Spot the Princess! Kate recycles £1,335 polka dot dress as she opens women’s centre in Southampton

The Princess of Wales looked effortlessly elegant in polka dots as she opened a new charity building in Southampton today.

The 41-year-old royal opted for an Alessandra Rich midi dress – which she wore to last year’s Wimbledon men’s final – to reveal Hope Street in the city centre.

Hope Street was developed by the charity One Small Thing, which provides community centers for women in the justice system.

Five women will be accommodated in the redeveloped building, who are classified as ‘low risk’ after committing a non-violent crime.

The new center will provide a community alternative for women who would otherwise be unnecessarily confined due to a lack of safe housing or concerns about their well-being.

In that way, Hope Street will provide shelter for women and also allow them to stay with their children in a homely environment.

During today’s engagement, Kate was given a tour of the newly renovated facility by Lady Edwina Grosvenor, an English criminologist and founder of the One Small Thing charity.

The philanthropist is good friends with Kate, as she is married to Prince George’s godfather, the Duke of Westminster.

Speaking to staff, supporters and partners, the princess heard how Hope Street wants to avoid the trauma of mothers being separated from their children in the justice system.

Lily Lewis – who helped create Hope Street – spoke of her experience in the justice system, telling the princess, “For me, prison is barbaric.”

The project – which has been independently audited by The University of Southampton, The Prison Reform Trust and EP:IC – hopes to demonstrate how a compassionate and supportive approach to women in the justice system can have a transformative impact on lives.

Kate’s stunning designer dress, which retails for £1,335, features a frilled V-neckline and gold button detail.

The mother of three styled her sophisticated dress with a pair of towering white high heels by Alessandra Rich, which she also wore to Wimbledon.

The Princess of Wales styled her luscious brown hair in her signature waves and opted for minimal make-up

Kate, 41, kept her jewelry minimal — she opted for a pair of gold pearl earrings to attend the opening

The Princess of Wales looked delighted as she greeted Lady Edwina Grosvenor, the founder of the One Small Thing charity

Lady Edwina Grosvenor (left) is married to Prince George’s godfather, the Duke of Westminster

Hope Street will house five women currently in the justice system and will allow them to stay with their children

She then paired this with a box-shaped mini white bag from Mulberry. By opting for her signature blow dryer, Kate kept her makeup minimal – opting only for a brown smokey eye and nude lip.

Kate completed her outfit with a pair of dangly pearl earrings and wore no jewelry other than her sapphire engagement ring, which once belonged to Princess Diana.

The Princess of Wales has spent years highlighting the importance of early childhood and launched her Shaping Us campaign in January.

Kate’s ongoing campaign aims to improve society’s understanding of the significance of early childhood in shaping adulthood and society as a whole.

In recent months, the Princess of Wales has met with families who have spent time in the care system to highlight the importance of strong relationships for children experiencing trauma at a young age.

Spot on! The Duchess of Cambridge wore a £1,335 polka dot midi dress from renowned label Alessandra Rich to the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final last year

Earlier this year, Kate outlined the scope of her campaign, describing it as a long-term project that began with how a child develops and the importance of the formative years.

Scientific evidence has shown that early experiences can influence children not only socially and emotionally, but also in their physical development.

Reports from the Early Childhood Center have shown that the first five years are more determinative of future well-being than any other stage of development, with our brains growing faster than any other period.

It also hopes to ‘break the cycle’ of parents who themselves experienced a difficult childhood.

Palace assistants say the idea for the project started before Kate became a mother.

Italian-born, London-based designer Alessandra Rich has become a go-to for Kate in recent years — the Princess of Wales previously wore her designs at Prince Philip’s memorial service and on a royal tour of the Bahamas.

The designer has previously said she was inspired by history’s “polite rebels” such as Princess Diana.