Kate opted for a coat by Catherine Walker atop an Alexander McQueen dress for day 2 of the royal tour.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel met the Duke and Duchess at the Karolinska Institute this morning, one of the world’s largest medical universities.
Kate and William were there to learn more about Sweden’s approach to managing mental health challenges.
More from BT News:
William and Kate arrived at the modern buildings of the Karolinska Institute in a snowy Stockholm, to meet leading scientific researchers and discuss groundbreaking academic work to managing mental health challenges.
This photo from The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English offers a full-length view of Kate’s dress.
They also learned about the YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health) program.
The four royals then went to Matteusskolan, a municipal primary school, where the YAM program is included as part of the curriculum. There were lots of students eager to greet their royal visitors.
More from Simon Perry’s People story:
Flag waving children greeted the two royal couples at Matteusskolan School — gleefully taking up more of their time than they had planned. What was meant to be a walk in and wave turned out to be a 10 minute meet-and-greet for the excited children.
From The Daily Mail:
As the couple moved down rows of youngsters, the Duchess asked: ‘Are you cold? Are you all wrapped up?’
Some children jumped on each other’s shoulders, and hugged each other in excitement at having met the two royal couples.
One teenager, more in hope than expectation, quizzed the Duchess about her taste in rap music: ‘I asked her if she knew J Hus,’ said Lucas Tinseau, 15. ‘She said ‘I will look out for him.” He added: ‘I asked her how her grandmother was, Queen Elizabeth. She said, ‘I will say hello from you.”
Here is a video from The Sun’s Jack Royston of Kate greeting students.
Kate Middleton meets school children in Stockholm, Sweden. #RoyalVisitSweden pic.twitter.com/UghkaqSVz8
— Jack Royston (@Jack_Royston) January 31, 2018
Everyone involved seemed to find this a fun way to start the school visit, even if it did put them a bit behind schedule.
Another quick video.
Kate is welcomed by pupils of Matteusskolan, a Stockholm school were she and William learnt about a mental health project supporting youngsters pic.twitter.com/vOn6xkNJWF
— PA Royal Reporters (@PARoyal) January 31, 2018
Crown Princess Victoria and the Duchess.
Once inside the royals met children who have taken part in the YAM program they heard about earlier at the Karolinska Institute; the initiative is targeted at helping 14 and 15-year olds.
Crown Princess Victoria is waiting to introduce Prince William. The Swedish Minister for Education, Gustav Fridolin, is at the podium.
The Prince delivered remarks stressing the importance of children being able to have conversations about the mental health issues they confront.
Kate and William say goodbye to students as they leave the school.
A wider shot.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel then accompanied the Duke and Duchess to an NK department store in Stockholm.
Richard Palmer of The Express shared a video of the royals arriving at the upscale retailer.
The royal party arrive at the NK department store to open an interactive exhibition of UK design. pic.twitter.com/enfYqNxEI6
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) January 31, 2018
They were at the store to officially open an exhibition showcasing UK brands that have a presence in Sweden. I can’t tell if Kate likes this jacket or not.
Kate with Prince Daniel.
Now let’s take a look at what Kate wore for the first group of engagements in Stockholm. She was in another bespoke coat by Catherine Walker.
The piece is done in a vibrant red and white oversized houndstooth print in a double-breasted design with large red buttons.
The Duchess also wore a bespoke dress by Alexander McQueen.
It features an empire waistline (if I am seeing the seams correctly, I’m still hoping for pictures with a little better lighting), a round neck, above-the-knee length and concealed zipper. It appears the dress is made of the same fabric used in some pre-fall 2017 collections, including this dress seen at Net-a-Porter. The material is a wool-blend bouclé-tweed
Our thanks to Michelle of Perth’s Fashion for her work on this ID.
Kate carried the Chanel handbag first seen in Paris.
Paired with her Tod’s Fringed Leather Pumps in burgundy.
The Duchess wore gloves by Cornelia James, the brand’s Imogen style in brown, crafted of 100% merino wool from Australia ($92). Cornelia James describes the style this way: “If you are after warmth but not bulk, Imogen is the glove for you.”
We saw Kate wearing a new pair of earrings by In2Design, a jewelry company with Swedish ties. The firm was founded in 2002 by two women who were born and raised in Sweden, Inga “Lousie” Baldwin and Inga Mark. The pair met in the US and launched their company not long after; In2Design is based in Connecticut. Kate is wearing the Baroque Pearl Drop Earrings. The style was carried at Banana Republic ($152) but appears to be sold out. The earrings are still available at in2Design.
Although the Banana Republic website says that Princess Sofia of Sweden wore this pair of earrings, Laura points out that while she has worn the brand, it was a different style that the Princess wore.
HeavenQRF reports on what Crown Princess Victoria wore via this tweet.
After the NK store visit and exhibit opening, Kate and William joined Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel at Haga Palace, the family’s official residence.
And they got to meet Victoria and Daniel’s children, Princess Estelle, age 5 (she will be 6 in February) and Prince Oscar, who will celebrate his 2nd birthday in March. 
