From Melania’s purple hat to Princess Kate’s burgundy dress: How fashion played a message in Trumps’ UK visit

Story highlights
Fashion was a key player in the Trumps’ UK state visit, with Melania’s hats, the Queen and Princess of Wales’s coordinated styles, and sartorial choices reflecting diplomatic gestures

State visits are often as much about the outfits as they are about official talks, and the recent visit of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the UK showcased just that. With a spotlight on hats, jewels, dresses, and tiaras, fashion diplomacy was in full effect.

Melania’s Signature Hat and Classic Elegance

Known for her bold sartorial statements, Melania Trump opted for a wide-brimmed purple hat during day one of her visit to Windsor Castle. The dramatic piece concealed part of her face, signaling her focus on her husband’s agenda rather than drawing attention to herself. Paired with a sleek grey Dior suit, the look was both stylish and strategic, as stylist Marian Kwei pointed out. The colour-matching of her hat and Trump’s tie reflected her support for his policies during the visit, with Dior also symbolising America’s ties to Europe.

Burberry Trench: A Nod to British Fashion

On a later occasion, Melania embraced classic British style, wearing a floor-length Burberry trench coat with its signature lining peeking out. This sartorial choice, completed with boots and sunglasses, was interpreted as a diplomatic gesture. As Vanessa Friedman from The New York Times noted, such a choice demonstrated engagement with British culture and could be seen as an example of fashion diplomacy—an approach often used by first ladies. For her last UK state visit in 2019, Melania similarly combined British, European, and American designers in her wardrobe, signaling both support for the UK and her own fashion-forward stance.

The Royals’ Coordinated Look in Blue and Burgundy

Trending Stories

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II made a statement in a striking sapphire blue dress, a matching Fiona Clare coat, and a Philip Treacy hat, accentuated by a sapphire and diamond brooch. It was a clear representation of her royal elegance, yet it also held subtle diplomatic meaning.

Princess of Wales: A Burgundy Statement

Princess Catherine, always a paragon of grace, wore a burgundy Emilia Wickstead dress, topped with a matching Jane Taylor hat. Her outfit, complete with a feather brooch, matched the Prince of Wales’s burgundy tie, showing solidarity and alignment with both her husband and the UK’s interests.

This coordinated approach, observed by fashion experts like Marian Kwei, echoes Melania Trump’s own choice to match her husband. The use of colour is seen as a clear gesture of unity with the spouse’s agenda and also, as royal expert Victoria Murphy highlighted, a diplomatic message that aligns with the US flag’s red and blue. In this high-profile state visit, fashion choices were more than just aesthetic—they were woven with meaning, showing how clothing can subtly reflect political alliances and cultural respect.

From Melania’s Purple Hat to Princess Kate’s Burgundy Dress: How Fashion Played a Message in UK Visit

In the hallowed halls of Windsor Castle and the grand avenues of London, fashion has long served as a silent diplomat, weaving threads of alliance, respect, and subtle symbolism into the fabric of international relations. During President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom on September 17, 2025, this sartorial diplomacy was on full display. From the dramatic sweep of Melania’s purple hat to the elegant poise of Princess Kate’s burgundy ensemble, every choice carried weighty implications. Amidst handshakes and state banquets, these outfits didn’t just adorn; they articulated messages of unity, tradition, and cross-Atlantic solidarity. At the heart of it all was the hat—a timeless accessory that crowned the narrative, blending protocol with personal statement.

The visit, marking Trump’s second official trip to the UK as president, unfolded against a backdrop of renewed U.S.-UK ties post-Brexit and amid global uncertainties. Arriving at Stansted Airport and proceeding to Windsor for a ceremonial welcome by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, the Trumps were greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales. Fashion experts immediately dissected the wardrobes, noting how they echoed the 2019 visit but with evolved nuances. Back then, Melania’s yellow Ralph Lauren dress and wide-brimmed hat had sparked debates on American optimism; this time, deeper, autumnal tones signaled maturity and introspection in bilateral relations. Yet, it was the hats that stole the spotlight, transforming mere headwear into emblems of power and subtlety.

Melania Trump’s purple hat emerged as the visit’s defining icon, a bold, wide-brimmed creation by Christian Dior that evoked both regal authority and enigmatic reserve. Crafted in violet wool, the hat perched low over her brow, partially shading her eyes and adding an air of mystery to her poised demeanor. Paired with a tailored dark gray Dior skirt suit—double-breasted jacket, pencil skirt, and black pumps—the ensemble was a masterclass in monochromatic elegance with a pop of imperial color. The purple hue, historically tied to royalty due to its rarity and expense in ancient dyes, whispered of luxury and sovereignty, a nod to the British monarchy’s own storied traditions. Fashion stylist Marian Kwei observed that the hat’s exact shade matched President Trump’s violet tie, a deliberate coordination that underscored Melania’s support for her husband’s agenda. “It’s a visual alliance,” Kwei told reporters, “directing all eyes toward the diplomatic priorities while she stands as a pillar of quiet strength.”

