Coatdresses - What Kate Wore https://whatkatewore.com The go-to source on Kate's style for fans, fashion writers, trend watchers. Tue, 16 Jun 2026 01:34:23 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3 https://whatkatewore.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cropped-whatkatewore-logo-final-02-1-32x32.jpg Coatdresses - What Kate Wore https://whatkatewore.com 32 32 The Princess Wears Patrick McDowell and Jane Taylor for Garter Day https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/15/the-princess-wears-patrick-mcdowell-and-jane-taylor-for-garter-day/ https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/15/the-princess-wears-patrick-mcdowell-and-jane-taylor-for-garter-day/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:06:01 +0000 https://whatkatewore.com/?p=89930 The Princess of Wales chose a coatdress by Patrick McDowell for Garter Day in Windsor. 

The Princess with the Duchess of Edinburgh as they await the procession by members of the Order from Windsor Castle's Upper Ward to St. George's Chapel.

The Evening Standard noted the Princess "...stood patiently with Sophie chatting to clergy and a nearby policeman on duty for around 15 minutes before the Garter Knights appeared, their way led by heralds in their colourful tunics."

The day begins with a private luncheon followed by the procession to St. George's Chapel.

This People story offers background. 

The annual service takes place every year at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle to celebrate the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain. In addition to having royal roots tracing back to medieval times — when King Edward III started the Order of the Garter because he was inspired by tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

The membership is exclusive to King Charles, some senior members of the royal family and 24 knights and ladies recognized by the monarch for their public service. Royals who are currently part of the Order of the Garter include Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duchess of Gloucester.

In this image, you can see Prince William and make out the Duchess of Gloucester in front of him.

More on the Order via the Royal Family site. 

Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.

The annual Garter Day procession, where The King and the Knights process in grand velvet robes, glistening insignia and plumed hats, is one of the most traditional ceremonies in the Royal calendar. 

This photo shows Princes William and Edward, along with Princess Anne, and the Gloucesters. 

Here is a better view of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Princess of Wales smiles as her husband walks by. 

The King and Queen. 

A video shows the Princess and Duchess curtsying as the King and Queen process by them.

We learn more about the elaborate robes from Robert Jobson's Substack column. 

The robes come from Ede & Ravenscroft, royal robemakers since 1689 and the oldest tailors in the world.

They have made the Garter mantles for three centuries and still come to Windsor to dress the knights in person. Deep blue silk velvet, white taffeta lining, the cross of St George on the shoulder.

The Queen’s was supplied in 1947, when she was made a Lady of the Order as Princess Elizabeth. 

The Princess and Duchess sharing a laugh. 

The Daily Mail's Rebecca English posted a video of the procession, which featured all members of the Royal Family except the Duke of Kent, who rode to the Chapel today. 

The King, Queen, Princess of Wales, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Sir Timothy Laurence, the Princess Royal's husband.

A wide shot shows the Royal Family as they exit the chapel.

The Prince and Princess outside the chapel.

And the Princess as she steps into the carriage. 

A big smile from Prince William.

The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and the Edinburghs as they step into their carriage. 

The Princess Royal and Duchess of Edinburgh. The Gloucesters. 

Now for our look at what Kate wore.

The Princess of Wales wore a soft yellow coatdress made in London by Patrick McDowell, per Emily Ferguson of The Express. The Wales Coat Dress (£1990, about $2700 at today's exchange rates) showcases a lightweight damask fabric in a linen-and-viscose blend, woven specifically for this piece by the historic Stephen Walters and Sons mill in Suffolk. Below is the white version of the garment offered on the designer's site. It is described this way online: "Designed to sculpt the body, it features a nipped-in waist and elegant hip pockets, creating a flattering silhouette that cascades to a mid-calf length." The design includes notched lapels, princess seams, and self-covered buttons.

More on the design comes through this W article. 

...[the]coat-dress honored tradition while still subtly referencing one of the recent runway’s wildest trends.