More from Hello!:
Snaps of the couple meeting the youngsters were shared on the Swedish royal family’s official Instagram account, and read: “In the afternoon, the Duke couple visited the Crown Princess’s family at Haga Castle.” Princess Estelle seemed to be taking good care of her baby brother, and held his hand as William and Victoria knelt by them. The pair then sat with their parents as the group enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat together.
We’ll see at the next engagement!
Stunning and luxurious looking, while still day appropriate. I adore this beautiful white on her! She seems to glow in it. Absolutely perfect.
And also, I feel she matches the Crown Princess especially well today. Somehow they seem coordinated.
Love the coat and the pattern and I love the white dress underneath that was perfect, perfect length and tailoring. I also like the earrings nice to see her wearing a different designer. But what I didn’t like were the burgundy accessories they did’nt match the coat and dress and the red and burgundy together with the white didn’t look that good. I think that if she wore the dress with the red accessories she wore with her Alexander McQueen red and white dress in Canada( Miu Miu clutch and russul and bromly shoes). It would look better as the red of them matches the red on the coat.
I like this coat. I’ve always been a fan of houndstooth, red is my favourite colour, and it’s nice to see a print from Catherine Walker rather than just a solid shade. The dress is gorgeous and timeless. The earrings are a fun change.
But everything else is sort of hodge-podge. I don’t even feel like the dress and coat go together that well. I can get over the burgundy accessories but the brown gloves definitely throw everything off, and make me wish she had gone with her brown Emmy pumps and bag instead. It would have made the tights match more as well.
Looks like it was another fun day of events though, I bet Kate and William loved having Oscar and Estelle join them for tea!
Forgot to add, I know this isn’t What Victoria Wore, but I can’t get enough of her outfit from the day! It’s odd, because I’m not a big fan of pastel colours or wide-legged trousers. But somehow the whole look just suits her incredibly well and she looks very confident in it.
I like the parts separately, but together the colours are a bit of an odd mix, vibrant red with burgundy and white and brown… would not have been my choice.
What a great look! The darker hose/shoes with the red houndstooth – not boring at all, but still goes well. And the white boucle dress – wow, I’m very impressed with this outfit and maternity to boot!!
Fantastic young, sofisticated, classy look.
The dress is absolutely beautiful and the coat fabulous!!! LOVE IT!!
Love the coat, LOVE the dress (it needs to get into my closet, ASAP), LOVE the non-nude hose. I’m not digging the bag and shoes with this particular coat, though they’re fine with the dress.
I am wondering if the red color on the coat is not coming across correctly in the photos. I just don’t see how the burgundy could have ever worked with the red-orange of the coat.
Love the dress and the burgundy with the cream is nice. Seems like the coat could have used either black or navy accessories.
I would have liked a fabric covered button or solid fabric button on the coat. The plastic button does not look high end and the color does not match 100%.
I thought the dress and coat were just beautiful. A superb choice by HRH. The coat was reminiscent of a suit the late Princess Diana wore which was always one of my favorites. Overall, Kate has looked stunning during this tour.
Love this look! The pairing of the handbag and shoes in burgundy tones makes it so much more interesting. The hair, the cat eyes and the silhouette of the coat give a 60s vibe. SO much style for a classic look, bravo!
Stunning look for Kate. I love everything; coat, accessories, dress and jewellery. The houndstooth fabric is fabulous – Kate stands out in a good way – must make it much easier for all those who have braved the cold to see her. Her dress is quite lovely and fits her to perfection. Bravo Kate.
Love the coat, love the dress… but I’m not a fan of the burgundy accessories. Overall though, Kate looked happy, rested and relaxed.
Much much better!! I absolutely love the bold fun prints for maternity looks. The dress underneath is gorgeous! Wow!
And I forgot to say, how awesome is Princess Victoria’s style?! She just owns it with so much confidence! Goals!
Has anyone else noticed the coat looks completely different on video? I did a double take when I saw footage of her on an Instagram story. It almost looked pink and burgundy instead of red and white. Reminds me of “the dress” debate over whether it was blue and black or white and gold. Anyway, it looked fabulous in the video with her burgundy accessories but maybe that was just my eyes playing tricks on me!
I love the coat and the dress. The accessories seem out of place.
Love the dress and coat, but burgundy purse and shoes ????
Well, I may not have been a fan of the two Erdem dresses, but oh to be able to afford bespoke McQueen! This gem is one of my biggest favorites in a long time and paired with the Tod’s (maybe the only pair of Kate’s shoes I covet) it’s even better.
The coat is great too–reminds me of the red Eponine she wore a while back.
She looks simply gorgeous in the coat and gorgeous in the dress.
First, that wonderful houndstooth coat. Houndstooth is one of those classic prints that, while more popular at some times than others, always looks fashionable and, when done as an oversized print and in strong colors, makes a great statement. This is a happy coat. As with the green Walker coat, I love the way it opens along the side instead of the usual straight down the middle. Rather cool.
The McQueen dress is so elegant in its simplicity and its beautiful fabric, and makes no concession to concealing/minimizing her pregnancy. She’s a beautiful pregnant woman, and looks it in that wonderful dress.