This wasn’t Melania’s first foray into hat diplomacy. During her 2017 Inauguration, a similar pillbox style had cemented her as a fashion force, but the 2025 purple brim took it further, evoking whispers of intrigue. Body language experts speculated that the low brim, which obscured her gaze, signaled a desire for privacy amid the visit’s high stakes—discussions on trade, security, and NATO commitments. Sky News commentator Judi James suggested it reflected Melania’s “desire to hide away,” a protective shell in the glare of royal scrutiny. Yet, far from evasive, the hat amplified her presence. Dior, a French house with deep European roots, symbolized America’s enduring transatlantic bonds, a subtle counter to any isolationist narratives. As Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times’ chief fashion critic, noted, Melania’s choices often blend high couture with geopolitical nuance, turning runway trends into red-carpet rhetoric.

The hat’s drama extended beyond symbolism to protocol. In British royal etiquette, headwear like fascinators or brims is de rigueur for women at outdoor state events, denoting respect and formality. Melania’s selection adhered to this while injecting American flair—bold, unapologetic, and statement-making. It recalled Queen Elizabeth II’s iconic Philip Treacy hats, which often carried personal motifs, but Melania’s version felt modern, a bridge between Old World pomp and New World confidence. During the Windsor inspection of the Guard of Honour, the hat framed her interactions with King Charles, its sweep catching the autumn light like a crown in waiting. Photographers captured the moment she alighted from the presidential limousine, the purple brim fluttering slightly in the breeze, a visual metaphor for the visit’s delicate balance of pomp and purpose.

Shifting focus to Princess Kate, whose burgundy dress and accompanying hat provided a harmonious counterpoint, the ensemble embodied British restraint laced with diplomatic warmth. The Princess of Wales, radiant in an Emilia Wickstead coat dress in deep maroon, paired it with a matching Jane Taylor hat—a soft, pillbox style adorned with a subtle net veil and feather brooch. The brooch, a heirloom from the Prince of Wales’s collection, added layers of heritage, evoking Princess Diana’s own feather accents in the 1980s. Kate’s outfit coordinated seamlessly with Prince William’s burgundy tie, a familial match that royal expert Victoria Murphy described as “a gesture of unity, aligning personal bonds with national interests.” The color choice, a rich burgundy verging on oxblood, drew from the U.S. flag’s red stripes, a classic “flag dressing” tactic in royal wardrobes to honor visiting dignitaries.

Wickstead, a New Zealand-born British designer favored by Kate, reinforced homegrown pride. The dress’s tailored silhouette—nipped waist, knee-length hem, and structured shoulders—exuded poise, while the hat’s understated elegance grounded the look in tradition. Unlike Melania’s dramatic brim, Kate’s hat was intimate, framing her smile as she welcomed the Trumps with a firm handshake. Trump himself complimented her, reportedly saying, “So beautiful,” a moment that humanized the pomp. Experts like those at People magazine highlighted the brooch’s placement near her shoulder as a nod to Wales, subtly asserting regional identity within the UK’s federal structure—a message of inclusive sovereignty amid U.S. talks on post-Brexit deals.

The interplay between Melania’s purple hat and Kate’s burgundy one created a visual symphony of fall shades: plum and maroon mingling like autumn leaves over Windsor. Vogue noted this coordination as “fall-ready diplomacy,” where statement hats elevated the duo’s silhouettes against the castle’s stone facade. Both women, pillars of their respective spheres, used headwear to navigate the event’s rigors—hats shielding from the elements while signaling status. In royal visits, hats aren’t mere accessories; they’re codified. The 1937 protocol for state occasions mandates them for ladies, turning them into canvases for subtle rebellion or conformity. Melania’s brim, dipping low, contrasted Kate’s perched pillbox, mirroring their personas: the enigmatic outsider versus the assured insider.

This hat-centric fashion narrative extends the visit’s broader themes. Later events saw Melania in a honey-yellow Jenny Packham gown for the state banquet, echoing her 2019 look but with gilded embroidery nodding to British craftsmanship. Kate, in a glittering Phillipa Lepley white-tie gown and the Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara, shimmered like a modern Cinderella, her choices sustainable and recycled where possible—a quiet push for eco-diplomacy. Queen Camilla’s sapphire blue ensemble, complete with a diamond brooch, complemented the palette, her Philip Treacy hat a floral tribute to English gardens.

Historically, such fashion messaging has precedents. Nancy Reagan’s red gowns during Reagan-Thatcher summits symbolized shared vigor; Jackie Kennedy’s pillbox hats during the 1961 UK tour charmed a nation. In 2025, amid AI-driven global shifts and climate pacts, these outfits reaffirmed soft power. Melania’s purple hat, with its royal connotations, bridged American exceptionalism and monarchical deference; Kate’s burgundy hat grounded it in empathy and alliance.

Ultimately, the hats encapsulated the visit’s essence: elevated, communicative, and enduring. As the Trumps departed, images of those brims and pillboxes lingered, proving fashion’s power to crown moments of history. In a world of words and treaties, a well-chosen hat speaks volumes—diplomatic, dazzling, and deeply intentional.