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10 times royalty attended the Met Gala: From Princess Beatrice in purple to Princess Diana in lace-trimmed Dior

The Met Gala 2024 is fashion's biggest night of the year

HELLO!
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
Acting Fashion and Beauty Editor
3 days ago
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There's a reason why the first Monday in May is considered the most fashionable night of the year. 

The Met Gala, co-chaired by Vogue's Anna Wintour, sees A-listers flocking to Manhattan's Metropolitan Museum of Art to walk the most-watched red carpet; while designers grasp at any opportunity to have their garments worn on the world's chicest stage. 

From Blake Lively's gilded Atelier Versace gown to Zendaya's illuminating Cinderella dress the Met Gala has played host to some major fashion moments since it debuted in 1973 - though it's not always celebrities who get an invite. 

Lady Gaga attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City© Getty
Lady Gaga attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City.

Proving it's not just fashion royalty that get an invite, real-life royalty have on occasion received a golden ticket to the annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. 

While Catherine, the Princess of Wales is yet to attend, Princess Beatrice and Princess Diana have walked the red carpet in previous years. 

From Princess Beatrice's striking Alberta Ferretti gown to Charlotte Casiraghi's sky-high platform heels, HELLO! revisits all the times royalty has attended the Met Gala.

Princess Diana attends Met Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on January 1, 1995 in New York City. © Getty

Princess Diana, 1995

Perhaps most memorably, Princess Diana attended in 1995, looking stunning in a lace-trimmed Dior dress. Her stunning silk slip dress was made by John Galliano for his first couture collection for Christian Dior.

Hinting that more royalty could be set to grace the Met Gala's stage, Anna Wintour once told the Today show: "I would love to have the Duchess of Sussex and the [Princess of Wales] together," she said. "That would be my dream couple. They could leave their husbands at home. It’s the two of them I want,|" referring to Meghan Markle and Princess Kate.

Princess Beatrice at the Costume Institute Benefit at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.© Getty

Princess Beatrice, 2018

Princess Beatrice surprised by attending in 2018, wearing a stunning Alberta Ferretti gown for the theme, which was 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination'.

Charlotte Casiraghi, Alessandro Michele and Jared Leto  attends the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City. © Jamie McCarthy

Charlotte Casiraghi, 2016

Monaco's ever stylish Charlotte Casiraghi, the second child of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, attended the 2016 Met Gala in a tiered Gucci ensemble. 

She was accompanied by Gucci's creative director Alessandro Michele, Dakota Johnson and Jared Leto, who all wore stand out pieces from the collection.

 Charlotte Casiraghi attends "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & the Catholic Imagination", the 2018 Costume Institute Benefit at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. © Taylor Hill

Charlotte Casiraghi, 2018

The Monegasque royal also attended the Met Gala in 2018. 

She was expecting her second child at the time, and looked totally divine in a Saint Laurent mini dress.

Charlotte Casiraghi attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City.© Jamie McCarthy

Charlotte Casiraghi, 2023

In perhaps her most glorious Met Gala moment yet, Charlotte graced the carpet at the 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" wearing a black lace dress. 

Monaco royal Andreas Casiraghi and date arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art May 1, 2006 in New York City.© Evan Agostini

Andrea Casiraghi, 2016

Charlotte's brother, Andrea Casiraghi also attended the 2016 gala, looking dapper in a classic tuxedo.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - MAY 7: Queen Rania of Jordan attends The COSTUME INSTITUTE Gala in honor of "POIRET: KING OF FASHION" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by CHANCE YEH/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)© Patrick McMullan

Queen Rania of Jordan, 2007

Queen Rania of Jordan made her Met Gala debut in 2007, looking glowing in a structured navy blue gown. 

Queen Rania of Jordan attends the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City. © Larry Busacca

Queen Rania of Jordan, 2016

Queen Rania brought along son Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan as her date at the 'Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology' event in 2016.

She was the definition of elegance in a black and white feathered Valentino gown paired with a dazzling set of jewels and hair accessories. 

Elizabeth von Thurn und Taxis attends "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology", the 2016 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2016 in New York, New York.  © Taylor Hill

Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis, 2016

Germany's Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis was a vision in gold as she brushed shoulders with fashion royalty in 2016, where she wore Mary Katranzou.

Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis arrives at "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum on May 1, 2017 in New York City.  © Sean Zanni

Princess Elizabeth von Thurn und Taxis, 2017

Returning to the stage a year later, Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis was angelic in pink to attend the Met Gala in 2017. The theme was "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between". 

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