I think the burgundy purse and shoes are an interesting and effective contrast to the coat, and don’t clash with it, the same way I liked the red purse with the lilac dress and, if I remember correctly, the very different hue of red shoes and clutch that she wore in Canada with the red and white McQueen dress. At first I thought, what?, and then after looking more carefully, thought it was brilliant. It worked, as does the burgundy with the red coat.
I love the cream Mcqueen dress. It is classic and elegant and not a slave to frivolous fashion trends. Remember these photos are going to be around for decades so need to keep in mind they should aim at looking timeless. Great choice and pared with the burgundy accessories looked fab.
so true, we all seem to forget that these photos will be around for generations and we need our royals to look elegant and stylish and not slaves to ever changing throw away fashion blunders!!
I am reminded of something one of my sisters said after the royal wedding. Kate reminds us of a classic 60s Bond girl. Elegant and understated, demur and sexy all at the same time.
I have to wonder, when assembling this outfit, did someone ask themselves, “What color accessories should we pair with a bright red and white coat? I know! Burgundy!”
Huh?!
Those colors do NOT go together at all.
The dress was very pretty and looked good with the accessories, but this was all lost when she put the coat back on. Her hair looked beautiful, but I still think it looks better longer.
VICTORIA in that outfit!! Swoon! And Estelle is quite possibly the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen. She has been so fun to watch through the years – quite the ham, in such a good way!
I love the coat, great cut and pattern for this stage of pregnancy. I think the burgundy accessories look fine with the red coat, it’s a softer look than black would be. I remember she has paired burgundy accessories with a red outfit in the past. The part that I absolutely don’t get is the brown gloves, which I think brings one too many colors into the mix and just doesn’t make any sense to me. I think in the video of her walking into the dept store without the gloves the outfit looks much better.
I absolutely love the dress! And so happy she is back to the side part and the softer hair around her face (less bouncy curls)
I got so excited at first glance of these photos, and then I saw the burgundy accessories. The coat is gorgeous and a very bold choice for Kate, but the burgundy accessories do not go with the red and white houndstooth. The McQueen dress is perfection as always, the burgundy works with the dress by itself but when paired with the jacked ruined the overall look. Black would have been better, or if she wanted a statement colour with the dress a vibrant red would have worked too.
I’m in 100% agreement. My immediate reaction was “red and burgundy do not go together.” Just no. There are other colors that can coordinate well with red (black, navy, some shades of green), I’m really scratching my head as to why she picked burgundy.
also agree not loving those colours together. Looked very mismatched to me. Also not a fan of the ts with the ivory color dress. Nude would have been better.
Young and fresh! Houndtooth usually gives impression the other way around but with orange color it’s totally cool again. This white tweed dress reminds me of a piece by J.crew I own from a few years ago. Thumbs up to the Duchess!
I love the dress. It’s simple, yet elegant without being fussy. I really like the earrings as well.
I don’t love the coat. That much large, bright houndstouth is just too much for my personal taste.
So far, this tour is showing Kate at her best and this is another wonderful outfit. Love the coat and particularly the houndstooth. Love the boucle dress particularly with the dark tights. I love these shoes and bag anyway and like that she has chosen them to go with red rather than predictable black accessories. I will reiterate that I’m so pleased she has chosen proper handbags too.
Yes! I am also so very pleased to see her carrying lovely and appropriate handbags, I actually don’t carry them myself, but, then I am a tomboy – which is probably why I so enjoy watching the Duchess play dress-up!!
Just a note, the Baroque Pearl Earrings from In2Design The Duchess wore today in Sweden are available in the gold wire too which is what The Duchess is wearing. I am very familiar with this great Company run by two extraordinary women as they have had a small shop in Grand Central Station every Christmas and are lovely to deal with always. I have purchased beautiful pearl earrings from them over the years and am very satisfied with the quality. You can check out their web site.
Thank you for letting me know, I updated the post. They were shown as sold out earlier, I wonder if they were able to order more stock? Regardless, thanks for letting me know!
You are welcome. They were swamped with calls and orders from all over the world. I spoke to them in the afternoon when they still had the earrings in stock and told them about your wonderful web site which they said they were going to check out. They will restock I am sure. I guess this came as a big surprise to them. They are very nice and have beautiful designs.
I just have to say that Catherine’s hair and makeup are just flawless on this tour!! She is just glowing and looks so incredibly beautiful. I adore the white dress, but I do not like the red houndstooth coat at all. To be fair, this is not a coat I would like on anyone ever, so it’s just not my cup of tea, but I will say that I adore the cut and style of the coat! I can tell by the body language between Princess Victoria and the Duchess that they appear to get on very, very well!! It’s really fun seeing these two young, influential couples together!! Thank you as always for your great coverage!!
Love this dress! Empire waist is flattering to her pregnant figure but exquisite McQueen tailoring keeps it from being too girlish. The fabric is divine and she is gorgeous in cream. A big win.
