Kate Middleton's re-worn funeral outfit has a sentimental nod to key royal figure

The Princess of Wales has continued her tradition of re-wearing garments when she attended theDuchess of Kent’s funeral this week in a black coat dress. Kate wore the Catherine Walker garment, which has a front bow, with a Jane Taylor London hat and small veil over her face.

The outfit was a sentimental nod to Prince Philip, as she wore the same outfit to his funeral in April 2021. On Tuesday, Kate paired the dress with sheer tights, black stilettos by Gianvito Rossi, and a small Chanel handbag. She even wore the same necklace - a triple string pearl necklace that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II - and a pair of pearl drop earrings.

At Prince Philip’s funeral, Kate accessorised the dress with black heels and a clutch bag with a gold clasp. She also wore a black face mask, as it was during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kate’s habit of re-wearing outfits ties in with her husband’s environmental passion with his Earthshot mission. Royal fashion expert Samantha, from Royal Fashion Daily, said: “For Kate, repeating isn’t just about convenience; it reflects her style ethos - choose pieces you love and wear them with confidence, time and again.”

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Samantha told The Express: “It’s not just ‘practical royal dressing’ - it’s a visible nod to sustainability. I hope she keeps at it, because repeating is one of the simplest yet most powerful messages she can send.”

Meanwhile, celebrity stylist Miranda Holder said of Kate’s re-wears: “This sends an important message to the rest of us, promoting sustainability in fashion, which is what fashion needs. We all know the damage fast fashion is doing to the planet.”

She added that we could learn from Kate and should aim to “buy less, buy better and then have fun buying clothes you love and finding new ways of wearing them”.

One item Kate regularly re-wears is her black Chanel flap bag, which she took to the funeral this week. She has also paired it with a cream blazer and lace skirt ensemble at the VE Day 80th Anniversary Concert, and with a black Alexander McQueen coat dress at the Festival of Remembrance in November.

The Duchess of Kent’s funeral was held privately at Westminster Cathedral this week, and was the first royal Catholic funeral in modern history. Following the Duchess’s death earlier this month, William and Kate issued a statement in which they said: "Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kentand his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.”

The Wales’s added: "The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family.” They signed the note “W&C”.