Catherine, Princess of Wales is a huge fan of wedges and there are certain brands and designs she always comes back to.
As much as the Princess of Wales loves her best white trainers in the summer, she reaches for wedges whenever she wants something a little smarter. They are one of those shoe styles that is utterly timeless and Kate has a fair few pairs in her collection, each with slightly different designs. As a champion of the best British clothing brands, it’s not surprising that some of her staple wedges are from the likes of L K Bennett and Russell & Bromley, but one of her most-seen pairs are from iconic Spanish brand, Castañer.
Kate’s worn her favourites on repeat for many years now and showed how versatile they are, styling them with everything from floral midi dresses to jeans and blazers. As the weather starts to warm up in the UK we’re eyeing up the Princess of Wales’s go-to wedges and lookalikes that bring a similarly elegant feel to any summer outfit.
Kate's Castañer Wedges
In the world of wedges it doesn’t come much more iconic - or chic - than Castañer’s designs and the Princess of Wales has worn her Carina 80 Suede Wedge Espadrilles to so many different events and engagements. Although the future Queen is a fan of bright colours, when it comes to her footwear she often goes much more classic and neutral and her Carina wedges are a toasted toffee brown tone.
The Princess of Wales is a huge fan of the Carina 80 espadrilles and she has a gorgeous warm-toned neutral pair like these. This style is currently reduced to under £60, making them much more affordable and the tie up detail and classic jute sole make them so chic and timeless.
Black espadrilles are just as versatile as other neutral shades and are practical if you're worried about potential marks on the suede. You can currently get the Carina 80 style with 20% off at checkout at Harvey Nichols and they have the same beautiful design as Kate's brown wedges.
These stunning wedges have a slightly thicker tie strap that secures them around your ankles and the canvas is a very easy-to-style white shade. We love the almond shaped toe and would wear these with everything from midi dresses to jeans and a T-shirt.
This makes them incredibly easy to style with other shades and so increases their versatility - something we’d always recommend bearing in mind when you want to get maximum wear out of an investment piece. The Carina wedges have delicate ties that secure them around your ankles, an almond-shaped toe and the classic jute espadrille wedge.
Kate first debuted these shoes when she gave Prince George, Charlotte and Louis a special tour of her Back To Nature Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019. She went on to wear them several more times that summer and each time styled the Castañer wedges with flowing floral midi dresses.
The feminine tie-details and streamlined design of these wedges makes them perfect for wearing with dresses, although they’d work just as well with wide-leg blue jeans and a white blouse for a more casual look. The Princess of Wales took these with her when she and Prince William undertook their Caribbean Tour in 2022 and then wore them most recently for a visit to Cambridge in 2022 and at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2023 with her bright pink ME+EM dress.
Kate's Monsoon Wedges
When the Princess of Wales wants a pair of wedges that feel more formal and slightly less summery, she tends to reach for her Monsoon Fleur Wedges. Unfortunately this particular pair is out of stock now all these years later, but it’s a testament to Kate’s ageless style that there are always some similar wedge court shoes available year after year. They strike a lovely balance between a court shoe and espadrilles, with their closed-toe design and jute-covered heel.
Whilst tie up wedges are very chic, sometimes we want something that's easy to slip on in moments and these tick that box. They're a similar design to Kate's shoe-style wedges, but with a summery slingback shape. The soft caramel colour is so pretty and they have an elegant peep toe.
These wedges are an investment but one well worth making if you want a wedge that is timeless and beautifully crafted. This design is very similar to the Princess of Wales's shoes and is a lovely mid-point between court shoes and espadrilles, making them great for more formal occasions.
If you're looking for a more affordable pair of wedges then these wedge heels are a brilliant option. They're very pared-back and the taupe colour reminds us of the Princess of Wales's wedges, though they also come in a beautiful navy blue too.
Kate owns the Monsoon Fleur Wedges in a soft taupe colour and they’re crafted from luxurious suede and something like these would make such comfortable wedding guest shoes. Court shoes might be a key design in the Princess’s wardrobe for formal royal events, but wedges help give you some extra elevation with a bit more stability than you often get from stilettos.
This pair of wedges is one of the oldest in Kate’s collection and she brings them out a lot for official engagements, like when she visited Canada and the Isles of Scilly that year, as well as when she went to Germany and hosted a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in 2017. The Princess of Wales also opted for these shoes when she opened a Back To Nature Garden at RHS Wisley in Woking in 2019.
Like her Castañers, she prefers to wear these Monsoon wedges with dresses but in 2016 she styled them with black skinny jeans and a T-shirt for a visit to Land Rover BAR. Like court shoes, they’d also look great with tailored trousers.
Kate's Russell & Bromley Wedges
As much as we love a tie-up detail, sometimes we just want something that’s easy to secure in a matter of moments and Kate has a fabulous pair of Russell & Bromley ankle strap wedges in her collection. They are a warm-toned brown colour and are lower than several of her other pairs of wedges which makes them great for wearing for long periods of time or when you’re going to be outside walking on uneven ground.
Whilst Kate's exact Russell & Bromley wedges sadly aren't available anymore, these crochet wedges have a similar shape with the ankle strap. If you prefer a buckle fastening to a tie-up design then these are a gorgeous option with modern woven detailing and a jute-wrapped wedge.
Also available in several other tones, these tan suede wedges have a practical ankle strap that fastens securely with a buckle like Kate's Russell & Bromley wedges do. The contrast between the warm-toned uppers and woven jute sole is fabulous and they give elevation without being overly high.
Sitting on a slightly lower wedge heel, these espadrille sandals have a handy ankle strap and a chic crossover detail at the front. The metallic gold tone is subtle and adds a special feel to any outfit. Wear with a simple summer dress or an elevated occasionwear look and these will finish off your outfit in style.
The Princess of Wales put the sturdiness of this design to the ultimate test in 2018 when she ran down a grassy hill at the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy match in Gloucester. She attended with Prince George and Princess Charlotte and wore her shoes with a pastel blue and white striped Zara midi dress.
It was one of those outfits that’s simple to put together but so stunning. Having wedges with a secure ankle strap was a practical choice for this day at the polo and she later wore them in June 2020 when she went to The Nook, one of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices in Norfolk.
Like her Monsoon wedges, these Russell & Bromley Coco-Nut Espadrilles aren’t sold anymore, although the brand does have a sensational crochet pair available right now that also fasten with a strap at the ankle. Because of the strap, we’d recommend wearing wedges like these with either a pair of longer trousers that covers it or with a dress or skirt for a more leg-elongating effect.