This over-sized print in this colour, I don’t particularly like bright red, would give me eye-strain. It’s beautifully tailored though & matched everywhere, this looks particularly well done at the back where the black ‘scottie-dogs’ give way to white ones as the flare of the coat takes shape (unlike the dress last night which was as poorly matched as mass-produced affairs). White Boucle wasn’t a surprise, she has 2 jackets in it (in cream/white) but it’s a big thumbs up as she looks so good in it. It looks heavier than the boucle suggestion on the model, but it is surely lined.
I don’t usually comment on the others but the trouser-suit CPV is wearing is stunning; so is the blouse & the outfit overall even more stunning. This is the type of suit that would suit Catherine for public appearances. However, as she’s in her mid-30s & never been photographed privately wearing a single pair, I conclude she doesn’t like them. In any case, I doubt she would wear them publicly while the Queen is alive, possibly not even with Charles as King. Even the Duck Egg would suit her colour-wise.
That coat makes her look HUGE… when she certainly is not. Not flattering at all and again such a loud pattern.
Those clunky shoes are just dreadful and so is that purse. Horrible color too!
Very nice dress though.
Victoria is very fashion forward. She always has interesting pieces. I don’t agree with all of them but it is certainly entertaining to see what choices she makes.
I Love the dress and I like the coat. I am wondering if lately, Kate is taking a leaf out of the Queen’s book about wearing bright colors in crowds so that she can be seen easier?! Anyway, I love the more modern looks this tour and shorter hemlines again! I also agree that her hair is doing marvelous things this trip!
That red and white coat is great! But that white wool dress underneath is everything! I love it so much! What a fantastic look! Kate nailed it today.
I also love the Crown Princess Victoria’s light blue suit with that high ruffled white shirt collar. She has looked great all tour so far as well – and a tad more professional it seems to me, as appropriate for the future monarch.
Wow, Victoria and David’s kids are adorable! The photos of the family and the Duke and Duchess in the home are lovely. Did they all plan to wear pastels and white?? They all looked great together!
I did some research and apparently Sweden was the first monarchy to do away with gender primogeniture back in the 70s. I love that. Good for them! And so not only is it fantastic that Victoria is the Crown Princess, but I love that her first child is a girl as well. Sweden will have female monarchs for two generations to come! Wonderful!
It’s one of those things we kind of take for granted in Sweden by now, but is also something we’re kind of proud of in an international context. Besides, Crown Princess Victoria really is the best fit of the three siblings to become the monarch. She’s very well liked, too. 🙂
I have to say, these photos have communicated Victoria’s friendliness, hospitality, and loveliness so well, and her husband and family seem delightful as well, a credit to Sweden! This visit has definitely been a fine showcase of your country.
Love today’s outfit!! The houndstooth coat is so reminiscent of the suit she wore a year or ago and that was one of my favorite outfits, so no surprise that I love this coat!! The creme dress is quite nice–I like the boucle for winter, the coat and dress were probably a nice warm combo. But I continue to wish that Kate would accessorize these plain dresses–if she doesn’t want a scarf that might get in the way, or a dangly necklace that could get caught on something, then how about a brooch? The Queen has so many brooches that Kate could borrow.
Victoria’s pant suit is stunning, especially with the extra wide belt and I like that color. William should have been wearing a longer coat–he looked out of place with just the jacket and pants while the 2 ladies and Daniel had knee length coats.
Victoria’s children are adorable. I have always been impressed with the maturity of Princess Estelle. It’s clear that she is being groomed for her role as a future Queen, and even at her young age, she already appears to have all the right attributes to be a fine Queen.
Today’s look for Kate has us all much happier again!! 🙂
No! Over-large houndstooth in Orange-red!!! Noooooo….. I am loving the modern sartorial elegance of Victoria. She seems to be wearing the pants well! Wink. Wink. I wish Will and Kate had brought the kids!
First off, I am loving the DoC’s current hairstyle. I love the length and am so happy to see the side part return. It’s much more flattering than the center part.
I’m torn on the Catherine Walker coat. I like the houndstooth but think the red is too bright on her. I love the burgundy shoes (one of my favorite pairs we’ve seen) and handbag (hooray another non-clutch). I wish the houndstooth was in burgundy instead of tomato red. With her coloring, burgundy would suit her better.
This dress is gorgeous! I love the fabric, cut, and color. It looks beautiful on her, and the burgundy accessories work really well with it. I hope we see it again.
Also, Crown Princess Victoria looks stunning. The suit, the blouse, the earrings, the clutch, the hair…perfection.
I’ve never really been a huge fan of boucle, but this cream dress is so beautiful! A great “winter white” piece, IMO. Would love to have a dress in that fabric.
Still not sure how I feel about the red houndstooth coat. I like the overall shape and style (very retro), but the oversized houndstooth print is a lot. I like that Kate is taking some fashion risks, however.
I agree with you about boucle! I generally associate it with an older generation (maybe Emily Gilmore is to blame), but I also love this dress.
Well, I like it, but can we just wonder about who is not paying attention to button placement at the chest? Two big red buttons in the exact wrong spot on the chest!
That was my first thought too. Somewhat unfortunate.
Thank you! I wondered if I was the only person noticing that unfortunate button placement. It’s slightly redeemed by the way the buttons get lost in the pattern, I guess.
