Kate Middleton visits Pontypridd Makret in Pontypridd, Wales on Feb. 26, 2025.Photo:Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty
Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty
Kate Middletonreached for red for a meaningful visit to Wales withPrince William, choosing a coat in a color of the national flag after a surprise style controversy.
Princess Kate popped in a long red coat, making aflag-dressingstatement in one of the shades of the Welsh national flag. Kate layered the coat over a muted brown outfit, continuing with a recent proclivity for subtle colors. Both she and William also pinned on daffodils, the national flower of Wales and a symbol affiliated with St. David’s Day.
Taking a page fromQueen ElizabethandPrincess Diana, Princess Kate, 43, is known to diplomatically nod to the places she’s visiting through her outfits, wearing a hue or two from another country’s national flag. She has done the same for thekickoff of state visits, and her red coat on Wednesday was a sure tribute to Wales, whose flag has a red dragon at its center.
Kate Middleton in Pontypridd, Wales on Feb. 26, 2025.Chris Jackson/Getty
Chris Jackson/Getty
The visit to Pontypridd was the couple’s first trip to Wales in over a year as Princess Kate underwenttreatment for cancerin 2024 and reduced her royal duties during that time. The princess shared in September that shecompleted chemotherapyand announced on Jan. 14 that she isin remission.
Shortly after, Kensington Palace released arare statementclarifying the policy for releasing details about Princess Kate’s wardrobe at official events. The update came after a Feb. 1 article in theSunday Times, which implied that Princess Kate wanted to draw attention to her causes, not her clothes, as she returned to work after completing cancer treatment.
Prince William and Kate Middleton make cakes at The Welsh Cake Shop at Pontypridd Market in Pontypridd, Wales on Feb. 26, 2025.BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty
BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty
“She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting. There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it’s about the substance,” theSunday Timesquoted a palace source as saying.
The speculation sparked a frenzy and several op-eds criticized the idea that Kate’s style should be downplayed, emphasizing the vital role her platform plays in highlighting British designers and boosting the U.K. fashion industry. Critics also argued that Princess Kate’s fashion choices not only honor Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth but also serve as an important link for connecting with the public.
Kate Middleton and Prince William at Pontypridd Market in Wales on Feb. 26, 2025.BEN STANSALL/POOL/AFP via Getty
On Feb. 11, a Kensington Palace spokesperson responded with a statement to PEOPLE.
“Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits,” a spokesperson said.
Kate Middleton leaves The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025.CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty
CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty
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Susan Kelley, founder of the original Kate style blogWhat Kate Wore, tells PEOPLE that the princess' signature style will always be integral to her public persona.
“It’s understandable that the Princess would like the emphasis to be on her work and not her fashion, and that’s a conundrum many women face, especially women in high-profile positions,” Kelley says.
Kate Middleton arrives at the National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 4, 2025 in London.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
The Princess of Wales made anunderstated statementfor her first outing after the Sunday Times report about her fashion credits and the designer of thechocolate brown wool-blend blazershe wore to join akindergarten field trip to the National Portrait Gallerysays the aesthetic is refreshing.
“I think she looks much more modern in the way she dresses now,”Petar Petrov, the Austrian-based designer, tells PEOPLE. “She looks relaxed, and I think she can win the hearts of people even more because she feels like a real person that people can connect with, like Princess Diana. That’s special and makes her even more relevant than ever.”
source: people.com
