Princess Kate’s Surprising New Manicure Is So Subtle, You Probably Missed It—But It’s a Big Deal for Royal Fans

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Credit: Getty Images

Royal nails have become something of a hot topic over the years, thanks to the endless (and ridiculous) debates over Meghan Markle’s dark nail polish “breaking protocol.” For her part, Princess Kate tends to go polish-free, and has only worn color on her nails at major royal events a few times over the years. While her bright red manicure had royal traditionalists clutching their pearls on Easter Sunday 2023, her mani at the state banquet in honor of Germany’s president and first lady was much more under the radar.

On Wednesday, December 3, the Princess of Wales officially welcomed the Royal Family’s German guests while wearing an elegant Prussian blue Alexander McQueen coat, covering her hands with black gloves. Later in the evening, she stole the show at Windsor Castle in a blue sequined Jenny Packham gown and Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara—a headpiece that has been worn by Queens throughout the years, but only once by Queen Elizabeth. With all of the dazzle on display, it wouldn’t be surprising if you didn’t notice Kate’s manicure.

Kate’s nails happened to be a lively subject of discussion amongst my friends Lauren, Christine and me recently, so when Christine (who is also one of our contributing writers) pointed out that it looked like the princess was wearing nail polish, the photos obviously went straight to the group chat.

The Princess of Wales is seen clapping during the state banquet at Windsor Castle on December 3. | Credit: Getty Images

The Princess of Wales showed off her shimmery manicure while examining pieces of note from the Royal Collection. | Credit: Getty Images

It’s certainly a blink-or-you-missed-it detail that’s only visible in a few of the photos of the Princess of Wales clapping and toasting during the banquet, and in one shot of her examining German artwork at the castle with Prince William. But indeed, Kate was wearing a barely perceptible, shimmery beige shade on her nails that caught the light in certain images. As Christine noted, the color was “almost like a glazed donut mani,” but just a bit more glossy.

While other members of the Royal Family—like Princess Eugenie, who has even worn Union Jack and reindeer-patterned nails—have experimented with color, Kate seems to prefer to keep her nails very understated, making any color a surprise to royal fans.

The Prince and Princess of Wales posed for a formal portrait ahead of the state banquet on December 3. | Credit: The Prince and Princess of Wales/Instagram

The Princess of Wales experimented with red polish for Easter 2023. | Credit: Getty Images

Although it’s a low-key look, the minimal shimmer is a perfect festive touch for those, like Kate, who might not be a fan of bold manicures. And the Princess of Wales’s shiny mani actually plays right into two of 2025’s biggest nail trends, with barely-there shades and short nails both trending this year.