While its coat-dress silhouette was inline with royal tradition (and Middleton’s own fashion history), its pannier-like waistline stood out. Designers, including Jonathan Anderson at Dior, Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli, and Duran Lantink at Jean Paul Gaultier, have been pushing panniers to editorial extremes on the runways. Middleton’s McDowell piece brings the silhouttes back down to earth.

This photo offers a clear view of the waistline. 

The FIT Fashion History site describes a pannier as creating "...a shape wide at the sides and flat at the front and back." A better view of the notched lapels, self-covered buttons, hip pockets, and cuff buttons.

The dress beneath the coat appears to be made in matching fabric. I believe the fabric we see floating in the breeze when the Princess stepped out of her car is the coat lining.

Some readers may recall that the Princess presented Patrick McDowell with the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design last May.

The Patrick McDowell site notes, "Our collections are crafted from materials that are kinder to the planet and in ways that keep our makers and our clients in mind. We make-to-order pieces that fit and suit you perfectly. Designed and made in London, we work with the best artisans and cutters to create special collections from the finest materials. Each garment is made available in a limited quantity and individually numbered." Here you see the Princess, Patrick McDowell, and the designer's mother. This British Vogue piece offers the designer's reaction to the Princess wearing the piece. 

“It has been a wonderful collaboration, developing one of my existing pieces with Stephen Walters, for Her Royal Highness,” McDowell shared with Vogue.

The Princess's hat is by Jane Taylor, the Enid Boater Hat ($2711), in straw with an "...extra-large, slightly downturned brims" trimmed with a bow crafted from fabric by Stephen Walters.

Interestingly, Middleton Maven suggested this hat as a great choice for the Princess in a post last week. 

The Princess brought back her Emmy London Natasha Handbag ($615) in Blush and her Gianvito 105 Pumps ($850) in Bisque. 

We also saw the return of the Robinson Pelham bespoke earrings made for the Princess's wedding day. The diamond earrings feature a central acorn and leaf inspired by the Middleton family's coat of arms.  Here is one more photo from Garter Day 2026. 

I will see you again tomorrow if the Princess attends Royal Ascot!

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]]> https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/15/the-princess-wears-patrick-mcdowell-and-jane-taylor-for-garter-day/feed/ 93 The Princess of Wales in Catherine Walker & Philip Treacy for Trooping the Colour https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/13/the-princess-of-wales-in-catherine-walker-philip-treacy-for-trooping-the-colour/ https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/13/the-princess-of-wales-in-catherine-walker-philip-treacy-for-trooping-the-colour/#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:14:32 +0000 https://whatkatewore.com/?p=89860 The Princess of Wales wore a soft blue Catherine Walker design for the King's Birthday Parade today. 

Here you see the Wales family as they arrived at Buckingham Palace.

The event is also known as Trooping the Colour. Below, the King and Prince William. The King, Colonel-in-Chief of the Household Division, wore the uniform of the Grenadier Guards, the Regiment Trooping the Colour this year. 

Here is a Kensington Palace video showing everyone at the Palace as they gathered, those riding in the carriages loaded into them, and those riding in the parade mounted their horses. 

Prince William wore the Ceremonial Guard Order of the Welsh Guards with his Order of the Garter Sash. 

After gathering at the Palace, it was time to load into carriages for the ride to Horse Guards Parade.

The Prince of Wales on Darby (left), and the Duke of Edinburgh on Sir John (right). The Duke, Colonel of the Scots Guards, wears the Full Ceremonial Guard Order of the Scots Guards and his Thistle Star and Sash.

The Princess Royal rode Noble and wore the Full Mounted Ceremonial uniform of the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) with her Garter Sash and Thistle Star. She is Colonel of the The Blues and Royals. Darby, Sir John, and Noble were all gifts from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to the late Queen Elizabeth II. 

The King and Queen in an Ascot Landau. 

The Princess of Wales and her three children in the second Ascot Landau. 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte. 

A wave to the crowd via Royal Central's video shared online. 

The Duchess of Edinburgh and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. 

Another view of the Princess and Prince Louis. 

And a video of the Wales family as they exited their carriage at Horse Guards Parade, this one shared by The Sun's Matt Wilkinson.

