The Duchess did her first public engagement since March when she visited a local garden center yesterday. 
She went to the Fakenham Garden Centre not far from the family’s country home, Anmer Hall. 
More from this Hello! story by Emily Nash.
Keen gardener Kate wanted to encourage people to visit local businesses as they start to reopen. She said: “I’ve been food shopping, but I have to say I haven’t been out a huge amount more but it’s good and so important, now as things start to ease, people know they can go out and particularly to places like this.”
The Duchess said George loves playing with Venus fly trap plants and that he and his siblings have been growing tomato plants at home. “They were very excited to grow them from seeds and now they’re as tall as them,” she added.
The visit is part of a coordinated effort to boost small business. This morning, Prince William visited a local bakery.
More about the visit from Simon Perry’s People article.
For his part, William headed to Smiths the Bakers early on Friday. At the bakery, which has been serving King’s Lynn for 50 years and reopened on June 15 after 11 weeks of closure, William spoke to members of staff about how the coronavirus restrictions have impacted on the family-run business.
And he was told how the business had to furlough a number of staff members but also how it adapted its business model during lockdown by operating a delivery service to local residents. It has also been selling new lines of products to meet the demand for baking ingredients such as flour and sugar.
And in her role as Patron of the British Chambers of Commerce, HM released a statement today. 
Returning to Prince William’s bakery excursion, here is a look at the cake he was presented with in honor of his 38th birthday tomorrow. 
The Duke chatted with the bakery owners about life at home. The Daily Mail’s Emily Andrews shares more via Twitter.
Below, the Duchess speaking with the garden center’s owners, Martin and Jennie Turner. 
The center reopened in mid-May, and Kate heard from the Turners about the challenges they experienced dealing with the pandemic. 
Hannah Furness reports in the Daily Telegraph that Mr. Turner, “…told her about some of the difficulties…the last three months, having to shut completely for a time, furlough 15 out of 50 staff and make redundancies….”. 
But the Turners say business has been good since they reopened. We return to The Telegraph article:
“There’s been a massive upsurge hasn’t there as people have been spending so much time outdoors and in their gardens,” said the Duchess.
She was delighted when Mr Turner told her that they had seen a lot of people who had never gardened before.
“Really?’ she smiled. ‘That’s great. And now people have the time to do it.”
The Turners also spoke about some of the operating changes they have made as a result of the pandemic. 
This was a terrific choice for a return to in-person engagements.
The Duchess’s love of the outdoors and gardening is well known. 
The Daily Mail’s Emily Andrews shared this photo of the Duchess doing a little shopping and talking with another customer. 
Emily tweeted that the Duchess “….also chatted to customers – who had no idea who she was until she spoke!”
And Emily also posted a quick video of Kate at the garden center.
And Kate also browsed the herb🌿 section as they have been particularly difficult to get hold of in the UK during lockdown.Apparently there has also been a run on compost.The garden centre has had a tough time, having to furlough & make redundancies, so Kate bought 🌱 to support. pic.twitter.com/0z0mQU8BQs
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) June 19, 2020
Another view of the Duchess. 
As a refresher, the last public outing for Kate was back on March 19 when the Cambridges visited a London Ambulance call center. 
Now for our look at what Kate wore yesterday. 
She had on a new vest by Fjällräven, the Women’s Sormland Padded Vest ($217) in the Dark Olive colorway.
The piece is made of polyester and Fjällräven’s G-1000 fabric. It features two front bellows pockets with flaps, a snap front, and a pocket on the back. Our thanks to Irish Sara for her speedy identification of the vest. Thanks also to Emily Andrews and KatiesRoyalLove, they were just moments behind Sara.
Beneath the vest, Kate appeared to have on her Jaeger Linen Shirt in aqua. 
The garment is 100% linen with three-quarter sleeves, tabs to keep the rolled-up sleeves in place, a back yoke, and a button-front. If interested, I added some repliKates here.
The piece was first noted in images released last year of the Duchess working on her Back to Nature Garden. 
These close-ups of the cuffs show the tab that is used to keep the rolled-up sleeves in place. 
It looks like the Duchess also wore Massimo Dutti, the brand’s Skinny Fit High-Rise Satin Trousers ($69.90). 
