It’s Chris Kerr, Johnstons of Elgin, and Le Kilt for Scotland Engagements – UPDATED

The Princess of Wales chose a bespoke tartan coat by tailor Chris Kerr for a day of engagements in Scotland.

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as the couple is titled in Scotland, started their day with an unscheduled stop to see the Kelpies, the world’s largest equine sculptures.

More from Hello magazine’s coverage. 

Prince William and Kate were delayed to their first outing after they had an impromptu stop at The Kelpies in Falkirk. The duel 30m-tall horsehead sculptures are said to embody the fusion of Scotland’s rich mythological heritage alongside the power of Scottish industry and engineering.

Historic UK notes, “A kelpie is a shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend.”

The duo then traveled to the National Curling Academy in Stirling.

We learn more from The Herald’s story. 

Curling traces its roots back to 16th-century Scotland and has since become one of Team GB and Paralympics GB’s most successful winter sports, earning six Olympic medals and two Paralympic medals to date. 

The National Curling Academy was opened in August 2017 in the run-up to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang to provide a dedicated curling facility for British Curling athletes. It gives the athletes year-round access to high quality ice, which was not previously available in the UK.

The couple met with Team GB and Paralympic GB Curling teams, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina in February and March.

The royals gave curling a go after team captains Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds gave the couple a brief lesson and demonstration.

The Princess in action.

More on the visit from The Daily Mail’s piece. 

But the prince and princess soon learned just how difficult it is to master the sport after being given a short introduction of how to throw the stone.

Skips Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds gave them a five-minute demonstration on how to push off from the rubber hack, a foothold in the ice, and use the slippery sole they were given to propel themselves forward.

After doing a few practice lunge motions, Catherine appeared apprehensive to take to the ice and told her husband: ‘You can go first.’

‘Are you sure?’ He replied. ‘It won’t make a difference.’

But he confidently took a stone and bent down into position, saying ‘here we go, let’s see what happens’ as he slid off. 

We return to The Daily Mail story. 

When it was Catherine’s turn, she tentatively took to the 45-metre long sheet, holding onto her husband’s right arm as she carefully stepped onto the ice.

Hoisting her long skirt up and tucking her hair behind her ear, the princess got into position.

Appearing increasingly nervous to spring off, William could be heard encouraging her: ‘Just lean on both Catherine,’ in reference to the red stone and the delivery stick, used for beginners to help steady themselves.

Scottish Curling shared a video of the Princess throwing the stone. 

The Princess of Wales making moves on the ice today in Stirling, Scotland. pic.twitter.com/oeZ2u5IPEp

— Team Mouat (@TeamMouat) January 20, 2026

The Princess celebrates after her turn with Scottish curler Jen Dodds, a member of the 2022 gold medal-winning Olympic team. 

This is via The Scotsman’s coverage. 

Bruce Mouat, skip of the men’s curling team and one half of the mixed doubles, said: “It was wonderful, really nice that they came to wish us good luck for the next month we are about to embark on, both of them were lovely and willing to curl.” He continued: “They said they would be watching the games, which means a lot to us.”

The royals posed for group photos while at the center. 

Here you see the couple with the Team GB Paralympic Mixed Doubles team of Jo Butterfield MBE and Jason Kean. 

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales have tried curling – and you should too! 🥌

Find a session near you now! ⬇️https://t.co/TIzB3lcXdC pic.twitter.com/Mt1Hm0kxye

— Scottish Curling (@scottishcurling) January 20, 2026

The Prince and Princess chatted with well-wishers inside the facility.

Another view. 

Here you see the couple as they left the curling center. 

They then greeted some of those gathered outside.

Another view of the Princess. 

The Prince and Princess then visited Radical Weavers, a working handweaving studio and independent charity in the heart of Stirling.

The organization offers a variety of classes, including workshops teaching traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills.

There is also a gift shop featuring handmade items. We learn more from The Scotsman’s story.

The royal couple were shown round the charity’s Murray Place premises by the its founding director Mairi Breslin, who said the visit was “by far” the biggest event in the organisation’s seven-year history.

“(It’s a) complete game changer. It’s a small independent charity, with five members of staff,” she said.

We learn more from The National’s article. 

….the pair met members of the charity’s tartan-weaving course, where Kate took a seat at a traditional loom to add an “inch and a half” to what the Radical Weavers hope will grow into a record-breaking 3km-long tartan scarf.

The garment, which is being woven in the Wallace tartan and which will be produced communally, is intended to raise money to build Scotland’s Tartan Centre in Stirling.

After they visited the weaving organization, they greeted well-wishers gathered outside. 

Another view of the pair. 

It looks like the Princess is posing for a selfie in this photo.

In this image, you can see the back of the coat and the gathered waistline.

The couple’s final stop for the day was at The Gothenburg Pub in the former mining village of Fallin.

Rebecca English of The Daily Mail reports on social media, “Founded in 1910, ‘The Goth’ is one of the few remaining pubs in Scotland still run under the Gothenburg system, which aims to funnel profits from pubs and drinking establishments back to the community.”

