In recent years we’ve really seen the royals embracing a uniform of sorts, with everyone from the Princess of Wales to Zara Tindall and Queen Letizia of Spain stepping out in an array of colourful suits. Now this season the trio have also been spotted reaching for the same type of shirt to go with their tailored staples - and it’s a 2026 trend.
Lightweight, elegant tops are something my spring capsule wardrobe is definitely lacking and Kate, Zara and Letizia have been showcasing the beauty of pussybow blouses. They’re often considered quite "proper" - which works for senior royals - though they also have a vintage feel.
The Princess of Wales has multiple in her collection and most recently wore a ruby-red sleeveless blouse with a tie-neck detail by ME+EM, though perhaps her most-worn is her pastel pink long-sleeved pussybow shirt.
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This affordable tie-neck blouse comes in various colours, including this feel-good green hue. It's made from floaty georgette fabric and has a regular fit, with frilled cuffs and neat buttons running up the front.
You can currently get 15% off this blouse with the code KMEXTRA15 and it's such a beautiful pastel colour for the season. The elegant balloon sleeves add dimension and the lightweight georgette fabric drapes, with subtle pleating.
You can't go far wrong with a plain white shirt and this one has the addition of the tie-detail which makes it feel a little different but still very versatile. The neck tie is also removeable so you can switch up the look. Made from crepe, it's got delicate gathering.
Butter yellow surged in popularity last year and I suspect it will do so again now spring has sprung. It's such a joyful colour and this yellow tie-detail shirt could be paired with everything from jeans to white linen trousers.
Burgundy can work for spring just as much as winter and this blouse is sleeveless with a pretty pussybow neckline. Tuck it into matching trousers for a jumpsuit-esque look or mix things up and wear with white jeans to create a high-contrast style.
Crafted from pure mulberry silk, this is an investment piece for the warmer months that you can wear with so many different items. The combination of the pastel blue with the micro pattern is so stunning and it also has puffed sleeves and a tie-neck collar.
Blush pink is a big spring/summer fashion colour trend for 2026 and she’s worn her top with grey and burgundy coats and suits for a touch of contrast.
Zara Tindall also likes to go pretty minimal with the rest of her look when she’s styling a pussybow blouse and on Day 1 of this year’s Cheltenham, she wore a teal top with a deep navy wool co-ord by The Fold. To get the beautiful drape from the bow, these types of shirts or blouses tend to be crafted from flowy materials like satin or chiffon.
Keeping the rest of your outfit relatively neutral and structured can help to mellow the flounciness and ensure that it doesn’t become overpowering. Queen Letizia of Spain went for a plain ivory pussybow blouse with grey and brown checked wide-leg trousers on 11th March and took off her blazer for a slightly more casual look.
The feminine elegance of the royals’ go-to spring shirts makes them naturally smart, though you can easily dress them down more than Kate, Zara and Letizia do.
Denim would work so well with them, especially relaxed silhouettes like wide-leg, straight-leg or barrel-leg jeans where you could tuck the top in neatly to create a smart-casual outfit.
Both elements would balance each other and depending on how dressed-up or dressed-down you want to be, you could finish the look with white trainers or heeled boots. The neck ribbon on these shirts can also be different lengths or tied in different ways.
The Princess of Wales and Queen Letizia favour going for a long, draped bow whilst at Cheltenham Zara Tindall’s bow was shorter and crisper. This is how the late Princess Diana used to wear her pussybow blouses back in the day too. The shorter and tighter the bow, the more preppy the blouse tends to look so it ultimately depends what effect you prefer and what suits the occasion best.
Pussybow styles are making a comeback as a trend this season, so we’re surely going to see all three of these royals wearing several more before the end of the year. Pastel tones make these blouses feel even more spring-like and Kate in particular has plenty of shades to choose from.
