Duchess Kate steps out in a LK Bennett coat & a keen, Christmasy Goat dress

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the BBC Studio's at Media City

The keenness is overwhelming me! Who knew that all it would take was Prince Harry’s engagement for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to actually *be* keen on working? William and Kate stepped out today in Manchester, in what seemed to be an appearance that was only scheduled this week. They visited BBC’s Bridge House in Media City for the Children’s Global Media Summit.

For this trip, Kate wore a coat for its proper purpose – to be worn outside and taken off indoors. The coat is a grey plaid LK Bennett piece, and the Daily Mail helpfully pointed out that James Middleton’s on-again/off-again girlfriend Donna Air wore the same coat a few weeks ago. Underneath the LK Bennett, Kate wore a bright red dress from Goat. I’m actually a big fan of the combination of black tights, black chunky heels and a bright dress, although there’s something that feels slightly “off” about the combination on Kate. I’m trying to figure it out – maybe one good accessory would really bring this together? Like a black-and-red clutch? I also appreciate that she’s experimenting with a different kind of sleeve and neckline, but the truth is that this dress isn’t cut all that well. The coat costs £495, and the dress costs £450.

My God, they really have finally become keen, haven’t they?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Children's Global Media Summit

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the BBC Studio's at Media City

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the BBC Studio's at Media City

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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163 Responses to “Duchess Kate steps out in a LK Bennett coat & a keen, Christmasy Goat dress”

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  1. poop says:

    I love her in that coat! Her hair looks amazing.

    • Lahdidahbaby says:

      Yup, love the coat and the tights and the IDEA of the red dress — but the dress itself isn’t cut well, and because of that it hangs poorly and looks a bit cheap. Still, overall it’s a nice look. And unlike others here, I honestly don’t think the dress is too short — with dark tights you can get away with a shorter length, and she has pretty legs, so why not show them a bit more when your midsection is growing bigger with child?

      • notasugarhere says:

        The dress code for her job is hems to knee or lower, tights or no tights. This is her standard response during pregnancy – shorter hems.

      • Lirko says:

        Agree. I think the length is just fine. Those are legit tights-not panty hose. She is covered. And, all in all, she looks comfortable and classy. Go Kate!

      • Alix says:

        The dress DOES look cheap. An extra inch or two on the hem would help, too.

      • RoyalSparkle says:

        My Gosh – underwhelmed Tiara wearing – the evening before then grannie frumpy looking worse than a 90 year old. Almost two decades chasing/stalking marriage – and nothing has been learned. From too short to awful tailoring for a Coat – Do Little Middleton misses the splendor and regalness of Royalty 99.99 percent of the time.

        The children sense the insincere don’t care feel of these two – kids look depressed they didn’t have a Prince Henry Couple Nottingham like visit.

        Looking at the Monarchy longevity after King Charles, potential King Henry Couple will be the go to heir. I doubt these two gives a rat… to change for the better of the BRF -GB CW.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        To RoyalSparkle: I noticed that about the kids, too! In fact, the last time there were pics of her visiting a school, NONE of the kids were even looking at her. She cannot even engage with a single child. If the “business” of the royal family is public relations (which I think it is), then she is failing dismally. At this point, why even make her try? Just pay her money to do nothing but shop and go on vacation, and chalk it up to the price of having a monarchy.

      • magnoliarose says:

        The dress looks terrible on her because it is made for a petite cute woman, not a tall, handsome one. The fabric is a nope.

      • Megan says:

        The dress looks like it was made for a toddler.

    • Squiggisbig says:

      Good for Kate for stepping it up!

      I like her shoes and coat but man…that dress does nothing for her. It looks like an old sweatshirt from the 80s. And the fit is just terrible. I just want to know who did this to her and why???

    • imqrious2 says:

      I think she looks great. Only thing I would add is a long necklace/pendant, or perhaps a long tie scarf, in pink, orange, and purple to complete the 60’s vibe of the dress. Otherwise, thumbs up on this outfit 😊

    • Bella Dupont says:

      Both the coat and dress are aggressively ugly.

