The Princess of Wales’s visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital on Tuesday was a rarity for many reasons. We hadn’t seen Kate venture out in public solo for over a year. She also used the visit to confirm that she received treatment at that same hospital, a rare confirmation of anything to do with Kate’s medical situation. The visit was also a rare moment where no one really talked about her clothes. Usually, there’s an immediate buzz about whatever coat or Sister Wife dress she’s wearing, and there was none of that this week. So it feels bizarre that the Telegraph decided to devote a style article to Kate’s comeback look, but here we are:
The Princess of Wales returned to public life in spectacular style on Tuesday wearing head-to-toe burgundy – one of the season’s most on trend hues, as seen on the catwalks of Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Chloé. Arriving at the engagement at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London’s Chelsea, of which she and her husband are now patrons, the royal looked effortlessly chic in a tonal look that announced that she’s back to business as usual.
As ever, her coat collection continues to be envy-inducing, with a new checked one from the Italian brand Blazé Milano on show here. She’s long been a fan of the brand, whose wool blazers she’s worn in the past.
Meanwhile, underneath her coat she wore one of her fail-safe outfit formulas – a midi skirt paired with a polo neck sweater and court shoes. If the look is giving you deja vu, that’s because she has worn it before: in February 2023 during a visit to Cornwall alongside her husband the Prince of Wales, Kate wore the very same Kiltane cashmere jumper and Edeline Lee skirt, albeit with a mock-croc belt by French brand Ba&sh, a brown Hobbs coat and knee-high leather boots. The best news for any copy-Kates out there? The Kiltane sweater is currently on sale for just £60.
As Catherine’s first solo engagement of the year, and coming after such a long absence from the public stage, her outfit choice was no doubt well thought through. On the one hand, it shows her flying the flag for local design talent. While Kiltane is a heritage brand that champions traditional fabrics and methods, Edeline Lee is one of the hottest designers on the London Fashion Week schedule, showing that the Princess has her finger on the pulse of fashion right now.
Her choice of attire also positions her once again as someone who – gasp – rewears their clothes more than once. And by choosing a relatively low-key yet smart look, she’s ensuring that she is dressed the part, without looking too showy or over-the-top. Burgundy, meanwhile, is universally flattering, while sticking to one colour on her top and bottom also gives the appearance of making her taller and slimmer. Her only questionable decision is perhaps her footwear – would boots have been more sensible considering the weather? – but she is, after all, the poster girl for a classic court shoe.
TL; DR – Kate repeated a skirt and sweater in a flattering shade of burgundy and she wore a new coat from an Italian brand. Honestly, I did wonder about the coat – it feels like forever since we’ve seen Kate wear something new-to-us. She’s done a hell of a lot of repeats for a while now, almost as if her clothing budget was radically slashed at some point. Anyway, I’ll say something nice: I’ve always thought she looks good in these kinds of blue-reds, and it always pains me when she wears orange-reds.
Speaking of Kate’s fashion, British outlets have been buzzing this year that Kate will finally issue her own “royal warrants.” Royal warrants are the Windsors’ version of sponsorships or endorsements – it’s supposed to be a boost for a brand or company, the fact that they get to proclaim that they have a royal warrant to make the king’s knickerbockers or the princess’s doll wigs. As of yet, Kate has not issued any royal warrants, but many designers and brands would love the boost.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
