Princess Kate uses a clever method to protect her modesty and boost her elegance during public appearances.

The Princess of Wales is often pictured in stylish designer gowns which she sometimes gets altered. Kate joins other royals including trendsetter Princess Diana, who first became the royal to experiment with designs.

Royals sometimes amend their outfits to better-fit protocol. Sometimes this can be done by simply changing a neckline or removing a side slit. But for Kate, it isn’t just about fitting into the rules, she sometimes alters her outfits to wear them again for different occasions.

The mum of three can often be found turning heads due to her familiar but different outfits, which she famously recycles, such as her Alexander McQueen gown. This year, when Kate marked her return to public life at the Trooping the Colour, she gracefully re-wore a Jenny Packham dress from 2023.

Kate changed materials to protect her modesty at a wedding in Jordan (
Image:
PA)

She refashioned the monochrome design with a striped ribbon belt and matching bow at the shoulder. On another occasion, for the wedding of Crown Prince Al-Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif in Jordan, Kate swapped out a sheer panel in the bodice and skirt for opaque fabric. The stunning dress was from Elie Saab’s autumn/winter 2017 collection.

Kate has previously experimented with necklines and transformed a £1,455 Alessandra Rich dress ahead of A Berry Royal Christmas TV programme in 2019. The dress originally had a keyhole, which showed off cleavage, so Kate had it removed and added a wide bow to the neck of the dress instead.

Kate Middleton employs clever fashion tricks to protect her royal modesty

The Princess of Wales is well respected in the fashion world due to her unique takes and spin-off’s on famous designers clothes – and is said to alter ready-made gowns

Prince George, Charlotte, and Louis eagerly await exciting new Cambridge arrivals after ‘tough year’

5Comments

Kate changed materials to protect her modesty at a wedding in Jordan (
Image:
PA)

Kate removed a keyhole and added a ribbon instead (
Image:
BBC/Shine TV Ltd/Matt Porteous)Fans believe Kate became a fashion icon when she joined the royal family and said she decided to wear clothes which best reflected the public’s views of her. During the Channel 5 documentary, William & Kate: Too Good To Be True, royal author Tom Quinn reported that Kate decided to wear different clothes that were seen as “more appropriate” by the palace and public.

Speaking about her style, he commented: “Her clothing almost began to reflect what people saw in her character, a kind of restraint, kind of modesty almost. I think that did come about because William and Kate were coming towards the point where they would announce their engagement.”

Anthony McGrath, senior lecturer at the Fashion Retail Academy, previously told Insider: “Kate enjoys adjusting outfits to suit current trends. She will quite often add a bow, remove a keyhole, or change the length of skirts or sleeves to make them her own.”