A former royal adviser has recalled the moment Prince William was left in stitches over one of Princess Catherine's early fashion choices. The anecdote, reported by The Times, centres on a light-hearted exchange from before the couple fully embraced life as senior working royals.
The adviser recalled: “Before Kate realised that as a senior royal you have to dress carefully, having taken advice, she once bought an outfit that William considered inappropriate.”
The adviser continued: “He told Kate she looked as if she’d just run through a charity shop covered in superglue. Everyone thought this was very funny, including, to her credit, Kate.” The outfit in question was never identified.
From student fashion to royal style
Long before joining the Royal Family, Catherine experimented with a different style while studying at the University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William. In 2002, she walked a student charity fashion show wearing a sheer Charlotte Todd skirt styled as a dress – an appearance widely credited with catching William's attention.
In 2008, she embraced a bolder look at an '80s-themed charity roller disco at the Renaissance Rooms in London, wearing a green sequinned halterneck top with neon yellow hot pants, bright pink leg warmers and knee-high heeled boots. By the time she announced her engagement to Prince William in 2010, her style had already begun to evolve.
A fashion icon
Since then, the Princess of Wales has built a reputation for timeless, sophisticated dressing, regularly choosing British designers while balancing high-end fashion with accessible high street pieces. Luxury labels including Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham have become staples of her wardrobe, while carefully considered outfits often pay tribute to charities, communities and countries she visits.
More than a decade after joining the Royal Family, Catherine is now regarded as one of the world's most influential royal dressers, with many of her outfits selling out within hours of appearing in public.
