Iconic Bags Carried by Royal Family Members
Functional, luxurious, and designed to complement a low-key outfit.
Royal style is defined by luxury pieces, and that extends to handbags. Heritage designers like Gucci and Chanel are often behind the functional, complementary handbags carried by royal family members, although younger royals favor Strathberry and vintage accessories they can rewear. The best royal bags need to be sturdy as well as stylish—after all, the royal family are typically working during appearances—and complement their classic, put-together outfits.
Princess Eugenie, 2023
The box bag is a royal favorite, since it has a bit of space in the interior but doesn't lose its shape. This embossed, round, burgundy handbag Princess Eugenie is carrying is designed by Aspinal of London, which is often favored by the British Royal Family.
Meghan Markle, 2017
Meghan Markle often favored brands not typically carried by royals, including in her handbags. This is Christmas 2017, and this structured Chloé pixie leather shoulder bag (which was quite popular with fashionistas that year) is delightfully detailed.
Sophie Wessex, 2023
Royal Ascot (this is in 2023) provides some great accessories: usually the focus is rightly on the hats, but let us also appreciate this gorgeous, structured, slightly asymmetric Strathberry bag on Sophie Wessex—one that's understandably a favorite of hers.
Kate Middleton, 2022
While Kate Middleton most often favors a clutch (more on that in a moment), she has good taste in box bags as well. This is the black Aspinal of London Midi Mayfair bag, and it is quite a favorite of hers—one of those royal rewears we see again and again.
Meghan Markle, 2022
Meghan Markle regularly inspires bag envy, and while this (at the 2020 Invictus Games) is technically a shoulder bag, it still falls into the "structured" category. This Celine chain shoulder bag was extremely popular that year and matches her Celine jacket with gold buttons. The whole look is very chic.
Queen Elizabeth, 1995
Queen Elizabeth II favored structured black bags from luxury brand Launer to contrast with her vivid outfit (worn so that crowds could see her better). This patent leather bag with gold accents is so minimal and classic it wouldn't look out of place today.
Princess Diana, 1997
Princess Diana, holding a structured Lana Marks bag, always had a natural sense of style—but she really leaned in on new, interesting designers after her separation and eventual divorce from then-Prince Charles. This taupe bag is such a nice contrast to black.
Zara Tindall, 2024
Zara Tindall (daughter of Princess Anne) loves a crossbody: quite reasonably so, as they allow you to be hands-free (the better to shake hands with people, in the case of royals). What I love about this Fairfax Favor bag is that she's actually using it, popping her ticket into the back pocket.
Kate Middleton, 2023
Kate Middleton doesn't often opt for a crossbody, typically choosing strapless top handle bags and clutches. But by wearing a pretty blue dress and matching it to a blue Mulberry top handle purse, and complementing the gold strap with her gold jewelry, the look is a chef's kiss of cohesion.
Princess Diana, 1992
Princess Diana loved Chanel—so much so that Karl Lagerfeld named a bag after her—and this gorgeous crossbody camera bag is an perfect choice for an "everyday" outfit. Here, she's visiting The Thames Valley Hospice, and the black helps "ground" the light butter yellow look.
Meghan Markle, 2018
Meghan Markle introduced a lot of us to Strathberry—bags perfect for a royal look, as we see here. This coat is eye-catching, and the bag draws out the green color; pine or hunter green is such a cool alternative to black.
Queen Elizabeth, 1956
While royals often love a hard, structured bag, a softer pouch is also extremely fashionable. Queen Elizabeth, here making a Commonwealth visit to Nigeria, accessorizes with a white top-handle tote that is gloriously complementary to her gloves and pearls.
Meghan Markle, 2020
Here at the Commonwealth Day Service 2020, her last event as a senior royal, Meghan Markle holds a Gabriela Hearst emerald satin tote bag. The near match to her brighter green ensemble is a gorgeous visual (even if the amount of items you can fit in there is probably small).
Meghan Markle, 2019
Meghan Markle leaned on Gabriela Hearst more than once as a royal! At a visit to Hamilton Square in 2019, she carried the "Nina" leather tote in cognac, designed to complement the brightness of her red coat. This bigger size feels incredibly practical in a nice way.
Queen Camilla, 2024
Like Meghan Markle, Queen Camilla is a fan of DeMellier and owns the same "Mini Venice" bag as the duchess. This is at the "Style Wednesday" of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival (fitting!); the design is actually a crossbody that Camilla is styling as a top handle bag.
