Queen Camilla’s ‘blue’ rule over Kate Middleton sparked tension: report

Blue may be a royal favourite, but it’s said to spark silent wars behind palace walls over who gets to wear it.

Royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital that Queen Camilla’s favorite color isn’t just a fashion statement, it could be her way of signaling authority behind the palace gates.

“Keeping Camilla’s use of blue would enforce a visual hierarchy for royal events,” explained Matta.

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“Let’s not forget that Camilla entered palace life under serious public suspicion and has spent the last two decades meticulously rewriting her story,” Matta said. “His preference for a saturated, dominant dark blue has been at the center of this project in recent years. His preferred hue is literally ‘dark blue’.”

Matthew also said: a new TikTok video The color is claimed to be so popular among royal wives that it causes tension over who will wear it.

Queen Camilla arrives at St Mary’s Church at Windsor Castle on 9 April 2023. He attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service in St. George’s Chapel. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“Never forget that Camilla claimed she was blue and told the other royals, namely Kate [Middleton]They couldn’t wear it,” he claimed on the platform.

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A source previously said this UK Express The color blue was said to be “problematic” for royal dressers because it was a favorite of both Camilla and the Princess of Wales. But since Camilla is the most senior woman in the royal family, she was the first to decide to wear the beloved hue.

“The Queen now gets to choose her outfits before any other woman in the royal family,” a source said. “It’s part of the royal hierarchy and that includes the clothes and colours. Her Majesty’s favorite color is blue and so is Kate’s. Sophie [Duchess of Edinburgh] At the same time, he quite likes it.”

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, leaves after attending a bingo night at The Royal Hospital Chelsea in London on April 29, 2025. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“There was once [royal dresser] jacqui [Meakin] She was a little apprehensive about allowing blue to be worn at the same time as the queen, but she is now comfortable with it as long as the blues are very different shades,” the insider said.

Queen Camilla attends day one of Royal Ascot 2024 at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2024 in Ascot, England. She wears the sapphire brooch that Prince Albert gave to Queen Victoria the day before their wedding. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.

“The fact that Meakin eventually relaxed the rule to allow different shades to be used simultaneously may indicate that the initial practice created enough friction that a diplomatic solution became necessary,” Matta said. “The royal family loves blue. This could also signal that Camilla feels secure enough in her role as queen to give up some territory.”

Queen Camilla attends the 2024 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2024. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“There’s probably no written rule about blue, but what there is is “The only thing unusual about Meakin acting as a color guard is that it has become public knowledge. Past designers like Angela Kelly also dominated the visuals with an iron fist,” Matta shared.

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From left to right: King Charles III, Queen Camilla and Prince William watch a flight to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London on May 5, 2025. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

It was Meghan Markle who spoke publicly about royal dressing protocol in the 2022 Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan.” The American actress became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britain’s Prince Harry in 2018.

“Most of the time I was in the UK I rarely wore colour,” she said. “My understanding is that you can never wear the same color as Her Majesty (Queen Elizabeth) if there is a group event, but then you should not wear the same color as any other senior member of the family.”

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, ride in a horse-drawn carriage during The Color’s Trooping at the Mall on June 9, 2018 in London. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

The Express previously reported that sources said Meakin had “ruffled a few feathers” at Buckingham Palace by being “very strict about clothing color choices, particularly the color blue.”

Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton ride down The Mall in a horse-drawn carriage during the Trooping the Color event on June 9, 2018 in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“If you know how royal dressers work, reports that Jacqui Meakin is ‘ruffling feathers’ on the blue are unsurprising,” Matta said. “Whoever controls the Queen’s wardrobe may also feel like they have real institutional power.”

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the SportsAid mental fitness workshop to mark World Mental Health Day at Bisham Abbey National Sports Center in Marlow, England, on October 12, 2023. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that royal fashion hierarchy protocol has become “pretty relaxed” in recent years, but there is an “order of priority” that dressers still reportedly follow.

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Queen Camilla kisses Catherine, Princess of Wales, during the official reception at the Royal Dais on Datchet Road in Windsor, England, on December 3, 2025. They attended the event held on the first day of the official visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender to the United Kingdom. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“The Queen gets first dibs on choosing the outfit,” Chard said. “Her choice trumps all others. It’s well documented that Queen Camilla, Princess Catherine and indeed Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh love wearing the color blue. There was talk of treading on royal toes when it came to blue outfits. But I think you’ll find it’s the dressers who started the royal fuss!”

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at St. Paul’s Church at Windsor Castle on June 13, 2022. Attending the Order of the Garter ceremony at St. George’s Chapel. In 1348, King Henry III. Founded by Edward VIII, the Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain. (Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images)

“Fashion in the royal family is a carefully chosen expression,” Chard said. “Accidental color clashes are not allowed! But from time to time we also see planned family unity displayed through an outfit color.

“But to avoid stepping on royal toes, rules have been relaxed around royal blue, allowing royal women to wear different shades of blue. This allows the message of calm stability to shine through.”

Prince Louis of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales at St. George’s Church at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2023. He attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St. George’s Chapel. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich She told Fox News Digital that while the most senior woman in the royal family may be able to choose her outfits before others, she doubts the so-called “battle of the blues.”

“All royal families have always been intensely hierarchical,” he said. “Dress codes are just one of the main ways to portray this visually. It’s procedural rather than personal, and it’s pretty orderly. The only unusual issue at hand is that the queen consort’s dresser is so concerned with some sort of enforcement.”

Queen Camilla (left), Patron of the English National Ballet, stands next to Sangeun Lee during a reception with staff, dancers and supporters to celebrate the troupe’s 75th anniversary at Buckingham Palace on November 12, 2025. (Yui Mok/PA)

“Princess Catherine and others have been seen in blue so many times that this seems like a pretty dubious claim,” he argued. “I’ve never heard of such tension.”

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Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the annual Commonwealth Day Celebration Ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9, 2026. Previously Queen Elizabeth II. She wears Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings that belonged to Elizabeth. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Express, Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth’s dresser, Angela Kelly, was once reported to be “one of the most powerful women in Buckingham Palace,” raising questions about how much authority a dresser has.

But Matthew noted that blue as a royal signature has deep roots.

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth tours Queen Mother Square in Poundbury, Dorset on October 27, 2016. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

“Queen Elizabeth liked it because it matched her eyes, but I believe it was Norman Hartnell who first dressed her in blue for that reason,” Matta said.

Queen Elizabeth II of England Elizabeth smiles brightly as she takes photos in the lounge at Sandringham House. His pet dog is looking after him. These photos were taken in connection with the royal family’s planned tour to Australia and New Zealand. (Getty Images)

“Blue signifies loyalty, stability and reliability,” he said. “For a monarchy that positions the Welsh as the stable future of the institution, this is an ideal visual shorthand that also creates harmonious images. In particular, we’ve seen Kate favor pastel shades of blue rather than royal blue. But since becoming Princess of Wales, she’s really started using more saturated tones.”

Whether intentional or not, the message behind the monarchy’s carefully coordinated attire is clear: In royal circles, even a choice of color can indicate who holds the power.