Always the thoughtful dresser, we've come to regard Kate Middleton as not only appropriately attired for any occasion — be it a speaking engagement, gala, or even fresh out of the hospital only a minute postpartum [1] — but one whose wardrobe choices are often imbued with hidden sentiment. That could certainly be said of her polka-dot dress on Tuesday [2] when Kate stepped out to visit to Bletchley Park for a special D-Day exhibition. We all applauded Kate's very relatable choice to rewear her polka-dot Alessandra Rich dress, which we first spotted her wearing for the portraits to celebrate Prince Charles's 70th birthday [3]. What we later noticed is that the dress also bears a striking resemblance to a polka-dot look Princess Diana wore in 1985.

Sure, some of the details are not exact — Princess Diana's dress comes with a ribbon at the neckline and noticeable shoulder pads (it was the '80s, after all!). Still, it's a resemblance so uncanny, we'd have to imagine Kate, too, has taken note. It's as if Kate plucked the same dress from the royal archives and gave it a fresh 2019 update. While that's not exactly the case — the dresses are from completely different designers — we love the way the duchess has, knowingly or not, called back to her very stylish late mother-in-law [4] and given us all another reason to love this look.

Princess Diana Wore Her Polka-Dot Dress in 1985

Kate Middleton Stepped Out in Her Polka-Dot Dress For an Event in May 2019

The Resemblance Is Spot-On

Thanks to the white collar and nearly identical colour scheme, we're practically seeing double.