The Princess of Wales has honed her fashion credentials as she becomes more ‘confident’ in her role and takes on campaigns close to her heart, sources say.
Returning for the start of the fall season, Kate has put her signature dresses aside in favor of power suits for her recent appearances in Britain.
Together with her newly cut hairstyle with ‘curtain bangs’, the 41-year-old’s recent look exudes a purposeful, businesslike image and couldn’t be further from the primary-toned dresses she has favored thus far.
It has led many to wonder if there is a new face on the Princess team, or if there is a style consultant waiting in the wings.
Sources close to the future queen insist this is not the case, saying Kate’s resilience is simply down to the fact that she is a woman who has finally found her feet.
The Princess of Wales has cut a formal figure in recent engagements. Here Kate was elegant in a dark green suit as she visited a textile factory once owned by her family in Leeds on September 26.
One explains that although the move to become Princess of Wales was challenging, she has now completed a year ‘in this job’.
This coincided with the launch of its new ‘Shaping Us’ campaign to highlight the importance of the early years of childhood and how what happens to us during that time can shape our adult lives.
A source said of Kate: ‘She is spreading her wings and creating public awareness on important issues close to her heart. People have sat up and noticed.
“This is a lifelong campaign for her and the fact that it has been so well received has given her enormous confidence.”
Kate still works closely with her personal assistant Natasha Jackson, but insiders said portraying the princess as a “passive participant” would “grossly underestimate” her.
Others believe that the arrival of the new Carolan regime has pushed Kate’s boundaries and encouraged her to opt for more sophisticated choices, without having to complement the late Queen Elizabeth II’s traditional dress sense.
At the Hampton Court Literary Festival in June, Queen Camilla dazzled in a blue Anna Valentine jumpsuit.
With her children quickly growing up – Prince George is ten, Princess Charlotte is eight and Prince Louis is five – the mother of three has more time to focus on herself.
Kate Middleton stunned in a camel suit as she visited a charity in East London on September 19
Kate Middleton echoed her late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she visited a charity in East London in a camel trouser suit that looked strikingly similar to the one worn by the previous Princess of Wales in 1997.
Kate looked elegant in pinstripes as she stepped out into Cardiff to mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation’s arrival in Britain on October 3
Kate’s polished new wardrobe also ties in with her and William’s decision to appoint the first ‘CEO’ to run their household.
Another insider said: ‘There is a clear sense that the couple are carrying out their duties in a more business-like manner, with far less historical frills, and I suspect this is trickling down to other parts of their lives.’
Jo Elvin, host of Palace Confidential on The Mail+ and former editor of Glamour, gives her approval to Kate’s new ‘chief of the board’ look.
“It’s not very traditionally princess-y and I suspect there are some royal fans who would rather see a member of the royal family in a beautiful dress, but I love the quiet luxury of her new look,” she said.
‘She has become so much more confident and calm because she doesn’t follow the protocols so rigidly. I suspect she probably always had a bit of an eye on what the late Queen would have approved of. So now we’re probably seeing more of what Kate likes to wear off-duty.”
The royal wore another suit on September 18: a £549 black blazer from Holland Cooper with gold button detailing. Kate paired the sophisticated blazer with trousers and £650 black pumps with a chunky Gianvito Rossi heel as she visited the Royal Navy Air Station in Yeovilton.
Kate Middleton wore an elegant Alexander McQueen suit during her trip to HMP Down prison in Surrey on September 18
That ‘quiet luxury’ has led to the princess publicly adopting new brands, such as Samantha Carmeron’s Cefinn range, French label Sezane and luxury brand ME+EM.
She combines this with high-end outfits from long-term favorites such as Alexander McQueen, who also designed her wedding dress, and Roland Mouret.
‘They are mid-range labels that really appeal to the Mumsnet audience. Real yummy mom favorites,” Ms Elvin said.
‘These labels are reassuringly expensive, because you won’t see everyone wearing them, but not eye-catching.
“There’s also a lot of tonal, taupe-like clothing, so edgy, but nothing that will shock the traditionalists. I really like it.’
The mother-of-three began the transition to corporate wear at the Rugby World Cup on September 9 in an Alexander McQueen suit.
The Princess of Wales wore a white Alexander McQueen suit to the Rugby World Cup in September
The royal opted for her £1,945 white Alexander McQueen blazer and matching trousers.
She complemented her suit with a dazzling jewelery set that she first wore for Princess Charlotte’s christening in 2015 – including her €3,750 pair of Mappin & Webb ‘Empress’ diamond carriage earrings and the matching Empress mini necklace in white gold and diamond pendant worth €2,000.
Just days later, Kate continued to show her affection for Alexander McQueen during a visit to HMP High Down, Surrey.
Looking typically stylish, Kate opted for a favorite blue Alexander McQueen outfit and grinned widely as she arrived for the visit to the prison near Sutton that helps people in the criminal justice system recover from addiction.
The Princess of Wales looked ready for business as she arrived at RNAS Yeovilton last month in a black blazer and trousers
The Princess of Wales’ outfit choice also apparently paid tribute to Sarah Burton with her outfit after the designer announced she would be stepping down as creative director of Alexander McQueen on the same day.
For the occasion, Kate combined the royal blue suit with a simple cream-colored sweater. The mother-of-three also paid tribute to her children by donning a necklace complete with their initials.
She wore Daniella Draper’s ‘Personalised Gold Midnight Moon Necklace’ in honor of her children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, with the letters ‘G, L, C’ engraved on it. .
For stylists longing for a glimpse of Kate’s more traditional glamour? Well, there’s always next month’s State Banquet at Buckingham Palace to look forward to.