      On the plus side, her face looks nicer fuller.

    • NJBeachGirl says:

      Me, too! I love the coat, love the red of the dress, even like the tights and shoes. She looks somewhat hip. But the shape of the dress, just horrible.
      Come on, Kate!! You can do it!!

  2. Natalie S says:

    Jackie in the mid to late 60s? The hair is giving me 60s society lady vibes.

    • Jb says:

      Love the color but it’s too short

      • Nic919 says:

        Agree. This is a conference where she will be sitting down for speeches too… so that dress is going to look shorter.

        She has too much makeup on for the daytime event. It’s like she kept what she was wearing the night before.

      • Seraphina says:

        I agree JB. Way too short. And it makes her look toddlerish.
        And for the amount of money PC spent on her clothes, they could have and should have done way better.
        On another note, if all it took was PH getting engaged to a woman who was polished and keen on philanthropy- some of the palace LR would have pushed Harry to MM years ago.

      • minx says:

        Yes, too short.
        Yes, too much makeup. She looks tired so maybe she’s trying to compensate and IMO that never works.

      • Mrs. WelenMelon says:

        Great color. Needs a bracelet or a fun brooch, like a snowflake made of diamonds. Dress too short, hair too long for her age and job. To paraphrase the great Iris Appel, we as a society don’t talk much about appropriate but there is such a thing as appropriate.

      • lkaye says:

        Hair too long for her age? She is 35, not 75. What a ridiculous thing to say

      • Natalie S says:

        I think she looks fine. A little boring but the color is really nice. She’s wearing stockings so I think the dress is fine. Hair and makeup, those are her decisions to make. She’s not a living doll. She’s presentable and she looks nice.

      • SK says:

        It is absolutely fine. She is not a nun. She is wearing opaque black tights. Other women of similar stature wear hemlines like this with little comment regularly.

      • Sonya says:

        @Ikaye, a lot of people here say “hair too long for her age.” They say it about Meghan too. I suspect it’s because a lot of people on this site are, shall we say, older “mature” women?

      • SoulSPA says:

        Yes it’s too short. I won’t bother to say more.

    • Hazel says:

      I was thinking she looks more like Mary Tyler Moore from the MTM Show.

      • Rosalee says:

        Hair too long for her age? I have salt and pepper hair to my waist and I am nearly twice her age. As soon as women reach a certain age are we to be delegated to bobs, comfortable shoes and twin sets..geez and I just bought Dr. Martens.

    • Liberty says:

      Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) in the 1960s. I got a set of the show on DVD a few years ago from a friend and then looked at Rigg’s bio and pix online. And this is it, down to the cat eye corners on her eyeliner. I still think Kate looks ok here, but agree the dress looked kind of cheaply made.

  3. Jayna says:

    I want that coat.

  4. monette says:

    Her last 5 appearences or so since Meghan Mania started have been some of her best looks.
    Love the red dress and the coat.
    But I still side-eye her for all those years of laziness.
    Duchess of Dolittle

    • Jessica says:

      I think she’s looked particularly lackluster lately. I don’t get why everyone is lavishing praise on her for looking mediocre.

      • ABC says:

        I too think she looks absolutely awful. Hopefully it’s just bad photos but the outfit itself is so cheap looking. And hate hate hate the almost sausage curl hair. Ugh. Can’t think of anything positive to say, William looks dull and smug and self-important as usual. Where’s Magic and Sparkle, I need a fix!

      • RoyalSparkle says:

        +1000

        Overdone sky higher heels especially after Princess Henry engagement stilts. Waitie trying to catch up – hard to believe she is the same age as Princess Sparkle (and ‘middleton mafia’ – carol pips wanna bes – out in force trying to keep up to Princess Henry in waiting). Three middletons against Princess Sparkle – hands down!

      • minx says:

        I would like her with a haircut like Pippa’s. Just something more modern.

      • magnoliarose says:

        The hair is dated.