Ha! I wondered about that, too.
I believe this was a similar criticism when she wore the Caroline Herrera coat in Canada. I hadn’t noticed this time – because of how busy the pattern is – but after you pointed it out, it’s all I can see!
I’ve just gotten used to it at this point. It seems that many of her coats have buttons at just the wrong spot.
I really like the coat and as it is very graphic and strong I think it would have worked even better with a black shoe- or a black boot. That said, I thought CP Victoria’s combination of a solid red coatdress with a New Look full skirt and her maroon/oxblood accessories at her nephew’s christening was a knockout- but I’m pinning that success on the solid vs. print. I get that the boots wouldn’t have worked with the white boucle dress- but an interesting black pump in patent leather could have worked with both. I’d also have liked to see that white dress feel less heavy- perhaps the full length sleeves could have been bracelet or upper arm length, and I’d love to see a bracelet with this (how about…the rubies P Charles gave her for the wedding!) to tie it all together.
This is an incredibly chic look with a sophisticated color palette. Then again, I’m always pleased to see any effort made to not automatically pair all shades of red with black accessories. That color combo works in some cases but in general it seems dated to me. The red in the coat has brown undertones as opposed to blue undertones and black would have thrown this look off. The rich browns take it to another level entirely. Naturally the McQueen dress is flawless. And I’m madly in love with the earrings…I love Boroque pearls.
This is updated classic dressing befitting both the occasion and the Duchess’ position as the future Queen Consort and mother of a future King. And while I’m not generally a fan of the sheer darker tights, they really do tie this all together. I always imagine the photos of her events being viewed years down the line and I believe that the looks chosen will stand the test of time. They are updated classics which, to me anyway, is exactly right.
Ann, you hit the nail on the head!!!
Touché!!!
I totally and utterly agree with you!!!
I couldn’t have put it better myself!!!
I’m with you, Ann – so many want Kate to expand her horizons, but then suggest black, blue, or red to go with this coat? Hardly interesting or innovative combinations, to be frank. I really liked these accessories with it and with the dress beneath, particularly since Kate’s a brunette and has that gorgeous mane to balance the dark stockings/shoes/gloves, very handy!
Victorias suit and Kates white dress = all the heart eyes from me! Very pretty looks from both of these ladies. Its good to see these young royals having a good time, ive always wondered do they know each other or reach out to each other about things.. theyve got great style anyway! 😉
I think this is one of the worst looks she’s ever worn. The coat is eye-watering too bright and for usually being so frugal & recycling this isn’t a very practical print. The dress goes the other way and is just so blah. Neither the bright red or the off white are good with her coloring. And as usual the accessorizing is left wanting.
The coat is a big miss for me.
Th burgundy bag and shoes look lovely with the cream Alexander McQueen. But the cherry red of the coat was just too bright to go with the bag and shoes. I understand the shoes have a bit of brighter red detailing, but that is much darker than the red color of the coat.
I wish she would have done a burgundy coat to coordinate with her accessories, and kept the cream-colored dress underneath! Other than the coat, the rest of this look was spot-on.
Totally agree on all counts.
Oh she looked marvelous today!! Back to her fresh stylish and gorgeous self! Her hair was wonderful on her with the side part, which makes her face look even more beautiful, and bouncy and shiny. The bright red houndstooth was so refreshing! Not until I saw the dress underneath did I see why she chose burgundy and brown as accessories. It was a surprise to see that winter white dress. She looks amazing in that color. SO thrilled after her the first day choices. Fun Fun Fun!!!
Cream and white really suit her so well and she looks wonderful in that dress. (I wish she would ditch every baby blue item in her wardrobe and replace it with a cream version.) I find large patterns don’t photograph well and am not a fan of this red/orange houndstooth business. As a previous commenter noted, combined with the accessories the look is reminiscent of something Queen Elizabeth might wear, particularly in contrast with the very modern ensemble Princess Victoria is wearing.
Huh. To me Victoria’s entire outfit looks like the late 1980’s, early ‘90’s. It’s a lot of fun to see all our different perspectives. 🙂
I love this look! It’s perfect. The coat is a lovely pop of color, and the pattern is nicely sized. The bag and shoes are a great touch. But I really love the dress. It’s got to be hard to find elegant maternity wear, even if you are a duchess, and this dress is really wonderful. Great color, elegant without being too formal.
Not a fan of CP Victoria’s outfit. Ruffles at the neck! That weird belt! No!
I quite literally squealed when I saw these photos. I love hounds tooth, I love a retro look and I love Catherine Walker. So today’s looks is an absolute win for me.
First, all four of the royals looked incredibly stylish today. I loved the retro vibe of both Kate and Victoria. William is looking positively GQ on this tour.
Both the coat and the dress are immaculately tailored and I love the texture of the fabric in both pieces. The McQueen dress was perfectly minimalist to offset the bold pattern of the coat. Coat says fun, dress says lets do business. So far on this visit every look has been a perfect ten in my book.