The trousers are made of a cotton/lyocell blend with a polished finish, five pockets, zip front, belt loops, and a snug fit. The product description points out the fabric is “TENCEL®Lyocell…. made of wood sourced from sustainably managed forests that guarantee reforestation.” Many thanks to Innominate for this ID.
We saw the return of Kate’s Superga Cotu sneakers in the ‘Sherwood Gum’ colorway.
The shoes are available at End Clothing ($65 with import duties paid & $9.99 FedEx shipping to the US) and also at the Superga UK site ($59 but shipping to the US is $25). One note about sizing comes via WKW Facebook friend Katie; she bought both the Sherwood Gum and white Cotu sneakers and says, “they run large so you might think about ordering the size below your normal one.”
And she brought back her Siren Wire Earrings ($175) in Green Onyx from Monica Vinader. 
The earrings are also available at Selfridges ($124, but shipping is £25) and at Farfetch ($175).
It was terrific seeing the Duchess out and about! 
For anyone wondering, masks are not required in England except for specific circumstances (public transport, hospitals); they “are encouraged in certain situations where social distancing is more difficult, such as in small shops.” (Let’s refrain from commenting about face masks policies; that is not a path I want to go down in this space. Many thanks in advance for your help with this!)
VIDEOS:
Channel 5 News put together a video of both the Duke and Duchess out shopping. It runs about 3:20.
LINKAGE:
- The Daily Express story is here; the Daily Telegraph piece by Hannah Furness is here; The Daily Mail’s coverage is here; the Evening Standard’s story and photo gallery are here
- A Hello! piece by Emily Nash is here; Simon Perry’s People story is here
I find the trousers to be unflattering, even though the fabric and colour is very nice. With her figure, the Duchess can wear nearly anything and look fantastic in it, so I shudder to think what the trousers would do to a mere mortal like myself!
I would love to see Kate in some more high-waisted pants, but perhaps a longer length and a different cut would flatter more.
Otherwise I love her hair and makeup today!
I think the ankle-length pants create a very awkward look. Either socks or longer pants would look better — or perhaps a casual boot? Kate can usually pull off wearing anything, but I think this outfit would be unflattering on anyone.
Her hair is sweet and it’s nice to see her out and about.
What a brilliant first engagement to restart the in-person visits! As Britian opens up more and more every month, it’s great to see the royals be able to take advantage of that and support their locals as well. This reminds me of when Kate visited the charity shop opening of one of her patronages and bought a teapot (I think?). The cake for William is so heartwarming.
Kate looks sharp as always, she is certainly back in her element interacting with people in person and dressing the part of just another shopper! Even if it is nice to see something other than the usual Really Wild one I am not crazy about the vest, I think it has too much going on, but I still love seeing how much Kate has embraced Fjällräven since her trip to Sweden. The linen shirt is a nice contrast and I’m a big fan of the high-waisted jeans. Her hair looks lovely styled like this.
She is such a good wholesome person. I admire her very much. And her wardrobe!!
Perfect outfit for the gardening centre and I love the clip of William in the bakery too!
Such nice outings for both William and Kate! I love the Fjallraven vest, and hopefully we’ll see it again in autumn with a turtleneck sweater and jeans.
What a great mood-lift this visit – and this post! – is!
Her style ticks all the boxes; practical garden-center clothes, great looking, and understated nicely to make it about the center, not about “look at me!” I know I’m brilliantly remarking on something that’s been said many times on this site 😊 ; it’s something she excels at regularly, knowing when to shine and when the occasion should have a different focus. I agree that the pants are kind of a “neither this nor that” length and taper, and could look good either rolled an inch higher, or tapered more for a closer fit where they hit, but it’s minor. Her hair looks wonderful and is just what’s needed when working in a garden. The earrings are nicely casual and colorful. The green doesn’t really match anything, but to me that adds to the casualness I think she was trying for.