      • Cher says:

        I agree. Maybe the pregnancy is taking it’s toll on her. The fit of the dress looks off, cheap and is to short. The color is nice.

    • Talie says:

      Word. This is a surprisingly chic look for her….it’s pretty obvious now that these two are stepping up their game. I mean, even Harry is.

      Who knew an American actress was going to put everyone on notice like this. Quite a development!

      • RoyalSparkle says:

        Its all call Professionalism – a Work Ethics!

        Potential King Henry had it even before – only that he is showing much more powerful maturity – King -ly to be sure!

  5. monette says:

    Her last 5 appearences or so since Meghan Mania started have been some of her best looks.
    Love the red dress and the coat.
    But I still side-eye her for all those years of laziness.
    # never forget Duchess of Dolittle

  6. Luca76 says:

    All I think when I see her ‘is she ever going to start showing?’ What a lucky woman.

    • JA says:

      Doesn’t she have a very unhealthy obsession with her weight and is known to over exercise? I read somewhere that leading up to and since marrying her weight is a constant fear/anxiety issue for her. Wouldn’t really use the word lucky when describing her pregnancy body, she probably has some body issue anxieties she’s dealing with.

      • Jayna says:

        She’s tall with a long torso. She carries fine in her pregnancy. She just doesn’t show as much for a while, like many lucky women. It’s not that she’s unhealthy.
        She will eventually start showing though, like here.

        https://i.pinimg.com/736x/86/d5/e1/86d5e122a9be232d03ab44e765464fd8–maternity-styles-asos-maternity-dresses.jpg

      • Nic919 says:

        An argument in favour of her having HG is that those with eating disorders are more likely to develop it.

      • Cath says:

        Yes – concur with your observations! She had exhibited a huge fixation with her weight since the engagement when she dropped a ton of weight. This preoccupation is not healthy in general but especially when you are pregnant. For now she can hide behind make up& strategic wardrobe choices but in the long term she will suffer health wise – ie bones, organs, premature ageing etc.

      • Cath says:

        Yes – concur with your observations! She had exhibited a huge fixation with her weight since the engagement when she dropped a ton of weight. This preoccupation is not healthy in general but especially when you are pregnant. For now she can hide behind make up& strategic wardrobe choices but in the long term she will suffer health wise – ie bones, organs, premature ageing etc.

      • magnoliarose says:

        She does have an obsession with her weight and had eating problems. Tall women don’t show as early, and then one day it shows suddenly.

    • RedWeatherTiger says:

      Was thinking the same thing. By the time I was pregnant with my third child, I started showing before I even knew I was pregnant.

      Reminds me of the line from the late, great Erma Bombeck: “she was so thin, she must have carried her babies in a shopping bag for nine months.”

  7. Becks says:

    I think she looks really good. Love how you can see glimpses of the red dress underneath the black and white coat and I think the dress looks good on her. It does remind me of the burgundy tunic she wore a few weeks back, but I liked that on her too.

    and lol at this newfound “keenness.”

    • Llamas says:

      I don’t think their keenness has anything to do with harry and Meghan; at the end of every year they cram in a ton of events just to raise their numbers. I’m not sure why it suddenly is because of HM when they do this every year.

  8. Becks says:

    Also I notice she has been in a lot of new stuff lately (not all new, the black lace dress was a repeat as was the white coat from a few weeks ago) but mostly new. I wonder if that’s part of the discussion/decision/negotiation/whatever.

  9. Clare says:

    I enjoy the ‘dont forget about meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’, but for 450 quid that dress is awful. Just go to H&M next time!

    • Olenna says:

      Agree. The dress is boring (and a tad too short). The fabric might be wool crepe (can’t really tell), but the cut just gives it an off-the-rack look. I don’t care for the black tights, either. The coat is just “meh”.

      • AnnaKist says:

        It’s the boob flaps on the coat that put me off it. I think the dress is too short as well, and side-on, looks a bit too wide for her. I love the colour combo, though.