Princess Diana, 1995
Here, Princess Diana carries a classic black Christian Dior handbag, gifted to her during a trip to Paris "to wear on her various outings." Thanks to this exceptional ambassador, the bag’s name was a given: it was to be called "Lady Dior."
Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, 1965
So many royals wear small, discreet, expertly fashionable bags to royal events. It's nice to see Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly Grace Kelly) just wearing a big handbag, even if she's headed to the airport and likely using something more practical. This might be the Hermès Kelly bag, named after her, which she popularized by wearing often.
Queen Letizia, 2025
Queen Letizia's style is professional and practical in a way I admire. This "Rosario" black leather bag from Mauska complements her leather loafer heels in more than just color: it coheres with her burgundy suit and wouldn't look out of place in the boardroom.
Meghan Markle, 2024
A bigger, more substantial bag is such a cool touch—it's unexpected, and in the case of Meghan Markle it's from an extremely chic brand. During their 2024 Colombia visit, she carries the Loro Piana Loom Bag L32 in white; a bag this size is perfect for travel.
Princess Diana, 1988
Tucked under Princess Diana's arm, you can barely see the black and white contrast clutch she's carrying—but when you see it, you won't be able to look away. That's how gorgeous it is. (This is at Ascot in 1988, hence the large hat and polka dotted outfit.)
Princess Beatrice, 2022
Royals love clutches! Princess Beatrice, with a sweetly monogrammed style, is attending the Royal Ascot in 2022. Beatrice has historically loved whimsy and verve in her accessories (see also: some very OTT hats), and this woven clutch is exactly her style in a great way.
Princess Beatrice, 2019
A printed Gucci clutch is perfect for Beatrice's vivid, brighter style, but other royals love the luxury label, including Kate and Meghan. But, like others on this list, Princess Diana originally popularized the "Diana" bag (a leather handbag with a bamboo handle).
Meghan Markle, 2019
Visiting The National Theatre in 2019, Meghan Markle wore a Carolina Herrera clutch that was based on Herrera's Metropolitan Insignia series. The pretty "C" shapes at the side, the soft eggshell color and gold trim: it's basically the perfect clutch to carry at any formal event.
Queen Camilla, 2022
Here attending the "Together at Christmas" Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in 2022, Queen Camilla wears the Tosca clutch bag by Launer. Queen Elizabeth very much favored that brand and rarely diverged from it; whether or not this is an intentional reference, it's highly chic.
Kate Middleton, 2023
The classic royal tonal look (dressing head to toe in a rich, vivid color) is something that Kate Middleton loves. And, naturally, her clutches match the rest of her: in this case, she's at the Easter Mattins Service at Windsor Castle in 2023, and the bag is the Emmy London Natasha clutch.
Queen Letizia, 2023
As an alternative to a head-to-toe color scheme, a more subtle way to incorporate color is through accessories. In Queen Letizia's case, this pastel blue clutch matches her shoes, and is such a nice alternative to a darker black or even a nude color.
Kate Middleton, 2022
She's so Christmas-y! Kat is attending the 2022 "Together at Christmas" carol service at Westminster Abbey; this clutch might have been Aspinal of London, but either way, it is perfection with the bespoke Eponine coat dress and matching gloves. Even the earrings match!
Meghan Markle, 2020
Here attending the Mountbatten Festival of Music at Royal Albert Hall in 2020, Meghan Markle's Safiyaa dress (with that pretty draped overlay) is stunning. The Manolo Blahnik Capri jewel buckle clutch is a perfect complement: it adds dimension but doesn't compete.
Kate Middleton, 2015
The James Bond premieres have given us some exceptional royal fashion over the years; this is Spectre in 2015, and while Kate doesn't always opt for a big sparkly moment, this Jenny Packham "Casa" clutch (her dress is by the same designer) is a rare treat.
Meghan Markle, 2023
Meghan's gold Johanna Ortiz dress at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in 2023 rightly deserves center stage, but spare a moment for the clear box clutch bag from Carolina Herrera. Unless my eyes deceive me, it looks to be engraved with an M!
Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, 1977
The Princess of Monaco always had exceptional formal style, but this is one of my favorite royal looks from her: from the gorgeous crystal-studded clutch, to the pearl strands and earrings, to the delicate pearls woven into her hair, it's impressively thoughtful.
Princess Diana, 1994
Very few images of Diana are as indelible as this one. The so-called "revenge dress" deserves much appreciation, but the clutch was perfect with it. It's the Vera bow clutch bag designed by Salvatore Ferragamo (and she loved the design so much she had it in multiple colors).
