The Princess of Wales’s signature eye makeup "accentuates and defines" her features and it works for "all occasions".
Over the years the Princess of Wales’s fashion style has definitely evolved as she has incorporated more tailored staples, brighter colours and smart-casual outfit combinations into her royal wardrobe. However, when it comes to her makeup, she has remained faithful to her favourite look that she’s worn since her pre-royal days. Kate’s signature makeup includes a glowy, natural base, a pop of rose-pink blush, pink-toned lipstick and, of course, her dark black eyeliner.
Just like the best eyeshadow primers, eyeliner can be a real game-changer and Kate’s eyeliner is perhaps the most iconic part of her makeup. The future Queen loves wearing a sweep of black eyeliner across her upper lash line. The line is usually quite delicate and fine, with subtle smudging to create a softer, smokey-eye look.
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This gel eyeliner is available in the shades Caviar Ink, Espresso Ink, Sepia Ink and Chocolate Shimmer Ink and is a great long-lasting option to have in your makeup bag. Its formula is smudge-proof and you can apply the exact amount you want to your eyes with your favourite fine brush.
If you love a waterproof eye pencil then this is another brilliant one which glides on evenly and dries with a matte finish. It has a built-in blender on one end which you can use to spread the shade and create more of a smokey effect.
Available in a range of other colours, this eyeliner pencil is a lovely product to work with if you're eager to recreate the Princess of Wales's eyeliner look. It's long-lasting, waterproof and has amazing pigmentation.
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Whilst you might have been inspired by the Princess of Wales's eyeliner look, not everyone will want to go all-out with black eyeliner. For an even softer take on her signature makeup, this eyeliner pencil also comes in a warm brown shade.
This is something that woman&home’s Digital Beauty Writer Naomi Jamieson believes is incredibly "timeless". According to her, Kate’s eyeliner works so well to define her eyes without being overly bold for the daytime - and this is something so many of us want to achieve when we’re considering how to apply eyeliner in a subtle way.
"Kate Middleton's signature eyeliner is the epitome of a timeless look as it accentuates and defines whilst still remaining subtle and infinitely wearable - thus making it suitable for all occasions," Naomi explains. "As we can see, she follows the line of her top lashes (and often her bottom lash line too) with a black pencil, which adds a hint of smokiness and fullness to her lashes that really draws attention and makes her eyes pop."
The Princess of Wales’s low-key smokey eye look wouldn’t be the same without her eyeliner and her green-hazel eyes are especially striking when she wears this makeup staple combined with a delicate application of mascara.
Although Kate tends to keep the rest of her makeup very pared-back and quite neutral, Naomi believes that lining your upper lash line with black pencil is something that can work well with a more statement lip colour too.
She shares, “The line itself is quite thin (really only ghosting her lashes), which means it pairs well with bolder lipstick looks and can easily be built upon, either with a wing or a swipe of eyeshadow - for more of a dramatic, evening look."
Not everyone will be a fan of pencil eyeliners but so many of the best eyeliner products are gel or liquid eyeliners which can often give an even more intense and precise eyeliner look. Kate prefers her eye makeup more blended out, especially during the day, but as Naomi suggested, her look is buildable.
During her and Prince William’s Caribbean Tour in 2022, the Princess of Wales attended a dinner hosted by Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica and wore a spectacular green off-shoulder gown with emerald and diamond drop earrings.
She went for a more coral-toned lipstick and her usual eyeliner look was adapted to include a tiny cat-eye flick and it was also darker. This made her eyeliner slightly more dramatic for the evening but it was still very blended out, ensuring it remained very soft and relaxed.
For engagements she tends to keep her eyeliner more minimal and doesn’t extend it too much beyond her eye socket - as we saw when she attended the Wimbledon 2024 Men’s Final.
Whether you want to recreate it with a pencil, gel or liquid eyeliner, Kate’s signature eye makeup look requires just a sweep of your chosen product and as much blending as you want to achieve your preferred level of intensity. It’s remarkably simple to do and is a look that will work no matter the occasion or time of day.