    • AnnaKist says:

      I agree, Clare. It’s Summer here, and I just bought my daughter an almost identical dress from one of my favourite online stores. It was a last-Winter dress, and on sale for $39. It’s very well made, the fabric is beautiful, and will be perfect for work when the weather cools down again. You don’t have to be rich to dress well. You just have to know what suits you and where to buy it at a good price.

    • magnoliarose says:

      The dress is poorly made and does not suit her looks or body type. I see the shoulder pad outlines. Expensive doesn’t mean better all the time. The cost should match the quality, and if the quality is good for the price then it is good, but this isn’t.

      • nic919 says:

        She has so many outfits like this where they are priced exceedingly high and yet are poorly made or poorly hemmed. She needs a stylist who understands quality clothing.

      • Bella Dupont says:

        Magnolia….

        I love and wear a fair amount of LK Bennet clothes for work, but this coat on her…..ugghhh

        A lot of models win jobs because they are blessed to have bodies/faces proportioned in such a way that they make clothes look even better cut/luxurious than they actually are….Maybe Kate suffers from the opposite affliction.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Sadly even her custom pieces are often badly made. The mess she wore at her sister’s wedding? You could see all the seam allowances through the fabric because it wasn’t lined properly, plus it was a pile of an unflattering design ideas thrown together.

  10. aquarius64 says:

    The hem is too high from her usual looks. I think Kate see Meghan as competition in the fashion sweepstakes and she is trying to shake the dowdy image.

    • Llamas says:

      She always wears mini dresses when she pregnant. I don’t get it. Those dresses are fine for someone that’s not in her position.

  11. A Croatian says:

    That’s not a dress, that’s a long sweater 😀
    But I love it!

    • Charlie says:

      It’s not a sweater, it’s a $640 dress made out of cheap synthetic (acetate and viscose) material – which is why the construction isn’t able to be anything but lousy –

      • Hazel says:

        Ugh, that’s one of my least favorite fabric content options. And I cannot understand why such cheap fabric could result in such a pricey dress.
        Both Kate and Pippa tolerate these created fabrics much more than I can.

      • magnoliarose says:

        Ewww I hate that offensive material. It is like acrylic or cheap rayon. Eww. I prefer breathable textiles. *haughtily said with a snobby sniff*

    • Citresse says:

      Yeah it’s too short…….. I mean next time why doesn’t she just break out the white lipstick and some go-go boots?

      • Deedee says:

        At least a little Austin Powers vibe would be more interesting than this mess. Her styling is awful, as usual. That sketchy hemline is making Mr. Bigglesworth upset.

  12. Jessica says:

    Kate seems so blah compared to Megan. Megan has real star power and Meg and Harry make Will and Kate seem so boring and bland.

  13. Claire says:

    God I wish I had her legs. Or just legs decent looking enough that I could wear cute dresses like that…

  14. JaneDoesWork says:

    Am I the only one who thinks that Kate should wear more Kate Spade?

  15. Realitycheck says:

    It’s too short for a royal.

    • CynicalAnn says:

      I get wearing something shorter when you’re pregnant so you don’t feel so blocky-but it could be another inch longer for sure.

    • dlc says:

      Its too short for a professional for sure. Private time, wear as short as you’d like. If anyone should be copying cbk it should be kate. Their figures are more similar.

    • Bella Dupont says:

      I don’t even mind the length…..it’s the fit that’s killing me.

  16. CynicalAnn says:

    It’s a little too short and she should be wearing a necklace-but otherwise she looks fine. It’s a good color on her, and I do like the coat.

  17. JennyJenny says:

    I clicked this story just to see what a ‘Christmasy Goat dress’ looked like!

    PS ~ I own 6 goats 💗

    • ABC says:

      Awww! I love goats, they are mad wee buggers tho. I ‘pet sat’ 9 Pygmys not so long ago and they were the friendliest I’ve ever met, although the boys do smell! Last goats I knew before that lot the billy kept escaping onto the railway line.. Love all crazy goats! Enjoy..