Phew — we’ve woken up to realize last night was just a nightmare we all had. Yay. I feel like Dorothy waking up in Kansas. Love, love, the coat — a new take on classic 60s perhaps. Very fun. The accessories and shoes don’t work with it however, especially the gloves. More modern bag and shoes in a different color would have been better — I’m with those that think blue would have been fun here. And that dress! I’m a swooner for all things nubbly, and this is gorgeous in that winter white. Looks fabulous on her. Her hair (and this from one who longs for the long locks) is looking so glossy and the side part makes a huge difference.
Victoria’s suit is fabulous — and that color on her! Love it.
A crease positive change from last night. However I agree that the accessories don’t fit. They look great with the dress alone but not with the coat. I was taught that burgundy and red are a “ no no.” I agree that prints don’t photograph well. Solids or tiny orintbs are more flattering, and yes this does remind me of Queen Elizabeth’s style.
Well, I wouldn’t have picked the color combo, but she’s really selling it. It’s nice to see a little rule-breaking from Catherine from time to time.
I love the McQueen dress but also think the choice of darker hose and shoes overwhelmed the look. I also find it interesting this is the second day she has picked a proper handbag to carry instead of her regular clutches – is that the Meghan effect coming through?!
I was wondering the same thing! I sincerely hoped she told Meghan- “Oh I love that bag- do you mind, I’m stealing that idea!”
I think it’s just that holding a bag noticeable now Meghan’s on the scene. It’s not as if Kate hasn’t done it before, she’s got totes like the white VB she carries to Wimbledon and her Chanel bag from yesterday was first worn before Meghan was much in the public eye.
I agree, ElizaMo. Kate has many fantastic bags of different styles, and I think she knew that this one would look well again with the Tod’s pumps, just as it did in Paris when she wore plum/navy Chanel dress. One can only dream of having Kate’s bag collection! 🙂
Very true – I know I’m not the only one who remembers the Polly Push Lock handbag that she carried heading out on her very first official tour, it’s another winner. But it does bring a giggle out of me to think of Kate succumbing to The Meghan Effect…
That was the Mulberry which pushed me into a quick shop on eBay determined that after years of wishing I was finally going to get one of my own! I found a plaid style pattern one which amazes me with how it blends with a range of colours and is a wonderful tote to use. It was just £50 back then tho I’ve seen the same design on offer since for £200. I’m bearing that in mind for the day the roof falls in 🙂
I Like the cut, structure and tailoring of the coat. The side opening and clean lines are figure flattering and have some similarities to the green coat yesterday. I do not like the all over houndstooth print. It’s reading a bit “picnic tablecloth” to me.
The Dress underneath is lovely and very figure flattering as well.
Hair makeup and earrings are great.
I like the purse and gloves with the dress but not with the coat. I’ve never been a fan of those shoes.
Huge props again to her for doing all of this at 6 months pregnant.
I really liked Victoria’s purse. Do we have an ID on it?
katefanactic, I agree it you on all points. The coat is a beauty in style, but I do not care for the print. It is just too much. You call it a picnic tablecloth; I all it a checkerboard. Think how smashing it would be if it were all red.
The white nubbly knit dress is lovely and cream always looks good on Kate. I like the earrings as I love Baroque pearls. They are not as valuable as symmetrical pearls, but are so much more interesting.
As you say, the purse and shoes go with the dress but not the coat. The reds clash and make the burgundy look too brown. I would have preferred navy or black shoes, that would compliment both the dress and coat.
As always, Kate’s smile is her nicest asset. She is the BEST!
Love the dress and the coat is whimsical and easy-to-spot, as another poster mentioned. She looks adorable and I wish Kate would stick to these shorter hemlines when she’s not pregnant.
Everything’s wrong with the shoe/bag/glove match – both in color and styling. Simple black or even creme would have been so much better.
Agree 100% about the shoes, bag, gloves. They just do not go with the coat. The black accessories from yesterday would have been much better. Love the coat and the dress, though.
Love the vintage theme in the coat and bag, with the houndstooth reflecting the 1960s vibe present in the Chanel bag. The exaggerated check makes a bold statement in a sophisticated way and the cut of the Walker coat is superb, skimming out from under the bust and smoothly over the bump. This is maternity-chic at its best. Love the equally bold buttons.
I’m fascinated by whatever shade of tights she’s wearing, they look brown or burgundy, either way they’re a classy pic and a nice variation on her usual nude or black. I’m enjoying the subdued colour clash of warm burgundy in the bag against the vivid orange-red houndstooth, nicely toned down by the background cream.
One day I just know that Kate will learn to like grown-up gloves, meantime we have to contend with what for me are unnecessary bows, but, when the bows are hidden, the gloves give a lovely polished look with the bag. Kate has come on such a long way in confidence and style.
I’m a big fan of those chunky Tod fringe pumps and it’s nice that she’s chosen a Swedish name for her earrings. Does anyone else have a problem with this style of earring, I’m unable to keep them on for any length of time! The pearl is also a bit pale against all the excitement of mixed colours though they come into their own once her coat is off and Kate is free of the gold detail on her bag. Her hair is just gorgeous/
The dress is perfection, how McQueen can devise anything so elegantly fitted which accommodates a maternity figure is beyond me. The cunning use of princess-line seaming detail reminds me of some her lovely early Catherine Walker and Amanda Wakeley sheaths. The sparkle boucle is a favourite fabric for Kate and is lovely and engagingly tactile with her growing bump. An all-round win for me today.