I love it that they had regular customers coming in, too. The encounters make this even more fun, and show that Kate’s visit to an open business demonstrates that people can enjoy going out in well managed places, and see other people. I’m ridiculously happy to see Kate remark that she still food shops, too. I know she’s been seen shopping a few times, but not recently, to my knowledge. I was kind of sad in thinking the day was coming when she withdrew from that kind of everyday activity. Maybe not! Either way, the Cambridges seem like they will always be a very “in touch” couple.
I have to agree with you here Gwen! Not sure why it matters to me either, but I loved that Kate could just go a grab a few things from the supermarket straight after her wedding, & felt sad to think those days might be over. It really is more trouble than it’s worth to pay people to do every little thing & often just easier to do it yourself: I can imagine Kate might feel that way sometimes. I’ve heard she is treated in a very ordinary manner in Norfolk, & goes about her business with no fuss, so maybe it’s the equivalent of the Wales of old, & she can just go grab what she needs, in a place where people get on with their own lives? Nice thought anyway! For her that might be the ultimate luxury….
I mean this in a good way: I’m getting serious Monty Don vibes from this outfit! It’s perfect for a casual reintroduction to royal duties after the last few months. I love the low key nature of both the garden shop and the bakery; both visits feel exactly right for members of the Royal Family. While very different situations, this reminds me of photos of the the King and Queen during WWII, going out among regular people to show that life goes on. A few weeks ago I read an article that nurseries would likely have to destroy their plants (if they couldn’t reopen in time), so it’s nice to see that didn’t have to happen. Also, the cake is adorable and very fitting!
Loved both outfits for the different locations. However, I hate linen, it works on her but I hate how all the wrinkles show. Glad to see her Monica Vinader earrings return! Overall it’s really exciting to see them out in public again.
What a nice choice for both Kate and William to return to in-person events. Supporting local businesses is critical as they re-start. It helps feel somewhat more normal too to see them at a bakery and a garden centre. William gets a cake too; who doesn’t love receiving a cake as a gift?
I’ve been wondering how they have managed Kate’s wardrobe logistics while they have been living at their country home for an extended period of time. With all of the pandemic related restrictions I imagine it must have been a challenge and I would bet Kate and William would not want their wardrobes to be an issue in the seriousness of the pandemic. She has done a lot of video calls and has looked great in all of them.
Really lovely to see both her and Prince William out doing engagements again. It had to have felt so wonderful for them both to be out with the public again. I can only imagine how excited the family must have been when Prince William came home with his birthday cake and the Duchess came home with all of those wonderful herbs!
I’d be on Team Cake. 😉
So great to see her out and about again! Can’t dock this outfit – a classic outdoorsy Kate look. One (slightly random) thing I will say though is how much I miss her darker hair! I was looking at photos from before she colored it last year and the dark chocolate tone really suited her, while this lighter shade slightly ages her. I wonder if she’ll color it again at some point.
Three whole months since we last saw Kate out? I knew it felt like a long time but had been trying not to think about it. It’s such a welcome relief to see her with a whole outfit visible. I have to admire her gardening chic, she’s wearing such a practical outfit, but the neutral tones and neat fit keep her ladylike
I’m impressed at the quiet, off-beat contrast of the pale blue shirt against brown, and I admire how she finds such workmanlike gilets with generous pockets, big enough for an extra pair of pruners. This Fjallraven is a lovely example of a summer weight vest, and perhaps her beloved Really Wild leather version is better suited to being out in the wilds. The crumpled linen of the Jaegar shirt adds to the working gardener look, albeit from a quality brand.
I like the high-rise jeans, and continue to be thankful that she chooses a marginally less tight fit than of old. The earth-tone Supergra trainers contribute to a thought-through look and her Monica Vinader earrings add a welcome touch of brightness as well as elegance. I’m always glad to see her hair pulled back from her face giving a better view.
Maybe her stylist reads this blog and these comments because Kate is wearing slim-fitting trousers today! I truly like this outfit and Kate is in her element. I love the length of these trousers with the low rise casual shoe, showing a bit of ankle! Great way to dress down a shirt-and-trousers outfit. Personally I don’t see what the vest brings to the outfit, but Kate likes to wear them at these kinds of events so it was expected. The green earrings were clearly to match with her surroundings, I think she has done this kind of thing before. To each their own.
