Kate Middleton is the undisputed ‘It girl’ bag queen – including discontinued Hermès clutch

Many would say that ‘It girl’ bags don’t need a label to be instantly recognisable, due to the fact that Hollywood celebrities and supermodels often embrace them. Each season, a new bag emerges that everyone wants, and it quickly becomes a collector’s item.

Although the Princess of Wales isn’t a follower of micro trends, she does enjoy investing in sought-after pieces of arm candy, which she tends to rotate and weave into new outfit choices. Which one is your favourite?

Taking a trip down memory lane, the young Princess of Wales was pictured on the day of her graduation from the University of St Andrews in 2005. Looking young and fresh yet still expertly stylish, Kate carried the ‘Le Pliage’ bag by Longchamp in the medium size. Casually placed over her arm, the coffee brown design was a hugely popular piece at the time. Made from recycled polyamide, it’s famously inspired by Japanese origami in how it can be folded up and stored. It also has leather handles for a chic touch. The bag is still a hit with young women today, remaining a firm staple and the ultimate ‘It-girl’ bag on TikTok.

Kate is a long-time Mulberry fan; she wears the classic label from head to toe, previously investing in their coats, bags and even fine jewellery. The quintessentially British brand is known for its high-quality, timeless leather pieces, and some of its most famous bags have been hailed as ‘It girl’ pieces, from the ‘Bayswater’ to the ‘Alexa’ (inspired by model Alexa Chung) and the ‘Del Rey’, which was named after superstar singer Lana Del Rey.

One of Kate’s very first Mulberry bags was a bright pink number, known as the ‘Hobo’, which was a big hit in the late 90s and early 00s. The future Queen wore the style on an infamous night out in 2008, where she rocked a green sequin halterneck top, neon-yellow hot pants, pink leg warmers, and knee-high heeled boots for a charity roller disco. Her Mulberry ‘Hobo’ dangled in carefree fashion on her shoulder.

In 2023, the Princess headed to Royal Ascot and, as usual, was widely considered the best-dressed in her delightful flowing red number by Alexander McQueen. Nestled subtly under her arm was the now-discontinued ‘Rio’ envelope clutch bag from Hermès, which continues to be a very rare piece dating back to the 1990s. Any Hermès bag is widely considered the ultimate ‘It girl’ arm candy due to the exclusivity of its designs and extensive price tags.

In 2025, Kate lit up the stadium as she watched a rugby match between England and Australia in aid of the Rugby World Cup. We adored her incredible outfit choice: a sleek black suit, frilled blouse, and of course, rocking her then-new blonde mane, which was twisted back in a chic, half-up, half-down style. Royal fans also spied her super stylish handbag, a vintage Chanel number that the royal has only worn a handful of times. The dazzling bag is quite the collector’s piece, known as the ‘Classic Square Mini Flap Bag’, and it’s made in the ever-desirable black leather with the 24kt gold hardware colour combination. Prince William’s wife has only been seen with this bag a handful of times during her royal career, proving it’s one of the most special bags in her collection.