You should try earring backers. They’re dime-sized plastic discs that can replace the regular backs, and they keep earrings like this balanced and in place. 🙂
Juniper, I can’t agree more with you; they’re life savers! It seems to me that newer French wire earrings (i.e. those produced in the last five years) seem to be made so much more differently in the last few years. Those wires, regardless of the designer, do nothing but slip away.
ElizaMo, you can find clear earring backers anywhere. I bought a package of 50 on Amazon for $5.
Thanks so much, I thought the backers were only for small stud earrings. Am off to hunt for a pack now to save a favourite old pair of earrings I bought on holiday. They’re nothing special in one way but are by far the handiest in others.
…”most” earring backs are interchangeable…. “wires” like this come with a plastic backing – which I once threw away – and now realize it is as important on one’s ear as keeping it “set” when packaged….but upgrading to regular backs which are already at hand work, too.
The white dress is gorgeous, and the bag and shoes seem to fit it nicely. Perhaps it was hard to find a bag that worked with both the dress and the coat? I agree that the bag didn’t work so well with the coat.
I like the coat and it seems beautifully tailored to fit her exactly. That’s got to be a challenge when you’re designing for someone whose bump is growing by the day.
WOW! I love the coat and dress! The vibrant houndstooth is young and fresh. Just perfect for the day. The dress fits her perfectly and the texture is a nice addition to her wardrobe. She can wear that again with different accessories to make it versatile.
I do agree that the burgundy shoes and bag don’t really go with the red at all. Black or navy would have been a better choice. The Duchess looks like she is having a wonderful time on the tour and not getting too exhausted. Well planned events and not overdoing it is the order of the day.
Kate looks beautiful from head to toe. The expression on her face let’s us know that she is so happy inside and out! Her houndstooth coat reminded me right away of the black/red houndstooth ensemble that Diana wore on a trip to Canada. I’ve sure everyone remembers the photographs of Diana running up the Britannia to hug both William and Harry. Well done Kate – today’s outfit is a hit with me.
I love that coat – shades of Jackie O.! I liked the accessories too, but don’t they clash with the coat? They look great with the dress, though, which is another winner for me, at least in the front view. From the side, the dress looks a bit too snug. So far, Kate is 5 for 6 on this trip as far as I’m concerned.
I was wondering, though, whether it wouldn’t have been better to switch the two day dresses. Mightn’t the white dress have been better for the luncheon and the green dress for the school visit? Although that wouldn’t have worked with the coats, which were absolutely on target each day, so I guess it worked out better this way.
I really like the white dress – the fabric photographs very well and provides interest but the cut is very clean and neat. I’m not a fan of the houndstooth coat, mainly because the buttons look off – something about the spacing and placement isn’t quite right. Her hair looks very nice.
Bag and shoes and gloves do not go with the otherwise lovely outfit.
I really love the dress! It’s just simply beautiful on Kate.
I think the coat and accessories were fun and kept everything from being too safe.
For some reason, I don’t at all mind the burgundy being paired with the red in the coat, and I certainly think it looks great with the heavier white fabric of the dress. I enjoy that it’s something other than black or nude.
Victoria looked lovely, and while I’m not at all against pant suits, I’m just not personally fond of such wide legged trousers… so I’m not in a hurry to see Kate run off and try the trend.
A happy medium between those and her skinny jeans occasionally would suit (pardon the pun 🤣) me just fine.
All in all, I think Kate looks beautiful and happy today!
I absolutely LOVE the McQueen dress! It fits her flawlessly and it the color and fabric are so beautiful for the season. I’m not a huge fan of houndstooth in general just because it’s such a loud pattern but the coat flatters her very well since it has such clean lines and the direction of the pattern is consistent all over.
Nice to see these items fitting so well. The coat is ok. I’m finding the large all over houndstooth distracting, and the burgandy with the tomato red somewhat off putting but it all comes together when the coat is taken off. Its all about this dress, for me. Very pretty design in a delicious fabric.
Her hair is a gift from God, you guys.
😀
Also, a shout out to that fab pant suit on Crown Princess Victoria!
Yes, and that terrific dusky pink coat.
Love the cream dress with the chanel bag and block heeled shoes, but not sure about the colour of the nylons.
Love the coat, beautiful lining and matches the dress perfectly – not sure if I like the red/white with the shoe and bag.
But wow, Kate looks fresh and gorgeous in everything today and that cheerful coat is great for standing out in a crowd on a dull day.
Oh my. Once again, the styling here is way off even though she has a lot of good individual pieces. I like the coat…it is bright, but I will take that over her baby blue coats any day. I love the shoes and the bag, but the burgundy does not go at ALL with the bright red of the coat, and then you throw in the sheer black hose, which goes with nothing she is wearing at ALL, she looks like a complete mishmash again. The dress is nice too and actually looks fine with the burgundy accessories, but then you have the sheer black hose that throws it all off. So many of Kate’s outfits would be improved by a thousand percent if she styled them properly.