The birthday cake for Prince William is so nice! Good to know that the Cambridges have been doing in the lockdown what, essentially, most families have been doing – gardening and baking. Wills is also clearly excited about the return of football- there was a very cute personal note posted on the Kensington Palace social media accounts.
Looking forward to more in-person sightings of these two!
Thanks for this wonderful beginning to our weekend! Did I miss the ID of the shirt? It’s a lovely summer top.
Yikes!! I completely forgot to include the shirt; it is in the post now. Thank you for asking about it, Joan. 🙂
Lovely to see Kate and William out and about interacting with people in real life.
I’m sure, they like their privacy, but it must be nice for them to get out of the house and meet people. Just as we all do.
Personally I liked Kates outfit. I like to think that is what she might have looked like, if she had married a “normal” person, instead of a prince.
Yay! I love their choice of shops to visit first! I like the vest and shirt combo and I think her hair is especially nice today.
Good to see Kate back in action. She does casual so well. I was surprised to see the skinny pants described as satin. I always think of satin as a shiny, silky fabric. On looking it up, satin is said to be the weave not the material. The material, according to the manufacturer’s site is Tencel, made from wood.
I’ve never liked those earrings that look like green plastic blobs to me. But I am totally confused as to why Kate Wore them with this outfit, that is basically brown and blue. The shoes are an olive green colour, but even they don’t support the bright green earrings.
I couldn’t agree more about those earrings, Bonnie!
Agree about the earring critique.
Long-time follower, first time commenting…. Funny – I love the organic feel of the earrings!
I am glad you commented, Christina!😊
I have those earrings and they look much nicer in person than in a photo🤷♀️
While I agree the color of the earrings is odd with her clothing, I have to defend the quality of her earrings! I own them and they’re much prettier/richer looking in person. The Siren collection comes in several different colors, it’s a shame she hasn’t gotten more, the aquamarine or labradorite would have looked better in terms of color. I’m a huge fan of Monica Vinader jewelry, it’s good quality, can easily be dressed up or wore with casual attire, and it’s fun to mix and match (I have most of that collection). The employees are also fantastic, I’ve been to both NYC stores and had great experiences.
One thing I’ve noticed is that jewelry often doesn’t photograph well. Most of her Kiki McDonough and Mappin & Webb pieces look lovely, but some of the Queen’s earrings, her the Van Cleef & Arpels set, and the Duchess of Cornwall’s engagement ring, often don’t look good in photos. A great example of how lighting changes the look is to Google the Devonshire Diamond Tiara, it’s stunning but the lighting can really alter its appearance.
Yes, she could have worn her Kiki McDonough green amethyst and diamond cushion drop earrings (which I have myself!); they would have been perfect for this outfit.
She could have worn her Kiki McDonough green amethyst and diamond cushion drop earrings which would have been perfect with this outfit.
Thanks for the info on the satin weave Bonnie: I was wondering about that!
Very refreshing to see Kate and William out and about. Her clothes are appropriate, given the relaxed environment as well as the current economic situation. I particularly like her shirt.
Also, Thank you so much for wanting to keep the dialog free from subjects that can break down bridges! This is a wonderful site that unites us in our love of sartorial splendor. :). You’re doing a great job, as always!
It is fabulous to see the duchess out and about in public again, and I love seeing her casual/outdoorsy outfits, including the skinny jeans that some don’t like. It has been far too long without an engagement and I have missed seeing her out and about.
I love the idea of this outfit, but it needs a few tiny tweaks to make it more cohesive. The jeans hem is hitting her at an odd place (maybe it is just the sneakers being so low slung) that makes her legs look shorter. She is tall but has a longer torso and shorter legs, so the length of the jeans is not ideal. The vest seems too big and bulky and if she is going to wear a vest I wish is was her Really Wild vest, which is a more flattering cut. I hate those sneakers with a passion and find them especially jarring when paired with the shorter jeans and no socks. The color of the sneakers is not a favorite of mine.
All of the above is nitpicking about fashion when I am thrilled to see her again in public and it is great to see her trying to champion a smaller business and show support for going out and safely patronizing such establishments. This is what royalty does and she is doing it very well. I feel like we have seen a shift in both William and Catherine as they take on more responsibility and a higher profile within the Firm.