After arriving at Horse Guards Parade, the King, Queen, and Princess moved to the viewing stand.

A bit of history via this article in The Mirror. 

Back in the 17th century, battlefield communication was absolute chaos. Amid the smoke, noise, and confusion of war, a regiment’s custom flag – its "Colour" – was used as a visual rallying point. If a soldier got lost, they looked for the flag. To ensure every single man recognised his unit's Colour, young officers would parade, or "troop," the flag slowly down the ranks before a battle.

In 1748, King George II decided to combine this military tradition with his official birthday celebration. He was born in November, a month notorious for terrible British weather, so he simply moved his public birthday to June to ensure better conditions for a parade.

That quirk stuck, and today, Trooping the Colour serves as the official, public birthday celebration for the reigning British Sovereign, currently King Charles III.

Others watched the ceremony from the Major General’s Office.

Today's parade included more than 1400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 military musicians.

A closer view of the King and the Princess. 

A news release notes additionally that "...the colours (flags) of the battalion were carried (or 'trooped') down the ranks to teach soldiers to recognise them. The honour of Trooping their Colour rotates through the five Regiments of Foot Guards, and this year it lies with 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards."

In this shot, you can see Princess Charlotte has joined her brother at the window.

Then everyone headed back to Buckingham Palace. 

A view of the carriages going up the Mall toward the Palace.

A quick video of the Duchess of Edinburgh and Sir Tim, as shared by Royal Central. 

A view of the Princess having a laugh during the carriage ride.  

And a brief video shows the Royal Family members as they come out on the iconic Buckingham Palace balcony. 

The King, Queen, and the Wales family. 

The Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Kent, and the Gloucesters. 

A Chinook helicopter approaches Buckingham Palace.

I love this shot by royal photographer extraordinaire Mark Stewart of the 90-year-old Duke managing his walking stick and his smartphone to capture the flyby.

In this view, you see the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with Sir Tim and the Princess Royal. 

A look at the Red Arrows against the London skyline. 

Here you see Prince Louis leaning over to get a view of the incoming aircraft.  

And a few seconds later.

The Princess as she points something out to the children. 

Visit London shared a video of the Red Arrows zooming past the Palace. 

The Prince and Princess during the flypast. 

Christin shared the BBC's video of the national anthem at the conclusion of this year's Trooping the Colour ceremony. 

Apparently, Prince George tried to suppress a sneeze during much of the anthem, prompting a giggle from his mother.  A wave from the King and Queen after the anthem. 

Now for a look at what some of the royal women were wearing for today's celebration. We begin with The Queen, who selected a red silk coatdress by Fiona Clare with a Philip Treacy beret. The coat dress takes inspiration from the Grenadier Guards' uniform; the Queen is Colonel of the Regiment. I believe this was first worn for Trooping in 2023.

The Duchess of Edinburgh chose Roland Mouret's Cady Midi Dress with a Jane Taylor hat.

The Duchess of Gloucester wore a navy polka-dot coat with a ruffled collar and cuffs, accessorized with a Jessica Turley hat. 

The Duchess wore this coat for Trooping in 2022. 

Kate Middleton Styled suggests Princess Charlotte wore a bespoke Alessandra Rich dress and shoes by Pretty Ballerinas. Royal British Fashion reports her hair bow is by Jane Taylor. 

The young Princess echoed her mother's look today with a three-strand pearl bracelet. 

Prince George was in a navy blue suit with a light blue tie, and Prince Louis wore a double-breasted suit with a soft blue tie, the boys coordinating with their mother. Thank you to Ellie at Royal British Fashion for her ID information. 

Now for our look at what Kate wore, beginning with her Catherine Walker Lafayette Coatdress.

It is described this way on the Catherine Walker site: 

The silhouette is elongated and sculpted through the bodice, with sharp, structured shoulders and clean princess seams that contour the waist before falling into a graceful, fluid midi-length skirt.

A striking contrast trim frames the angular lapels and runs with architectural intent along the asymmetric front, accentuating the double-breasted fastening and fabric-covered buttons. The sleeves are sleek and refined, finished with subtle cuff detailing that mirrors the lapel edge.