    • OriginalLala says:

      I LOVE goats, so much it hurts. I would love a few pet goats but my hubby says our clowder of cats is more than enough 🙁

  18. Lainey says:

    Don’t worry, after Christmas they’ll disappear again they always do. Kate doesnt have anything else scheduled for the rest of the year. William has at least the Star Wars premiere.
    She has this kind of coat from about 4 different designers in different colours, but God knows Kate must have every coat in every colour.

  19. vava says:

    As others have said, they always have engagements in the weeks leading up to Christmas. This is nothing new.

    The coat is nice, I like the shoes, too. Tights are good.

    The dress though…………it looks cheap. It is on the short side and would look better with some Stuart Weitzman OTK boots.

    Not a big fan of either the makeup or this really dark hair color – and I think her hair looks better with an off-center part.

    • Jayna says:

      Love her coat, makeup, and hair. I’m not a fan of the dress either, even though I like the color. The dress does look cheap. Although, in person maybe the dress is a little prettier than photographs. I’m still not a fan of it from photos, though.

  20. Tess says:

    Oh poor Kate, I actually do sympathize with her being pregnant while Harry and Megan are in their prime limelight.

  21. Starryfish says:

    Wake me up when they keep up this pace of engagements for more than 6 weeks.

  22. Vicsy says:

    The coat is great and I like the overall mod vibes of the look. Not feeling the dress though, the triangle cut is not flattering and it’s way too short. The fabric seems blah as well. Also, the bag is sooooooo “old lady”.

  23. Jenny says:

    I never bought into Kaiser’s narrative about Will and Kate before, their lack of work ethics etc but I’m starting to now. It’s so strange to suddenly see so much of them and it makes me realize how little they usually do of public appearances and royal duties. And it can’t be a coincidence that this sudden “keen-ness” comes right after the engagement. Also, I really don’t like this outfit. But at least it’s better than the horrible ensemble Meghan wore for her first princess-gig. I think both of them should hire better stylists.

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      Kaiser has spot on insights on them. But welcome to the party. It’s a weird thing to say since it’s not a party-party. Laziness is no cause for celebration.
      She kannot dress properly and kannot understand that she in her royal role she has a certain image to project. But she knows better, doesn’t she? She decides what to wear.
      That red dress is awful. I like the red-black combo, but that fabric looks uber cheap and the wrist part of the sleeve- I have no idea what that’s called, looks funny.

    • SoulSPA says:

      Yes, Jenny. The official narrative is that she’s making up for lack of engagements having cancelled some, not many of course, because of the start of the pregnancy. Still nothing of substance. A few appearances here and there. And she and her equally lazy husband always increase the number of events by the end of the year.
      I think that the real test will be the beginning of the next year. Will she go again MIA or will she keep showing up. I am hoping to see more of Meghan, though.

  24. Cee says:

    I can’t believe she took off her coat! Jokes aside – what’s missing, IMO, to this outfit (her most interesting to date) is a longer hemline and maybe a different hair do.
    Also – she looks tired. Is she in her second trimester?

  25. perplexed says:

    I don’t like the dress much, but she is pregnant, so maybe this kind of outfit is comfortable for her to wear.

  26. Melissa says:

    What’s with the overuse of “keen” in every Kate-related post? I feel like there’s an inside joke I’m missing, or something.

    • Olive says:

      Kate’s people are forever putting out statements about how “keen” she is to do this, or learn this, or learn that, or hold meetings, but it’s all talk of being keen and never any action from Kate.

    • AV says:

      British people use the word “keen” a lot, but since the only real “British” news covered here is royal-related stuff, it’s always attributed to KM.

      • LAK says:

        It’s not that we Brits use the word ‘keen’ in our everyday language, it’s that Kate’s PR statements and indeed every media article about her uses it repeatedly and often as if it were the only adjective in the dictionary.

        One would say it’s her signature.

  27. MellyMel says:

    She needs a necklace or some kind of accessory…as usual. But she looks cute. I kinda feel she dresses better when she’s pregnant. It’s like the clothes fit her better for some reason.

