After a three-year hiatus, Kate Middleton [1] embarked on a solo tour of Denmark, looking as regal [2] as one would expect. The Duchess of Cambridge embraced one of her signature silhouettes for the second half of her last day: a double-breasted, knee-length grey coat dress by couture house Catherine Walker [3]. Middleton accessorised her look with a black Mulberry bag, stylish leather gloves, Gianvito Rossi pointed-toe pumps, and pearls. Though the coat dress has almost become synonymous with Middleton, this particular outfit seems like a nod to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
Indeed Middleton's silhouette is one that Princess Diana embraced over a decade ago. Many will recall the grey herringbone and velvet collar coat the Princess of Wales wore to the Barnabas Children's Charity in 2008. Lady Di styled it as a midi dress, layering it over a crisp white button-down shirt for a chic finish.
Middleton's admiration of her late mother-in-law is clear, as she wore a similar Diana-inspired look for her meeting with Queen Margrethe and Princess Mary. She also paid homage to Diana's legacy when she wore the Princess's jewels to capture her 40th birthday portrait [4].
The coat dress is a style Middleton wears often. On a visit to the Royal Opera House in 2019, she opted for a purple Oscar de la Renta coat dress. That same year in Scotland, she was spotted in a tartan Alexander McQueen coat with the Duke of Cambridge while visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum. When she joined Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to King's College in London, she sported a belted Catherine Walker grey coat dress, and the list goes on. A timeless coat dress is Middleton's secret to looking polished and regal.
Ahead, see both Kate Middleton and Princess Diana's iconic coat dresses, and shop their accessories.