The Princess of Wales is a style icon for many, including, it seems, her own assistant. On 20 January, Kate, 44, joined her husband, the Prince of Wales, on a daytime visit to the National Curling Academy in Stirling, Scotland, ahead of the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina in February and March.
She then headed to Radical Weavers, a working hand-weaving studio and independent charity that aims to help tackle social isolation in Stirling. Rather aptly, the royal opted for a tartan look. She debuted a bespoke Chris Kerr printed coat in a gorgeous deep blue hue. The structured, double-breasted outerwear was paired with a Zara roll-neck jumper, a plain black skirt by Le Kilt, and knee-high boots by Gianvito Rossi.
Style twins
In a video from the end of her engagement, Kate was seen stepping outside to greet members of the public who had gathered to meet her. Trailing behind Kate to help her carry gifts from well-wishers was her assistant, Natalie Barrows, who wore a near-identical blue tartan coat. It seems great minds think alike!
Natalie has been Kate’s assistant since 2017, having originally been taken on by Kensington Palace as assistant private secretary to the then-Duchess of Cambridge. Her duties include coordinating Kate’s schedule, overseeing correspondence, and supporting the princess on engagements.
An expert weighs in
© Getty ImagesIt’s no surprise that Natalie is a fan of Kate’s look, as it’s expert-approved. “The tartan coat works because it balances heritage pattern with clean, modern tailoring, proving that classic checks feel timeless when the silhouette is sharp, and the styling is restrained,” Angela Kyte, a luxury stylist with a decade of experience in the fashion industry, told us on the day.
Kate’s best tartan
The Princess of Wales has worn tartan outfits on a number of public occasions. Only last Christmas did she step out in a bejewelled Miu Miu tartan skirt to host her annual ‘Together at Christmas’ carol service at Westminster Abbey.
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, she wore tartan in trench coat form in 2021 when she and William hosted a drive-in cinema screening of Disney’s Cruella for Scottish NHS workers at The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Her jacket was by Holland Cooper, and it featured statement gold buttons.
© Getty
© GettyTartan also has a place among the more casual pieces in Kate’s wardrobe. In 2023, she turned heads with her khaki tartan Barbour quilted jacket that paired perfectly with her flared jeans and flat boots as she visited Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity delivering life-changing outdoor learning and adventure activity programmes to young people in Scotland.
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