Kate Middleton wears meaningful coat for first appearance after Queen’s funeral
Kate Middleton is back in black.
The new Princess of Wales made a touching sartorial gesture today while meeting palace staff and volunteers who helped during Queen Elizabeth II’s committal service at Windsor Castle on Monday, stepping out in the same coat she wore for her first public appearance after Prince Philip’s 2021 funeral.
Dressed in a collarless black Dolce and Gabbana coat with two rows of gold buttons marching down the front, the 40-year-old royal joined Prince William for a surprise appearance to greet the local workers who made sure the service at St. George’s Chapel ran smoothly.
She first wore the piece — which retailed for $2,400 at the time — for another somber occasion, a Remembrance Sunday event in 2017.
Middleton repeated the designer coat for an April 2021 visit to the RAF Cadets Squadron in London — the first time the then-duke and duchess attended an official engagement after Prince Philip’s funeral.
For today’s outing, which was held at Windsor Guildhall, Middleton added black Gianvito Rossi pumps and her often-worn Annoushka pearl drops ($480) hanging from gold hoop earrings with diamond studs by Kiki McDonough ($676).
The princess was originally scheduled to attend the Laver Cup charity tennis event with Roger Federer today but canceled her appearance due to the official mourning period for the royal family, which continues this week.
Instead, the royal couple met “the people who sorted the portaloos, bins, moved flowers, programmed the road signs etc – all the unsung heroes who ensured everything ran so smoothly over the last few days,” per Daily Mail reporter Rebecca English.
Per English’s Twitter account, the Prince of Wales told people during the event that an incredible five rainbows had appeared over Balmoral after the Queen died at the age of 96 on September 8.
“You hardly ever see rainbows up there, but there were five,” William said, with his wife adding, “Her Majesty was looking down on us.”
