Met Gala 2026 is just around the corner, and speculation about its top-secret guest list is rampant. With North West's style star continuing to rise, many are wondering whether she will attend the Met Gala 2026 with mom Kim Kardashian—but the answer is not as simple as yes or no.
For years, North West has been flexing her style prowess everywhere she goes, trying out daring beauty styles and experimenting with her fashion. On The Kardashians, the 12-year-old has also shared how much she cares about the Met Gala. However, that doesn't necessarily mean she'll be attending Met Gala 2026, which has the theme "Costume Art" and the dress code “Fashion Is Art.”
As in years past, one reason North West probably won't be at the Met Gala is that the event appears to have an age restriction, and, turning 13 in June, North West won't be old enough to attend. In the past, however, teenagers have graced the Met Ball red carpet, so it's not a 100% no. Elle Fanning attended the Met Gala when she was just 13, as did 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, and Willow and Jaden Smith at 15 and 17, respectively. At 12, North is not quite in that teenage threshold. That said, the restriction doesn’t mean we won’t see North West while the Met Gala is taking place.
Though she is not yet old enough to grace the red carpet like her mom and aunts, who have slowly but surely become Met Gala staples, North West often chaperones Kim Kardashian up until the moment she needs to greet the flashlights. Last year, the tween was spotted at the Carlyle and the Mark hotels in the lead-up to the Met Ball, helping her mom with prep. She was later seen rocking her trademark blue hair and a cowprint ‘fit en route to the event.
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North West has technically never had an official Met Gala appearance, but that has not stopped her from stealing the show. In 2023, she also famously accompanied her mom to the Met, which honored Karl Lagerfeld, and she made headlines in her mini Chanel jacket and jeans. She then watched the red carpet live, like most of us, from the comfort of her hotel room while putting on her best fashion-critic impression, also like most of us.
There seems to be exceptions to the Met Gala age restriction for minors accompanied by their guardians, per THR, so there’s a chance North West’s debut might be around the corner, especially given how prolific her family is at the event. However, the safest assumption is that we will likely see North West during the night of the Met Gala 2026, just not on the famed stairs.
