We Asked A Color Analyst To Find The Royal Family's True Seasons (& One Member Follows Hers The Closest)

There's one hard truth every fashionista must face: Sometimes, the hues we love aren't the ones that look best on us. Whether your wardrobe is a minimalist swath of neutrals or a chaotic rainbow, your aesthetic might need to find a middle ground with your natural coloring. Even celebs like the British royal family don't always nail it, picking outfits or makeup looks that don't sit quite right. This is where understanding your color season can make all the difference.

Seasonal color theory has been around for decades, matching people with their ideal palettes. And while color analysis is more complex than viral videos make it seem — those color-matching filters aren't magic, y'all! — there are professionals who specialize in this sartorial art. To find out more about color theory and explore a few aristocratic examples, Glam spoke exclusively to Justine Glaser, the founder of Colors by Midnight and a dedicated color designer offering comprehensive color analysis both in-person in Los Angeles and virtually over Zoom.

"A color season is a range of colors that suit a person. There are four main seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter) and 16 subtypes (combinations of two seasons)," Glaser explains. "It's important to know what colors work and what colors don't. The royal family could especially benefit from an analysis because they are public figures and constantly photographed. ... It would help them dress in their best colors and shine." We don't know whether anyone in the monarchy has had their colors done officially, but Glaser made her own observations and recommendations for the royal ladies, examining media to narrow down each person's color season. She found that the royal family boasts a range of different palettes — and that one beloved princess embodies hers the best.

Looking at the British royal family, the queen consort is a perfect example of why everyone over 50 should have their color analysis done — or even redone if it's been a long time. Over the years, Queen Camilla's coloring has changed slightly, her blond hair becoming less sandy and her skin becoming more delicate, demanding equally soft hues to complement these features.

"After studying photographs of Queen Camilla, I believe she is a Light Spring (Spring that leans towards Summer). She looks best in colors that are light and warm," Justine Glaser exclusively tells Glam. "Some of Queen Camilla's best colors are periwinkle, soft butter yellow, light aqua, and lilac. The queen consort also looks better in gold than silver."

Happily, these seem to be shades that Queen Camilla regularly gravitates toward — and has for years. Even back in the noughties, the then-Duchess of Cornwall was showing off her affinity for pastels. In 2006, she attended an anniversary event for the Victoria Cross medal at Westminster Abbey in a sweet lilac ensemble, and she selected a similar aqua set for the 2009 Trooping the Colour ceremony — both outfits complete with matching hats, of course.

Meghan Markle may have taken a step back from royal life, but the erstwhile Duchess of Sussex still has a big public presence that demands thoughtful wardrobe curation. Though Meghan Markle has been caught in a few outdated outfits, she has plenty of experience in dressing for the spotlight thanks to her successful acting career on shows like "Suits." Plus, her radiant skin and gorgeous, luscious hair naturally lend themselves to some seriously chic fashion tones.

"After studying photographs of Meghan Markle, I believe she is a Dark Autumn (Autumn that leans towards Winter). She looks best in colors that are dark and warm," Justine Glaser explains exclusively to Glam. "Some of Meghan Markle's best colors are deep emerald green, black, deep maroon, dark brown, and midnight blue. Meghan Markle can wear both silver and gold, but gold is slightly better."

Whether or not she's had her colors done, Markle seems to be aware that dark jewel tones suit her, as she's often spotted in this palette. In 2018, the duchess visited the University of Chichester in a fabulous forest-green leather pencil skirt that she paired with a darker-green blouse. She rocked a similar combo while attending a roundtable discussion on gender equality in 2019, looking bold yet professional in a ruby-red skirt and wine-red V-neck.

Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, doesn't always make media waves like some other members of the royal family. In a way, this has worked in her favor — apart from a brief comparison to Cinderella's stepsisters at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding (due, perhaps, to her unusually architectural fascinator), Princess Eugenie has developed a reputation as someone charitable and down-to-earth.

Still, image is a crucial consideration for everyone in the royal family, and it's important that Eugenie dresses to impress. "After studying photographs of Princess Eugenie, I believe she is a Warm Spring (Spring that leans towards Autumn). She looks best in colors that are warm and vibrant," Justine Glaser exclusively tells Glam. "She looks incredible in Kelly green, orange, turquoise, and bright yellow. Princess Eugenie looks better in gold than silver."

This vivid palette seems to suit the princess' personable energy and includes some colors that other royals might find hard to pull off. For instance, Princess Eugenie dared to wear a bright-orange dress to an event honoring Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, somehow managing to look crisp and lively rather than Halloween-y despite the addition of black accessories. Verdant greens also seem to be a favorite. In 2023, Princess Eugenie donned a silky turquoise gown for the Vogue World: London fashion event, neatly setting off her green eyes and brown hair.

It seems that Princess Eugenie's penchant for color doesn't fall far from the tree. Her mother, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, doesn't have the exact same color season, but her palette also embraces a balance of autumn and spring tones. "After studying photographs of Sarah Ferguson, I believe she is a Warm Autumn (Autumn that leans towards Spring)," Justine Glaser exclusively tells Glam.

Similar to Princess Eugenie's profile, this calls for prioritizing rich hues with warm undertones, but the shades themselves differ slightly. As Glaser further explains, "Some of her best colors are marigold, chartreuse, warm teal, and mustard yellow. Sarah Ferguson looks better in gold than silver." Chartreuse isn't an easy shade to pull off, but the duchess makes it work. For example, she rocked a stunning, light-green gown in Cannes, France, in July 2024.

This isn't the only time Ferguson has successfully repped her season. In 2016, the duchess donned a sunset-orange dress to attend a ball benefiting cancer research. Notably, it was of a slightly deeper hue than Princess Eugenie's bright-orange frock, demonstrating the subtle but key differences in their color seasons. Sarah Ferguson also looks incredible in teal, one step away from Eugenie's slightly brighter affinity for turquoise, as shown by the rich, teal dress Ferguson chose for Easter 2024.

While various royal ladies occasionally hit upon the exact right color to accent their season, Justine Glaser pinpoints one who stands head and shoulders above the rest: Catherine, Princess of Wales. "I definitely believe the royal who dresses in their season the most is Princess Kate. She does an overall fantastic job with wearing colors in her palette," says Glaser.

"After studying photographs of Princess Kate, I believe she is a Soft Summer (Summer that leans towards Autumn). She looks best in colors that are cool, soft, and smoky," the color analyst exclusively reveals to Glam. "Princess Kate absolutely glows when she wears cool olive green, soft burgundy, plum, soft forest green, navy blue, and smoky teal. The Princess of Wales also looks better in silver than gold." Case in point, Middleton stunned in a burgundy dress during a 2023 visit to Birmingham and was absolutely breathtaking in simple olive 'fit as she supported the British charity Family Action in 2019.

Glaser only wishes the other members of the royal family would follow Middleton's example for themselves. "I would like to see the royals go through all of their photos and really see the effects that color has on them. It's pretty clear which colors light them up and which colors don't," she says. As Glaser sums it up, "A picture is worth a thousand words."