Here is a closer look at some of the details, including the trim at the cuff, the peaked shoulder, and the self-covered buttons.

As pointed out by Write Royalty's Patricia Treble and others, it is similar to a Catherine Walker coatdress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1987. 

Here is another view of the late Princess in the garment. 
Embed from Getty Images 

Thoughts on the look come via Caroline Leaper, The Telegraph's Deputy Fashion Director. 

This year, she chose a new ice-blue Catherine Walker & Co “Lafayette” coat dress with graphic pointed lapels, trimmed in white binding. It is nearly identical to a coat, made by the same designer, which the late Princess Diana wore in 1987 as she attended an Easter service in Windsor, holding the hand of a young Prince William, who was also dressed to match her.

This full-circle fashion moment shows the Princess is completely attuned to royal dressing traditions while still managing to gently modernise the look. She matched her coat to a saucer-brim hat from Philip Treacy, the British milliner, and her earrings were not from the family vault, but rather from Cassandra Goad, the contemporary British fine-jeweller – a £7,245 pair of pearl-encrusted flower studs, which she previously wore at the christening of Prince Louis.

As an event to mark the monarch’s official birthday, this particular spectacle is designed to be celebratory and uplifting. The Princess of Wales and her young family showed again on Saturday that they are committed to honouring the past, whilst modernising the look of the monarchy.

The Princess accessorized with a custom version of a new Philip Treacy hat, the OC 315 from the milliner's spring/summer 2025 collection. It showcases an oversized saucer brim in soft blue with blue sculptural trim on the left side and an ivory dome.

She brought back her white nappa leather Gianvito 105 Pumps ($850). 

She also repeated her Cassandra Goad Cavolfiore Earrings ($10,240) in 18K yellow gold, with pearl clusters accented by diamonds, so named for their cauliflower-inspired design. "Cavolfiore" is Italian for cauliflower. 

The Princess wore her Irish Guards regimental brooch; she has been the Guards' Colonel since 2022. And she wore the Nigel Milne triple-strand bracelet, a sentimental choice as it originally belonged to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

I will leave you with one more photo of the Princess by Mark Stewart. 

Hopefully, I will be seeing you again on Monday, as that would mean the Princess attended the Order of the Garter events!

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]]> https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/13/the-princess-of-wales-in-catherine-walker-philip-treacy-for-trooping-the-colour/feed/ 100 The Princess in Vivid Blue Eponine London for Cancer Center Visit https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/04/the-princess-in-vivid-blue-eponine-london-for-cancer-center-visit/ https://whatkatewore.com/2026/06/04/the-princess-in-vivid-blue-eponine-london-for-cancer-center-visit/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:22:02 +0000 https://whatkatewore.com/?p=89748 The Princess brought back an Eponine London dress for a visit to the NHS Christie, a specialist cancer center in Manchester, England.

The center is the largest single-site cancer center in Europe and the first in the UK to be accredited as a comprehensive cancer center. The organization notes on its website that it "serves a population of 3.2 million people from Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas.  

The Princess started her visit at the Oak Road Treatment Center, where she met patients undergoing chemotherapy. As many readers will recall, the Princess received chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer and revealed she was in remission in January 2025.

We learn more from Matt Wilkinson's story in The Sun. 

Speaking to a patients Kate said: “Sorry to bring so many people down, I know it’s a very personal time. How are you?”

Speaking to a patient, Kate said: “How are you managing? What the human body can put up with is amazing.”

We return to The Sun's coverage.

When one patient said he “couldn’t have done it without the support of my wife”, Kate replied: “I was just saying, it’s hard for the loved ones.”

She added: "You need to support yourself alongside all the things you can’t control. Your body changes so much, not just physically emotionally, the deeper side of ourselves."

“They’re doing the work alongside the chemo here; and we want to celebrate that – they do an incredible job. It’s so hard, it’s so hard for the families. It puts so much in perspective and you hold onto what’s important."