I quite like Crown Princess Victoria’s pants suit…although I am ignoring the peep of nude pump there since she usually wears interesting shoes.
Now upon review of this from another computer I see the hose is burgundy or brown…better than black but still does not look great and drags down the outfit.
Totally agree! For some reason Catherine and her stylist have a problem putting together ensemble
I love the coat and the dress. I think the shoes are too casual for the outfit and that the color of the shoes and purse doesn’t work.
I love this whole look and doesn’t Catherine look happy on this tour? The boucle dress fits her perfectly, as does the coat, and I love the burgundy accessories. It seems that some have an issue with oversized houndstooth, but I think it looks just lovely. But more than anything, I would so love to see Catherine wear Victoria’s outfit, from head to toe!
I agree. A great look. And great fit too! I️ don’t think the handbag and shoes are aging at all. They are classic and more interesting than plain pumps and clutch. And definitely more interesting in the deep brown-toned burgundy than black or beige! A win for me!!!!!
I wouldn’t call it an issue, more of a preference. Glad that you like her outfit!
She looks delightful and cheery.
Very nice. I like the coat and the dress a lot. I’m a sucker for houndstooth, and the large scale and red color really make it special. It’s a nice choice for a walkabout, too, since it makes her easy to spot in a crowd.
The fuzzy tweed dress is so luxurious–there’s something so marvelously impractical about a basically unlaunderable fabric in snow-white. It sends a very queenly message. The earrings are nothing particularly dazzling, but well chosen, I think, for such an elegant and simply cut dress. I would like to have seen a necklace of some kind.
I’m not sure I’d have accessorized these pieces with brown, much as I individually like the gloves, shoes, and bag (well, the bag is a bit much, with the quilting and the monogram, but I do love the handle). I know everyone here hates nude shoes, but this is an instance, I think, where the Rossi pralines (and nude stockings, of course) would have looked just right.
I agree. Black shoes and a black bag would have worked too. Love the coat. Reminds me of the houndstooth suit Princess Diana wore (one half was red the other black).
I love Kate’s shoes and bag, but paired with this ensemble, the overall effect is a little aging. I’m also not keen on the blaring red and uninterrupted all-over-ishness of the houndstooth pattern —it just seems more kitschy than chic. In the picture where the wind blows a corner of the coat up to show the white lining, I had a sudden longing to have the fabrics reversed. Imagine a textured white coat with contrasting buttons and such a bold lining as a surprise! It would be a bit cheekier and more youthful.
I really like what CP Victoria is wearing. Still feminine but also professional. I feel that’s saying a lot because like Kate, I prefer dresses, too!
Oooohhh, Cathie, I like your fabric reversal idea! It would be unexpected and slightly whimsical.
Thank you, Faith! 🙂
I absolutely love the Alexander McQueen. She looks lovely!!!
Although I think the Duchess always looks beautiful, I’m not really a fan of Catherine Walker. I find her designs can sometimes be matronly looking.
Dress, handbag and shoes are lovely. Make-up and hair look great. The coat is certainly eye-catching, but like many Walker creations, the button placement is distracting. Does anyone else worry about wearing heels on icy cobblestone streets and slick surfaces?
I think that is probably why she went for the Tod’s (nice block heel) and yesterday she put on boots for the outside walking.
The coat reminds me of the red one she wore last year in Canada. I like houndstooth in general so I like the coat, but because it is so similar I am more “meh” on it then I would otherwise be. I also don’t like the buttons on it.
My real issue with the coat is that I think it clashes with her shoes and handbag. She should have gone for a completely different color for the accessories (dark green or blue) rather than keep to the red and white “theme.”
NOW that said. Her hair looks great (side part! woohoo!) and she took the coat off! yay! (sorry I had to!) And I love love love that dress. It’s perfect for the occasion – elegant, classy, pretty, etc. The shoes and handbag, as much as I don’t like them with her coat, really look great with the dress, and I love the earrings.
Overall the white dress is almost enough to make up for last night. Almost.
I agree… I actually like the coat a lot, but I don’t care for the color of the shoes/bag with the red and white. Maybe navy, or even black would be better in my opinion. Although like you said, they were great with the dress. I also think I’d prefer a lighter shade of hose.
I ADORE that dress! Perfect winter white, beautiful fabric, love the touch of sparkle. Fits her perfectly and looks comfortable too! Definitely a hit for me!
I was hoping you were having a good trip with the regular removal of coats we are seeing. I can almost suspect the Scandi royals of upping the photo opps by taking their guests out into the freezing winter and then straight back indoors again. Great fun for us but I don’t envy Kate all the wardrobe planning.
And wholly agree her hair is looking so good, really shiny and holding styles well. Maybe a pregnancy boost or maybe, with luck, some new wonder product is helping things along.
Oh, and the side-part is helping the hair no end!
You know I am loving it!!! (both the side part and the coat removal, lol.)
I’m with you there as well! We can see what’s under the coat! 😉