Kate Middleton’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant Look Borrowed a Page From the Queen’s Style
If you watched Queen Elizabeth II‘s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this month, you might have noticed a profusion of bright colors. Not only did the queen wear her usual vibrant outfits, but so did future queen Kate Middleton. During the Jubilee Pageant, the Duchess of Cambridge donned a magenta long-sleeve dress reminiscent of the queen’s iconic style.
Why Queen Elizabeth II wears such bright colors
When crowds are packed 15 people deep in the hopes of getting a glimpse of their beloved sovereign, one must stand out from the crowd. That’s why Queen Elizabeth II always wears bright outfits with matching hats. She also has a clear umbrella with trim to match every outfit — because you never know when it might rain in England.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, explains that the added height of the hat allows those in the back of the pack to at least say they saw a bit of the queen. Royal biographer Robert Lacey adds, “You could say when she’s wearing a hat that she’s wearing a sort of crown substitute.”
The queen only occasionally wears an outfit in public more than once, but she hangs onto her hats. In fact, her hats and handbags were featured at an art exhibit in London. The show included every toque she’d worn in public since her coronation. That’s a lot of hats.
Kate Middleton has her own fashion sense
As a future queen, Kate Middleton takes her royal duties seriously and always dresses appropriately for the occasion. She’s careful to follow the royal dress code when acting in any royal capacity.
The former accessories buyer was once fond of flirty fashion looks. But her style has become much more modest since joining the royal family.
However, when not on duty, Kate Middleton follows her own style. Her fashion choices include plenty of skirt suits, coat-style dresses, and, more recently, slacks when out in public.
They might seem sedate, but they never lack in serious style points. The duchess has stayed true to her sense of style while refining it over the years into something that befits a future queen.
Why Kate Middleton emulates the queen’s style
Queen Elizabeth II is known for her classically elegant outfits, and Kate Middleton follows the monarch’s lead as a royal style icon. Photos of the two together show that the duchess and her grandmother-in-law sometimes coordinate outfits when they appear together. At the very least, they seem to avoid clashing with their outfit choices.
During a royal tour of Canada in 2016, Kate wore bright red on several occasions. That was presumably so she, like the queen, could be seen more easily. When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Bahamas, Belize, and Jamaica during a royal tour of the Caribbean, she subtly honored the queen by wearing brightly colored outfits similar to those the monarch might wear.
Kate’s other Platinum Jubilee looks included a lemon-yellow outfit at the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral. And she wore a red coat dress on a quick trip to Wales, according to the Town & Country. In addition, she donned an ivory ensemble at the Platinum Party at the Palace. Whether in muted neutrals or stunning brights, this royal already dresses like a queen.
