The Princess of Wales has dialled up her fashion credentials as she gains more ‘confidence’ in her role and gets to work on campaigns close to her heart, sources have said.
Returning for the start of autumn term, Kate has ditched her trademark dresses in favour of power suits for her recent engagements around the UK.
Along with her newly cut ‘curtain bangs’ haircut, the 41-year-old’s recent looks project a purposeful, business-like image and could not be further from the primary-hued dresses she has favoured until now.
It has led many to ask whether there is a new face on the Princess’ team, or whether there is a style advisor in the wings.
Sources close to the future Queen insist that is not the case, saying the spring in Kate’s step is simply down to her being a woman who has finally hit her stride.
The Princess of Wales has cut a formal figure in recent engagements. Here, Kate was elegant in a dark green suit as she visited a textile mill in Leeds which was once owned by her family on 26 September
One explains that while the ‘step-up’ to become Princess of Wales was a daunting one, she now has a year ‘in the job’ under her belt.
This has coincided with the launch of her new ‘Shaping Us’ campaign to highlight the importance of the early years of childhood and how what happens to us during that time can shape our adult lives.
A source said of Kate: ‘She’s been spreading her wings and creating a public awareness on important issues that are close to her heart. People have sat up and taken notice.
‘This is a lifelong campaign for her and the fact that it has been so well received has given her an enormous amount of confidence.’
Kate still works closely on her wardrobe with long-term personal assistant Natasha Jackson, but insiders said that to paint the Princess as a ‘passive participant’ would be to ‘massively underestimate’ her.
Others believe the advent of the new Carolean reign has also loosened up Kate’s boundaries and emboldened her to plump for more cutting-edge choices, without having to complement the late Queen Elizabeth II’s traditional dress sense.
At the Hampton Court literary festival in June, Queen Camilla dazzled in a blue Anna Valentine jumpsuit.
Now that her children are rapidly growing up – Prince George is ten, Princess Charlotte is eight and Prince Louis is five – the mother-of-three has more time to focus on herself.
Kate Middleton stunned in a camel suit as she visited a charity in east London on 19 September
Kate Middleton echoed her late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she visited a charity in east London wearing a camel trouser suit which was strikingly similar to the one the previous Princess of Wales wore in 1997
Kate looked elegant in pinstripes as she stepped out in Cardiff to mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation’s arrival in the UK on 3 October
Kate’s polished new wardrobe also ties in with her and William’s decision to appoint the first ‘CEO’ to run their household.
Another insider said: ‘There’s a definite sense of the couple running their duties in a more business-like away, with far less of the historic fripperies, and I suspect that’s filtered through to other areas of their lives.’
Jo Elvin, host of Palace Confidential on The Mail+ and former editor of Glamour, gives her firm seal of approval to Kate’s new ‘chief of the board’ look.
‘It’s not very traditional princess-y and I suspect there are some royal fans who prefer seeing a member of the royal family in a pretty dress but I like the quiet luxury of her new look,’ she said.
‘She’s got so much more confident and relaxed about not following protocols so rigidly. I suspect she was probably always keeping half an eye on what the late Queen would have approved of. So now we are probably seeing more of what Kate likes to wear off duty.’
The royal sported a yet another suit for on 18 September: a £549 black blazer from Holland Cooper with gold button detailing. Kate paired the sophisticated blazer with trousers and £650 black pumps with a thick heel from Gianvito Rossi as she visited the Royal Navy Air Station in Yeovilton
Kate Middleton donned an elegant Alexander McQueen suit during her trip to HMP Down prison in surrey on 18 September
That ‘quiet luxury’ has seen the Princess publicly adopt new brands such as Samantha Carmeron’s Cefinn range, French label Sezane and luxury brand ME+EM.
She blends this with high-end outfits by long-term favourites such as Alexander McQueen, who also designed her wedding dress, and Roland Mouret.
‘They are very mid-level labels that really appeal to that Mumsnet crowd. Real yummy mummy favourites,’ Ms Elvin said.
‘These labels are reassuringly expensive, in that you won’t see everyone wearing them, but not eye-wateringly so.
‘There’s also a lot of tonal, taupe-y dressing, so sharp but nothing to shock the traditionalists. I really, really like it.’
The mother-of-three commenced the transition to corporate attire at The Rugby World Cup on 9 September with an Alexander McQueen suit.
The Princess of Wales donned a white Alexander McQueen suit at the Rugby World Cup in September
The royal opted for her £1,945 white Alexander McQueen blazer and matching trousers.
She complemented her suit with a dazzling jewellery set she first wore for Princess Charlotte’s christening in 2015 – including her pair of £3,750 Mappin & Webb ‘Empress’ Diamond Carriage Earrings and matching £2,000 Empress Mini White Gold & Diamond Pendant Necklace.
Kate continued to show her fondness of Alexander McQueen just days later at a visit to HMP High Down, Surrey.
Looking typically stylish, Kate opted for a favourite blue Alexander McQueen outfit and grinned broadly as she arrived for the visit to the prison near Sutton that helps those in the criminal justice system recover from addiction.
The Princess of Wales looked ready for business as she arrived at RNAS Yeovilton last month in a black blazer and trousers
The Princess of Wales’ outfit choice seemingly also paid tribute to Sarah Burton with her outfit after the designer announced she would be stepping down as creative director of Alexander McQueen on the same day.
Kate matched the royal blue suit with a simple cream jumper for the occasion. The mother-of-three also paid tribute to her children by donning a necklace complete with their initials.
She wore the £1,070 ‘Personalised Gold Midnight Moon Necklace’ by Daniella Draper, which was engraved with the letters ‘G, L, C’ in honour of her children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
For stylistas who long for a glimpse of Kate’s more traditional glamour of old? Well, there is always next month’s state banquet in Buckingham Palace to look forward to.
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