The royal family are followed profusely when it comes to their wardrobes. Whenever the royals step out at an engagement, a secondary focus is often the attire they are sporting. With so many appearances in their full-to-the-brim diaries, it must be quite the task for the royal household to decipher what each member will wear.
The somewhat old-fashioned notion of wearing something new each time a prolific figure is seen publicly is no longer celebrated, as it just isn’t sustainable and has a negative effect on the environment due to material waste.
© Matt Porteous/Kensington PalaceThe royal children often share clothes
There has been a recent shift which embraces the re-wearing of clothes, and the donation of unwanted threads to charity shops has never been cooler. Another way to embrace sustainability is to keep clothes in the family, particularly when it comes to children’s attire. Babies, toddlers and pre-school children grow so fast that passing on and sharing clothing is a great way to look after our planet and reduce waste.
Why fashion hand-me-downs are so important to embrace
“Fast fashion sends an extraordinary amount of waste to landfill each year. Of the roughly 100 billion garments produced annually, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste is created, much of it discarded after only a short lifespan,” fashion journalist and sustainable advocate Georgia Brown tells HELLO!. “In a culture built on constant newness, clothing is increasingly treated as disposable, with many pieces worn only a handful of times before being cast aside. The result is an ever-growing demand for textiles, and an ever-expanding mountain of waste.” Â
“Part of the problem lies in quality,” the writer quips. “To keep up with speed and scale, many garments today are cheaply made using synthetic materials that simply aren’t designed to last. Colours fade, seams unravel, and shapes distort – often long before a piece has had the chance to earn its keep. Compare that with vintage clothing, and the difference is striking. Before fast fashion took hold, garments were crafted with care and durability in mind, which is why so many pieces from previous generations remain in remarkable condition today.
The royals’ positive influence
“This is what makes it so refreshing to see public figures championing more thoughtful fashion choices,” Georgia adds. “When a royal steps out in a pre-loved or inherited piece, it sends a quietly powerful message: that style doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet. With every outfit scrutinised, wearing something that has stood the test of time reframes sustainability as something aspirational, not restrictive.”
© GettyPrince Louis has worn a variety of items from his big brother Prince George’s wardrobe
Jen Graham, a charity shopper who has presented second-hand fashion segments on This Morning, agrees. “When even the royals rewear, relove and reshare, it sends the strongest message that sustainability is the future of fashion.”
Royal hand-me-downs in action
The royal family have been on board with this for many years, including the Princess of Wales and Zara Tindall. Zara exercised this notion when she and husband Mike Tindall took their brood to the New Year’s Day Racing Meet at Cheltenham Racecourse on 1 January 2026.Â
© GettyLena Tindall wearing her older sister Mia’s Gucci coat
The 44-year-old daughter of Princess Anne and her former England rugby star husband, 47, were spotted at the racecourse with their children, Mia, 11, Lena, seven, and Lucas, four. Little Lena was seen wearing a grey coat by Gucci, which her older sister Mia wore back in 2022. Â
© Photo: Getty ImagesMia Tindall wore the same coat back in 2022
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte was the centre of attention during the Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham on 25 December 2025.Â
© GettyPrincess Charlotte wore her mother Kate’s Jigsaw hair bow on Christmas Day
The 10-year-old daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales joined her brothers, Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, seven, at the service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the royal estate in Norfolk, and her honey-blonde hair was placed into a half-updo, secured with a black velvet bow from Jigsaw, the very same one Kate wore clipped to her red Alexander McQueen coat at the Together at Christmas carol concert in 2024. Â
© WireImageKate wore the same bow from Jigsaw in 2024
The mother-daughter sharing pact is one that many can relate to. Jen, whose Instagram account, @charityshopgirlcsg, is widely followed, explained: “My daughter borrowed my 90s leather jacket on New Year’s Eve, and it made my whole day. It’s really special! There’s a special kind of closeness in borrowing something from someone you love. My daughter dipping into my wardrobe is one of those everyday moments that somehow feels really meaningful. It’s amazing how a jacket or a jumper can suddenly feel like a little bridge between two generations.”
© Getty ImagesFans spotted Louis wearing brother Prince George’s Ralph Lauren jumper at the 2025 royal Christmas lunch
At the royal Christmas lunch, which was hosted by King Charles and took place at Buckingham Palace on the afternoon of Tuesday, 16 December, Prince Louis was spotted heading to the Yuletide event in the car with Princess Charlotte, and his parents, wearing a swish navy and burgundy striped jumper by Ralph Lauren, over a collared white shirt, which Prince George wore to a pantomime performance of The National Lottery’s Pantoland at the London Palladium Theatre in December 2020.
© GettyGeorge wearing the Ralph Lauren jumper in 2020