The Rise and Fall of Kate Middleton's Hemlines

Kate Middleton may be an international style icon, but there's one very important person who's reportedly not a fan of her fashion choices: Queen Elizabeth. Turns out the 82-year-old wants her granddaughter-in-law to start dressing more conservatively – namely, in skirts and dresses with longer hemlines. Or at least that's the rumor media outlets from the Daily Mail to Time are reporting. But can it possibly be true? Let's face it, compared with the styles of other famous 32-year-old women – Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Jessica Alba, and Paris Hilton, for example – Middleton's style is practically matronly. "It doesn't quite ring true to me," royal expert Victoria Arbiter tells Yahoo Shine. "The queen does not run the monarchy as a dictatorship. She allows everyone to live their own lives and do things their way. If she feels very strongly about how something is done or should be done she'll say something, but she's a big believer in her family doing things their way and in turn learning by doing." Bottom line: "I just don't think there would be a memo from the queen saying, 'Your skirts are too short.'" After inspecting Middleton's hemlines over the years, we'd have to agree. She's become known worldwide for her sophisticated style, and if anything, her skirts have actually become more conservative (i.e., knee grazing) after she married into the royal family. We've rounded up the shortest hemlines ever spotted on Middleton so that you can judge for yourself: Does she really need to rein it in? Let's examine the evidence. By Joanna Douglas, Yahoo Shine Senior Fashion and Beauty Editor