Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Woman & Home
Woman & Home
Lifestyle
Jack Slater

Princess Kate’s ‘smart move’ which proves she is taking inspiration from the late Queen

The Princess of Wales opted for bright colours instead of traditional festive styles .

On Christmas Day, royal fans were, of course, excited to see what each of the family members were wearing when they took part in the annual tradition of the Sandringham walkabout.

And this year, the Royal Family most certainly did not disappoint.

Not only did the likes of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh and Lady Louise Windsor serve timeless looks, other memorable moments included different members of the family wearing matching scarves for a very touching reason. Then, all eyes were on the mischievous younger royals once again – but this time the main culprit wasn’t Prince Louis.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And, of course, Catherine, Princess of Wales stole the show in a stunning all-blue outfit which included a royal blue Alexander McQueen coat and eye-catching headpiece which featured an unusual arrow motif.

While her look has been hailed as one of her best ever, it was an unusual departure from her more traditional festive attire, and this, one royal expert, has been described as a “super smart move” on her part which is inspired by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

As quoted in Hello!, a royal fashion expert – Styled by Sian – said, “Princess Kate looks as chic as ever and I think it’s a super smart move to wear navy over the traditional red or green.”

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“Navy is a contemporary wardrobe staple and as someone who has such a public facing role, it will be an immediate crowd-pleaser. I imagine many people will be recreating her look. Monochromatic navy reflects her natural poise and elegance and moves traditional dress forward whilst sticking to her classic style,” she added.

With Christmas often a stressful time, with lots of family members to please, Princess Kate's decision to wear blue is a smart move as it can help create a feeling of calm, Sian explains.

“Blue releases oxytocin into our systems when we wear and see the colour. It reflects calm. The calmer we feel, the better communication we have and it helps build, strengthen and improve relationships.”

“Through her outfit, Princess Kate is giving us a message of calm and strength on Christmas Day which also reflects her role of HRH. Iconic.”


Kate opting for a vibrant colour and eschewing the more traditional and expected Christmas styles – such as tartan or burgundy – evokes the late Queen Elizabeth’s style secret of always opting for rainbow palettes.

The brighter she looked, the more people could easily spot her. And it would appear that the Princess of Wales is preparing for her future role as Queen by subtly incorporating more bright and bold options in her regular wardrobe rotation.

This isn’t the only wardrobe change fans have noticed in the Princess.

She’s seemingly ditched a style of dress since becoming the Princess of Wales in late 2022, and she’s adopted a more “serious” silhouette to send a subtle message that she’s prepared for her future role.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.