s vintage-inspired, exquisitely finished pieces, think smocking, appliqué and classic silhouettes, are the epitome of old-fashioned children’s dressing done beautifully. Alongside Pepa & Co (Pepa London), worn by George and Charlotte as pageboy and flower girl at Pippa Middleton’s 2017 wedding, and Trotters of Chelsea, whose puppy jumper Prince Louis wore for his first birthday, they form the heart of the royal children’s traditional wardrobe.
The accessible mix
Here is the reassuring part: the royal children are not dressed head-to-toe in bespoke. Just like their mother, they wear plenty of the High Street too. Princess Charlotte has famously worn £20 Next trainers, the children have been spotted in Zara and Boden, and the Princess mixes affordable pieces with the smart labels without a second thought.
For that accessible, well-made end of the look, Marks & Spencer Kids and other British High Street names offer exactly the timeless, sensible children’s clothes the royals favour: classic knits, smart coats and proper shoes at everyday prices. It is the same high-low formula the Princess uses for herself, as we explore in dressing like the Princess of Wales.
How to get the royal children’s look
The royal children’s style is easy to echo. Stick to timeless, traditional pieces: smocked dresses, Peter Pan collars, hand-knitted cardigans, tailored shorts and classic buckled shoes, in a soft palette of navy, cream, red and forest green. Avoid slogans and licensed characters in favour of quality and simplicity.
Mix a few special bespoke or heritage pieces with sensible High Street basics, and buy in classic styles that can be handed down. The whole philosophy is understated, well-made and built to last, childrenswear as the royals have always done it.
Why the royal children’s style endures
The royal children’s wardrobe endures because it is genuinely timeless: traditional, beautifully made and refreshingly free of fuss. It reflects the same values as the rest of the royal wardrobe: quality over trend, understatement over flash. It shows that even the smallest royals dress with a quiet good taste.
That is its charm, and its lesson: children’s clothes chosen to be worn, loved and passed on. Browse more of our Royal Style & Fashion stories for the brands the whole family loves.
Frequently asked questions
What brands do the royal children wear?
The Wales children are dressed in classic British and Spanish-influenced labels including Amaia (a Princess Charlotte favourite), Rachel Riley, Pepa & Co and Trotters, mixed with accessible High Street names such as Next, Zara, Boden and Marks & Spencer.
What brand does Princess Charlotte wear most?
Princess Charlotte wears Amaia (Amaia Kids) frequently. The London label’s smocked dresses and coats are a signature of her wardrobe, including a bespoke coat for the Coronation Concert.
Do the royal children wear High Street clothes?
Yes. Like their mother, the royal children mix bespoke and heritage pieces with affordable High Street brands. Princess Charlotte has worn £20 Next trainers, and the children have been seen in Zara, Boden and other accessible labels.
How do I dress my child like a royal?
Choose timeless, traditional pieces: smocked dresses, hand-knits, Peter Pan collars, tailored shorts and classic shoes, in a soft, plain palette, and mix a few special heritage pieces with sensible High Street basics built to be handed down.
What is the “Charlotte effect”?
The “Charlotte effect” is the tendency for items worn by Princess Charlotte to sell out quickly as shoppers seek the same styles, the children’s equivalent of the “Kate effect” that follows the Princess of Wales’s wardrobe.
Brands are described as of 2026; childrenswear ranges change, so check each brand for current collections.