The Princess was at the Christie to learn more about the healing power of holistic therapies, alongside clinical care, for people living with and beyond cancer.  After seeing the patients receiving chemotherapy, she visited the center's art room.

People's article notes that she "...joined an art session with patients there, hearing about how creative expression has helped their recoveries."

The art room extends into the wellbeing garden, which the Princess visited.

We return to the People story. 

...[she spent] time with gardener Phil Walker to understand how the well-being garden provides patients and staff with the chance to pause and reflect. Prince William's wife has previously said that she found solace in the outdoors during her cancer journey and described nature as her family's "sanctuary" during the difficult time. 

The Princess's next stop was the Teenage and Young Adult Unit, where she met staff, young patients , and their families. Here you see her with 10-year-old Ruby Day, who is receiving treatment at the center. 

In this image, I believe she is admiring Ruby's manicure. 

Hello shared a video of the encounter. 

A hug for Ruby from the Princess. 

In a story on the Christie's website, the hospital reports that while at the Teenage and Young Adult Unit, the Princess learned "...about the social and recreational activities designed to support young people as they navigate an especially challenging time."

The Princess also met a patient who was finishing her treatment today. Below, Claire Lorente, age 30, and her husband Pablo, as she rings the bell signifying the end of her treatment for breast cancer.

We return one more time to Matt Wilkinson's story in The Sun. 

The pair hugged and Claire became emotional as they celebrated the milestone.

Kate held her arm and said to her: “Well done, well done you. What a journey. Well done, you’ve been amazing." Turning to Claire’s husband Pablo, 30, Kate said: “Well done. I know, it’s just as hard for family and loved ones. For the children, my parents alongside. You go through it with us.”

Claire said afterwards: “It was very overwhelming finishing the treatment itself was a massive thing so obviously sharing with the Princess was overwhelming but absolutely brilliant at the same time.

“She asked me how long treatment had been going and said how far I’ve come.

“My journey is not over but feels like I’ve finished a part of it and feels like I’ve come so far.

After the women spoke, it was time for a hug. 

“It was an amazing lifetime thing to share it with her and I’m never going to get to do it again.

“I don’t think anyone else will experience what I experienced with her.

“It was such a special moment with my friends and family and never going to forget it. It was an amazing moment.”

Here is Matt Wilkinson's video of the encounter. 

Below, the Princess greets the staff as she prepares to depart. 

And here you see her with a young patient she met outside the hospital. Here is a brief video of the encounter. 

Now for our look at what Kate wore today, starting with her Eponine London Chi Chi coatdress in "London Blue."

From the S/S 2020 collection, the "Chi Chi" is a tailored midi-length coatdress featuring a wrap front, a V-neck, pleated shoulders, and belt detailing. Some may remember that blue and white are the colors of the NHS (National Health Service). The piece was first worn at COP26 engagements in Glasgow in November 2021.

The Princess also owns this design in a rich burgundy color. Sadly, the label is now closed. Founder and designer Jet Shenkman announced last October that the AW 2025 collection would be Eponine's last. Below, the designer in an Instagram photo. 

The Princess did not carry a handbag, and she repeated her Gianvito Rossi Praline pumps in the 85mm (3.5") heel height.

The Princess brought back Vanleles earrings that were first worn at a May 2022 engagement in Manchester. The earrings' symbol holds special significance for Mancunians, as they feature a bee, Manchester's symbol. The bee charms are suspended from the jeweler's Nile Yellow Gold Small Hoops (no longer available online). The bespoke bees are crafted in yellow gold with diamonds, blue sapphires, and enamel. The Princess wore the earrings without the honeycomb today. The photo on the far right below shows them as originally worn in 2022.

We learn more from this Women's Wear Daily piece.  

The bee is a significant symbol for Manchester, representing the city’s resilience, community and its people’s work ethic. Founded by Vania Leles, Vanleles merges cultural significance and its African roots with modern charms and designs... 

She also brought back her Astley Clarke Stila Lapis Pendant (no longer available; a locket version of the necklace is available here).

If the Princess attends this Saturday's wedding of Peter Phillips (Princess Anne's son) and Harriet Sperling, I will see you then! 

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