We learn more from The Scotsman’s story. 

The couple met The Goth’s publican, Rob Donaldson, who took over the establishment in 2013, and William spoke to him about the value of community

As William left, Mr Donaldson handed him a Guinness glass with the Goth logo on it and shares in the pub.

He said: “It’s just made my day. It’s made my year.”

Mr Donaldson said his high moment running the pub has previously just been “keeping it alive for the community”.

However today, he said: “That’s just topped it, by the way, meeting a future king. Absolutely fantastic.”

We return to the AOL article. 

The royal couple were told that 95 per cent of the pub’s profits are donated to community causes, from families in need and food banks to local charities and hospices.

They also met local people and Kate talked to teachers about anxieties that schools face and how intertwined the school is with the community.

While at the pub, the Princess was given a gift for Princess Charlotte. The Daily Mail has more in this story. 

Meanwhile, on another table, Catherine was given a crocheted bunny for her daughter, Princess Charlotte, by Adele Hodgson. The 70-year-old had taken up the hobby around a year ago and auctions off her creations to raise money for the local hospice, Strathcarron.

The princess said: ‘She will absolutely love that. She’s got lots of teddies on her bed. Well done, that must have taken a long time.Thank you so much.’

Before the royal couple left, Catherine spotted the prince’s unfinished drink and said: ‘You need to finish that.’

You can just about see the bunny in this photo.

Once they left the pub, the royals greeted people.

This Daily Mail piece has more.

After leaving, the prince and princess crouched down to speak to some young children and their mothers who had come out to greet them.

William spoke to Jade Cousin, 33, and her daughter Sophie, 5, about what activities she was doing and her swimming lessons.

We now move to our look at what Kate wore, beginning with her blue tartan coat by Chris Kerr.

The piece was crafted of fabric made by Johnstons of Elgin; reporters say the Princess worked on the pattern with Johnstons and was looking for colors invoking the Scottish flag. The longline coat features a double-breasted design, gathered side and back waist, angled front pocket flaps, and a deep back vent. Here is a closer look at some of the details, including the structured and slightly raised shoulder, the peaked lapels, and the sleeve cuff. Thank you to Kate Middleton styled on Instagram for the ID and her confirmation from the designer.

The Princess repeated her Zara turtleneck, first noted in January 2022, a design with slit cuffs made from a blend of viscose, nylon, and elastane. Her skirt very much looks like the Navy Long Kilt ($1695), part of a collaborative collection between Le Kilt and Johnstons of Elgin.  The product description notes, “Designed with heritage and modernity in mind, it features elegant pleats and adjustable leather straps for a refined finish. Woven in Scotland from the finest wool and cashmere, this kilt combines exceptional softness with a graceful drape.”

Thank you to Middleton Maven for this ID. The Princess has worn both Le Kilt and Johnstons before. Below, the Princess wearing Le Kilt during a visit to Edinburgh in 2016. 

We learn more about the Le Kilt and Johnstons collaboration via this British Vogue story. 

Le Kilt, a label that leans into founder Samantha McCoach’s Scottish roots, presents an offering that straddles both modern and heritage design, focusing on natural materials and small-scale manufacturers across the UK and Scotland. And this season, the brand is expanding its oeuvre with an exclusive collaboration with 225-year-old Scottish design stalwart Johnstons of Elgin.

Those with a kilt skirt inclination will no doubt already be familiar with Le Kilt’s product range: mini and maxi kilts in 100 per cent wool and gabardine, adorned with Prince of Wales checks and secured with silver kilt pins. The Johnstons of Elgin collaboration captures the key components of Le Kilt’s designs, drawing on traditions of kilt making.

Several of us have searched diligently for the Princess’s waistcoat, or vest, and have come up empty-handed. Should I learn who created the piece, I will update the post.

UPDATE 1/21: It turns out the vest is by Bamford, a British lifestyle and wellness brand founded in 2004. Founder Carole Bamford posted on her Instagram stories about the Princess wearing the vest, noting it is from a 2018 collection. 

Thank you to Middleton Maven and Laura M. for the tip on this!

For most of the day, the Princess was in her custom black suede boots by Giovanni Rossi. I show them here with the label’s Glen ($1995), a similar style, although its toe is not as pointed as the toe on the Princess’s boots. 

When on the ice at the curling center, the Princess wore a new pair of boots by Tod’s. With thanks to Carly at Kate Middleton Style, they look like the brand’s Ankle Boots in Suede ($1095). The boot is a Chelsea style with side elastic inserts, almond toe, rubber sole, and a pull tab at the heel. They are also available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Saks. At Farfetch, the price is lower in some sizes (as low as $740), and at My Theresa, it is $1045.  

The Princess also wore her sapphire and diamond cluster earrings. 

 

VIDEOS: 

The Royal Family Channel offers several minutes of coverage from the Radical Weavers engagement.

The Royal Family Channel has almost 18 minutes of coverage of the curling visit in this video. 

 The Scottish Sun has coverage of the curling engagement in this piece.