Kensington Palace Addresses Kate Middleton Style Controversy in Rare Statement amid Backlash

Mar. 15, 2025

Kate Middleton’s office is clarifying the official policy for releasing details about her clothing following recent backlash over new palace guidance.

After a week of discussion surrounding the Princess of Wales' clothing and the possibility of changing the formal policy on sharing her fashion details, Kensington Palace issued a rare statement.

This follows a Feb. 1Sunday Timesarticle titled “Princess of Wales: Focus on my work, not my wardrobe,” which quoted a royal source saying that Kate “wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, a Kensington Palace spokesperson responded with a statement to PEOPLE: “Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits."

Princess Kate on her outing to the National Portrait Gallery, London on Feb. 4, 2025.Neil Mockford/GC Images

Neil Mockford/GC Images

In response to theSunday Timesreport, several op-eds criticized the notion that Kate’s style should be downplayed, emphasizing the vital role it plays in shining a spotlight on British designers and boosting the British fashion industry. Critics also pointed out that her fashion choices not only pay homage to the legacy of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth but also serve as an important tool for connecting with the public and should not be minimized.

For years, the palace has maintained a policy of not always disclosing details about what Kate is wearing. As a result, online sleuths, most notably the siteWhat Kate Wore, have taken on the task of tracking down her outfits and sharing where to find similar pieces.

The full quote from The Sunday Times article read, “There is an absolute feeling that [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing.

“She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting,” the story continued. “There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it’s about the substance.”

After taking a step back from public duties for most of 2024 whileundergoing cancer treatment— completing her treatment in September andannouncing her remission in January— Princess Kate has been gradually easing back into her royal responsibilities. With a fresh perspective and what seems to be a renewed look, she has made several public appearances in the past 10 days.

Princess Kate visiting Ty Hafan children’s hospice in South Wales on Jan 30, 2025.Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty

Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty

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There is every likelihood that details about Princess Kate’s outfits will be shared during significant family and cultural occasions, such as royal tours or when she is hosting visiting heads of state.

The initial story in theSunday Timescame two days after Princess Kate, 43, stepped out in South Wales to visit aTŷ Hafan children’s hospice, coinciding with the announcement that she’s taking on its patronage (likePrincess Diana), and touring afamily run-textiles manufacturer, aligning with her interest in the industry.

Princess Kate on her visit to Ty Hafan children’s hospice, near Sully, South Wales on Jan. 30, 2025.RICHARD POHLE/POOL/AFP via Getty

RICHARD POHLE/POOL/AFP via Getty

It’s notable that Princess Kate’s team did not share the fashion credits for what she wore to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, her first solo royal engagement in over a year after she announced in March 2024 that she was undergoingtreatment for cancer.

source: people.com