Kate Middleton could return to India with Prince William in November, 10 years after her royal tour wardrobe was criticised for giving limited attention to Indian fashion designers. The Princess of Wales is reportedly expected to accompany her husband to Mumbai for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, although Kensington Palace has not confirmed her attendance.
If the visit goes ahead, it would be Kate's first trip to India since April 2016 and her first Earthshot Prize ceremony since Boston in 2022. It would also place renewed attention on how her diplomatic dressing has changed since a South Asian fashion expert branded the wardrobe from her previous India tour a 'holy mess'.
Why Kate's 2016 Wardrobe Faced Criticism
The Royal Family's official itinerary shows that Kate and William visited India and Bhutan from 10 to 16 April 2016. Their Indian engagements took them to Mumbai, New Delhi, Assam and Agra, where they posed outside the Taj Mahal. Kate wore more than a dozen outfits across the two-country tour, turning each engagement into an international fashion moment.
The retrospective criticism came from Onita Prasada, founder of London-based South Asian fashion boutique O'nitaa. Discussing the tour in the documentary Kate: A Life in 10 Dresses, Prasada described its wardrobe planning as 'a holy mess'. Her criticism focused on the decision to use several British labels producing South Asian-inspired clothes instead of giving more exposure to designers based in India.
There were notable exceptions, including the printed Anita Dongre dress Kate wore while playing cricket in Mumbai. For the Taj Mahal visit, she selected a white-and-blue dress by Indian-American designer Naeem Khan, while Indian jewellery also appeared throughout the tour. However, much of her wardrobe came from established British labels including Alexander McQueen, Temperley London and Jenny Packham.
Her Pakistan Tour Showed a Different Strategy
Kate's official tour of Pakistan with Prince William in October 2019 demonstrated a more direct engagement with the host country's fashion industry. She wore traditional shalwar kameez silhouettes and featured work involving Pakistani designers, including Maheen Khan. Accessories from local brands, including Zeen, were also incorporated into her wardrobe.
Prasada helped advise Kate's styling team before the Pakistan trip, providing information on colours, customs and traditional clothing. The resulting wardrobe placed Pakistani craftsmanship at the centre of several appearances rather than using it mainly as inspiration. It also demonstrated how royal fashion can direct global attention towards designers and businesses in the countries the Royal Family visits.
A return to India would create the first opportunity to compare Kate's approach with the choices made a decade earlier. Indian designers, textiles and jewellery could become a significant part of the tour's coverage if she attends. No details about her possible itinerary or wardrobe have been announced.
Mumbai Prepares for the Earthshot Prize
The Earthshot Prize has confirmed that its sixth annual awards ceremony will take place in Mumbai in November 2026. Founded by Prince William in 2020, the environmental programme awards £1 million to five winners developing solutions involving nature, air, oceans, waste and climate. India has produced seven Earthshot finalists, including four winners, more than any other participating country.
'India is one of the world's most important forces for climate and nature,' William said when announcing Mumbai as the host city. 'What succeeds in India at scale has the power to inspire progress everywhere.'
Kate attended the inaugural Earthshot ceremony in London in 2021 and joined William in Boston the following year. She did not attend subsequent ceremonies in Singapore, Cape Town or Rio de Janeiro. Her possible appearance in Mumbai would therefore mark both an Earthshot return and a closely watched new chapter in her royal tour wardrobe.