Perhaps Catherine should have turned the bottom of the jeans/trousers up a couple of times to give that slightly casual ‘cropped’ look – as opposed to ‘shrunk in the wash’ look! I have done it occasionally and am amazed at the difference it can make.
Other than, great to see them both out, they do engaging with ‘live’ people so well.
Yes, I think that would have helped.
I have those sneakers in three colours (not the colour Kate is wearing) and they are so comfortable! I have never been able to wear a sneaker like that, and especially without socks, for more than an hour until I tried the Superga. I can completely understand why Kate wears them. That said, if my youngest daughter saw me going out the door in that outfit (which is very much something I would wear) she would have stopped me and cuffed my pants, and given me that look. Those of you with kids know the look. The one that says, “There, now you look acceptable.” 🤣
I suspect Kate is doing her own hair these days as their contact with staff is probably limited and a hair stylist it not a necessity. I love the casual look. I also think showing up with professionally done hair would not set the right tone at the moment. As always, Kate seems to understand that.
I agree those shoes are horrible and a terrible color choice. It’s my opinion that she doesn’t care much about shoes- they seem an afterthought. As a shoe lover her choices make me cringe and I fear for the future of her feet- too often extreme heel heights.
She loved dresses and girly details! Will be interesting to see how her daughter dresses as she grows up.
I suppose it must just be fun to have a whole outfit to nit-pick over. I’m afraid my own thoughts were much less critical, and I can be a keen nit-picker. I suppose my own gardening outfits are way more off-beat than this, so Kate looks a vision of chic by comparison.
I wasn’t troubled by the length of the jeans as I just thought she looked comfy for a garden centre visit, but thank you for your observations on the effects of an oddly-placed hem. I also didn’t find the sneakers an off colour as they seem to tone with the shirt, in the photos at least. And I don’t have a major aversion to the earrings, but am simply impressed that they would qualify for a gardening outfit. I think the green is just far enough from the main outfit so as provide interest, rather than clash. But then I am just so pleased to see Kate out on a visit this week!
I always really look forward to your thoughtful comments ElizaMo: you seem to know your stuff. Yes it was great to get to see a whole outfit…even shoes! I thought the shoe green was just the coolest colour: love a retro green! The shoes themselves were cute & perfect for purpose. I have no repliKates in my possession, but always thought if I bought just one, it would be the Siren earrings. I have a very soft spot for them, & I’ve never seen them look less than perfect for the occasion. I imagine it’s true that they look even better in real life. One reason I like them may be because she pulls them out for events like gardens & scout camps where she always seems in her element. But I like the organic style & colour too. I find her mismatched greens v cheerful & endearing. It seems she enjoys using colour “families”, but isn’t too fussed about exact perfection. Sometimes things match & sometimes they don’t, & both look great. I’d call the shirt a minty green (& the designer seems to agree it’s greenish, given the name). The vest is impressive…..I cld fit some serious tools in there! Gardening & cooking are my things too. When Kate meets Mary Berry in a garden, I’m in heaven! I agree that the jeans are marginally looser, & that’s good! I don’t think it matters overly much where the hem falls. And I can live with tight jeans on such a lovely set of pins! However I somehow always feel like I shouldn’t really be looking when she wears super tight skinnies. The way they cling to calves & thighs, & wrinkle around knees & bottom…..somehow it says “longjohns” to me!!! No matter how good the legs in them. Maybe being so tall & slim makes it hard to get a good compromise fit? On the model they are slim fitting but not clingy: & don’t wrinkle at hips & knees: one of the few instances where I’ve preferred the model shot! Kate’s hair looks perfect….I’m betting she has access to her stylist again, as mine pins my hair up in just that same tricksy fashion at the back!
So nice to see both her and Prince William out and about again.
Hi, do you know if she has more scheduled engagements coming up??
Thanks.
No, I do not, I’m sorry. I Do not think they are scheduling far out in advance at this point.
She’s back! What a treat to see the Duchess from head to toe.
Curiously similar outfit to the recent post about “On this day, a few years ago”. I guess she has a garden/hiking/outdoorsy go-to look.
Looking forward to more events!