Color := TColor(SendMessage(Panel.Handle, SM_ALPHACMD, MakeWParam(0, AC_GETCONTROLCOLOR), 0))
(!) uses sMessages;
But using TsPanel is always more preferably, this control especially optimized for work with AlphaSkins. For the TsPanel may be used this function : Color := GetBGColor(sPanel1.SkinData, 0); (uses sCommonData)