Dame Zandra Rhodes says she would love to design a dress for the Princess of Wales - but she would need to tone down the bright colours she is known for.

The fashion designer, who is renowned for her neon pink hair and her use of vibrant artistic prints, created five custom gowns for the late Princess Diana when she was married to the then Prince Charles in the 1980s.

And she would love to work with Princess Catherine, 44, who is married to Charles and Diana's eldest son Prince William, 43, the heir to the throne.

Dame Zandra said: "It would be lovely to dress some of the Royal Family now. I think Kate would be wonderful to dress. I'd love to dress her.

"If I were asked, I probably would. I mean I'm not manufacturing now but it would be a one-off anyway. They'd have to come and ask me."

When quizzed over what colours she would choose for Catherine, she added: "I don't know... not too bright colours. I think she's subtler than that."

The outfits she made for Diana included a pale pink silk buttons-and-bows chiffon gown and an ivory silk chiffon cocktail dress.

The fashion icon, 85, recalled going to Buckingham Palace with one of the dresses she had made and accidentally treading on some of young Prince William's favourite toys.

Dame Zandra said: "Diana had come into my shop for a fitting. She usually liked black but they weren't allowed to wear black. So I went round to the palace to fit her in this specially printed colour, and this was pale pink and white.

"Going to the palace, I had to show my passport when I went in through the front gate and then you would go in and curtsy, and then I tripped over a few dolls that were William's.

"And she said 'Oh it's a terrible shame' because it was a viking and it was William's favourite. It had big horns. I didn't break it but she just said 'Isn't he ugly? But it's William's favourite'."

During the past 60 years she has also made eye-catching garments for style icons including David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and Dame Shirley Bassey.

*An exhibition called Zandra Rhodes: A Life In Print, featuring her iconic garments, is at The Holburne Museum in Bath until May 10.