She paid a visit to a women's prison in Cheshire.
Kate Middleton is continuing her return to working royal life with another official visit, this time to a women’s prison in Cheshire. Stepping out on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, the princess met with inmates supported by Action for Children, a charity which funds mother-and-baby units in three prisons across England. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the visit was markedly more somber than her bus ride with school children last week.
Given the seriousness of the occasion, Middleton opted for an understated ensemble that was actually upcycled from her visit last month to the hospital where she underwent cancer treatment last year. More specifically, she re-wore the bespoke coat, designed for her by Blazé Milano and featuring a subtle tartan print. The princess paired her outerwear with a turtleneck sweater dress and dark brown suede boots.
The decision to once again re-wear an understated outfit comes at a time when extra attention is being paid to Middleton’s sartorial choices, in part thanks to an announcement that she no longer wished to share outfit details with the press. According to The Sunday Times UK, the princess wanted to focus on substance rather than style.
“There is an absolute feeling that it [her work] is not about what the princess is wearing,” an insider who spoke to the publication said, adding, “She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”
Following the controversial news, Kensington Palace issued a “rare” statement with regard to Middleton’s wardrobe details. Speaking with People, a spokesperson said, “Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding the Princess of Wales’ clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits.”
“To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not the Princess of Wales,” the statement continued. “The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to the Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.”