Kate Winslet still shudders when she remembers the first time she stood face-to-face with the British royal family — and more specifically, what she happened to be wearing. Long before red carpets, Oscars, or global fame, a young Winslet made a fashion choice that continues to follow her decades later.
Fast-forward to June 2025: Winslet and Meryl Streep were getting ready to greet King Charles III at a King’s Foundation event. As the only Brit between them, Winslet was expected to lead the way. But when Streep nervously asked whether they needed to curtsy, Winslet realized her own understanding of royal etiquette wasn’t much better. Retelling the moment on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” she laughed, recalling how she confidently insisted they must curtsy — even though she wasn’t entirely sure how to execute one properly.
Still, she was miles ahead of where she’d been during her first encounter with Charles back in February 1996. At the London premiere of Sense and Sensibility, the then–Prince of Wales was greeted by a 20-year-old Winslet who, despite knowing royalty would attend, arrived in an outfit that would later become the stuff of legend: a completely sheer, black lace jumpsuit. Even she can hardly believe her own boldness looking back.
Winslet has admitted that the memory still makes her cringe. She recalled realizing, seconds before Charles approached, that her entire top was see-through — and panicking. “Nipples! Nipples! Nipples! Oh my God,” she remembered thinking before someone urgently draped a coat over her shoulders. Whether she managed a royal greeting afterward barely matters; the wardrobe choice had already cemented itself as one of her most embarrassing missteps.
But according to royal experts, the king likely gave the outfit little more than a passing thought. Brittany Provance, Editor-in-Chief of the Royal News Network, noted that Charles has encountered every imaginable type of attire over the years. Royals, she emphasized, interact with people from all walks of life — from dignitaries in couture gowns to performers in traditional dress, and even, on occasion, topless cultural dancers during international visits.
Winslet clearly took the lesson to heart. When she met King Charles III again in 2025, she appeared in a refined cream coat that exuded classic elegance. Her look suggested a woman who could navigate royal spaces with ease — a far cry from the sheer lace jumpsuit of her early career. And while dress codes matter at official palace events, Provance explained that the royal family generally isn’t scrutinizing every guest’s wardrobe unless the guidelines specifically require formal attire.
Ultimately, Winslet’s journey from that infamous jumpsuit to her polished modern appearance reflects how much she has evolved — both in fashion and confidence. And as Provance pointed out, the only true sartorial sin in front of a royal would be wearing something intentionally disrespectful, such as an anti-monarchy slogan. Everything else, it seems, is forgiven — even lace.
