While Princess Diana is famous for her Gucci bamboo handle tote and Dior Chouchou bag, the Princess of Wales is known for championing homegrown – and surprisingly affordable – handbag brands.
Kate Middleton’s wardrobe strikes the perfect balance between aspirational and attainable, whether it’s pairing an Alexander McQueen blazer with Zara trousers or a Catherine Walker coatdress with Accessorize earrings.
In what is known as the ‘Kate effect’, anything the Princess of Wales wears has a habit of selling out almost instantly – and boosting the UK economy by £1 billion annually, according to estimates. Take her recent Three Peaks Challenge, where Kate Middleton wore a high street hiking outfit – her The North Face red sprinter shorts are already gone in every size.
A sense of Britishness is key to her personal style. Edeline Lee and Emilia Wickstead are occasionwear favourites while Barbour and With Nothing Underneath define her off-duty outfits. When it comes to bags, Edinburgh-based independent brand Strathberry is in Kate’s rotation, alongside classic British labels Mulberry and Aspinal of London.
Reflecting her refined and contemporary wardrobe, DeMellier has been worn countless times by the royal, while Anya Hindmarch clutches are similarly relied on for adding character to her looks.
Read more: The exact hiking backpack Kate Middleton took on the Three Peaks Challenge
All these labels are comfortably mid-range, combining high quality with timeless style. If you’re looking to emulate Kate’s covetable wardrobe, these are the five bag brands she returns to time and time again.
Strathberry
The independent Scottish label Strathberry is among Kate’s favourite affordable luxury bag brands. The princess owns a large collection, with four bags and counting hailing from the Edinburgh brand. From her croc-embossed clutch (she has it in both white and navy) to the brand’s best-selling mosaic nano, the bags perfectly match her elegant and understated wardrobe.
The Edinburgh-based brand also counts Katie Holmes and Sarah Jessica Parker among its fans, as well as fellow royals Princess Eugenie and the Duchess of Edinburgh. Strathberry bags are made by artisans in the world-renowned Spanish leather-crafting town of Ubrique, combining durable, long-lasting quality with attainable prices.
While other luxury bags made in the same small Andalusian town could set you back upwards of £1,000, Strathberry’s bags start from £295 (a graduation gift) and go up to £695 (a luxury birthday treat to yourself).
DeMellier
Founded less than a decade ago – and on every fashion fan’s wishlist – Kate owns three bags from DeMellier. The British brand’s bags aren’t flashy or loud – instead, each design is architectural and minimalist, with understated branding details and elevated finishes.
Crafted in the same Spanish town as Strathberry’s bags, DeMellier’s bags are beautifully made using premium materials. Logo-less, timeless designs have never been more popular – and every bag Kate steps out with instantly goes onto a waitlist.
The nano Montreal is Kate’s favourite. A petite choice for occasion-wear style, the princess has both the navy and toffee colourways. The Hudson is another princess-approved style, featuring a top handle and elegant curved silhouette – she owns the mocha suede.
Mulberry
Kate was rarely seen without her Mulberry Bayswater tote in her early years of royal life. Launched in 2003, it became an It-bag of the era, loved by royals and A-listers alike for its understated and practical design.
Lately, she’s leaned toward more contemporary labels like Strathberry and DeMellier, which similarly reflect craftsmanship and minimalism. But her love for the heritage British brand remains.
In 2025, she debuted a new Mulberry bag, the small bayswater tote, on an engagement in Wales, while she carried the black croc-embossed Amberley top-handle bag during a parade in 2023.
Aspinal of London
Aspinal of London reimagines vintage silhouettes for a contemporary audience, while championing British craftsmanship – the perfect recipe for a bag fit for a royal. The princess has returned to Aspinal of London countless times for special engagements.
The croc midi Mayfair is a particular favourite (Kate owns it in both black and lilac), while the Mayfair clutch was a minimalist addition to her polka dot Alessandra Rich dress for the Order of the Garter in 2023. Kate also owns the more casual crossbody Lottie bag in red.
Anya Hindmarch
Kate has been seen carrying Anya Hindmarch bags since 2011 – most recently at Royal Ascot, where she wore the elegant ivory Maud pearls clutch with a canary yellow dress. The black maud clutch is also in the princess’s roster.
Embracing Anya Hindmarch’s more playful designs, Kate took the woven Neeson tote bag to Wimbledon in 2025, complementing her all-white look.
The exact hiking backpack Kate Middleton took on the Three Peaks Challenge
