We all know that Kate Middleton isn't afraid of a royal re-wear (especially in recent days). But the Princess of Wales took her sensible approach to fashion to the next level on Wednesday, Feb. 26, bringing a nearly 20-year-old jacket out of the vaults during a trip to Wales.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited the country ahead of its national holiday, St. David's Day, with Kate kicking off their visit in meaningful pieces that tied into the Welsh flag. While she wore the same red coat she showed off at the 2024 Together at Christmas concert, the royal later swapped the wool topper for a cropped brown tweed Ralph Lauren jacket she owned before she was even married to Prince William.
Princess Kate revealed her new look while stopping by the Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland in Pontypridd, Wales. For longtime royal fashion fans, it was an instantly recognizable piece, even though Kate hasn't worn the structured jacket since the 2007 Cheltenham Horse Festival. At the time, Prince William's then-girlfriend paired the fitted style with a matching midi skirt and tall boots, but for Wednesday's outing, she updated it with a brown turtleneck and pleated tartan Gucci skirt.
This isn't the first time in recent memory that the princess has worn a decades-old piece; she brought back a checked Aquascutum scarf she's owned since at least 2011 while shopping in London last month.
As for the rest of Kate's outfit in Wales, she honored St. David's Day with a daffodil pin—the country's national flower—and wore a pair of garnet hoops by Welsh small business Spells of Love. She also debuted a new bag, carrying a tan leather tote by royal fave handbag brand Aspinal of London.
Kensington Palace recently made headlines when a source said that they'd no longer release details about Kate's outfits, as the princess felt the focus should be on her work. However, the insider later backtracked and said that the comments never came from Kate. In the following days, she leaned heavily into repeat looks, even wearing the same plaid coat she debuted in January just a few weeks later.
The "Royal Dress Code" podcast recently released data revealing that the princess gets less attention in the press and on social media when she wears a repeat look. However, her strategy to bring back decades-old pieces is a smart one. Instead of gravitating to the same parade of trouser suits she wore in 2023, digging into her wardrobe for a "vintage" outfit that some fans might not remember is not only fun to see, but a sustainable choice, too.
While her Ralph Lauren jacket is at least 18 years old, naturally, it's tough to find the exact look. However, the brand offers a 2025 update in the form of a brown tweed moto jacket—pair it with a plaid skirt for an office-ready spring outfit.