    • graymatters says:

      I think that’s the extra weight she gains to get and stay pregnant. She looks slender and strong rather than gaunt and angular and there isn’t the over-tailoring to emphasize a small midsection when she’s pregnant.

  28. Saucy says:

    Blimey – she looks older (I don’t want to say “old” as it has negative connotations) but she really does look a lot older than her years. Being keen clearly takes its toll…

    • NJBeachGirl says:

      She doesn’t look older than her age. She looks normal for her age.
      People who don’t have an axe to grind about Kate, like my mother, always talks about how beautiful she is. I think she is a pretty woman, who should work more and dress more appropriately, but the hatred she gets around here is really just so misogynistic. Her hair, skin, age, wrinkles, wiglets, long waist. Come on. Kate ain’t the devil and Meghan isn’t the saint. They are both women about the same age, both attractive, but different.

  29. Lol says:

    The coat is nice. Ugly dress though and way to short. As for them working I’ll believe it when I see it. They always do a lot events at the end of the yr to get those numbers up. Let’s wait until after new years. Well not for kate since shell be on maternity leave….lol

  30. Olive says:

    or it isn’t related to Harry and Meghan, and this is just what they do EVERY end of year in a frantic effort to boost their numbers for the year.

    • AV says:

      Agreed…. They announced they were planning to move to London and become full-time royals almost a year ago. It has nothing to do with MM. I imagine KM will be relieved to have someone else to be in public, and she can do quieter events. She is obligated to show up to huge events as the spouse of the future monarch, but absolutely nothing about her strikes me as someone who enjoys media attention. Her first conversation with the media was after her formal, official engagement – she isn’t exactly dropping selfies on instagram or anything.

      • LAK says:

        They have been saying they would move to London every year since 2013. That is one of the reasons they rushed to refurbish their homes, particularly their London home because it was said they would start working full time that year. A helicopter was leased to ease them into work duties. Instead they moved semi-permanently to Anmer Hall and William took up a job at EAAA.

        When they said they would move this year, no one believed they would and Philip’s sudden retirement is what forced them to come back. If the old boy had more work in him, no way they would have come back without geing forced to. As Willuam told us in that EAAA interview, he is perfectly fine with the older members of his damily doing royal duties as he got on with his work #whateverworkmeans.

  31. Lexa says:

    Man, I feel like these last few posts have turned me into a Kate apologist after years of being critical of her for putting off full time royal duties for as long as possible. This dress is too short, that dress was too dowdy—girlfriend truly cannot win. For what it’s worth, I’m a few years younger than her and did not find this hemline too short for a professional setting, especially with the black tights. And I actually wonder if her recent fashion hits have more to do (or equally to do) with Catherine Quinn coming on board than Meghan. I always thought Rebecca Deacon and Kate VERY dressed similarly and wondered if Rebecca wasn’t giving her the best advice on that front. I am curious to see how Kate and Meghan will try to differentiate their styles, or if Meghan will start leaning into the more conservative style of coat dresses.

    • NJBeachGirl says:

      Oh, boy. Me, too. I don’t love Kate, but feel badly for her with all the vitriol on this site.

  32. julie says:

    What is the difference between tights and pantyhose

    • magnoliarose says:

      Tights are thicker and opaque.

      • LAK says:

        It’s an British vs American english thing ie different names for the same thing depending on whether you are British or American. Brits call them tights and Americans call them pantyhose.

        If we make a distinction in denier, we’d say sheer tights or thick tights. Tights as worn by Iate above fall into ‘thick tights’ category. She usually wears sheer tights.

        Have no idea whether Americans distinguish deniers by name.

  33. Citresse says:

    Kate looks good here though I think she could improve her maternity wear.
    It looks like she went darker with her hair then added a few highlights. It looks good.
    The dark tights are nice and the coat is beautiful.
    I have to doubt the keen factor. W&K are trying to up their numbers as we approach end of year.
    I have to wonder if Prince Philip did more engagements even though he retired some months back.

    • imqrious2 says:

      Part of the problem is she doesn’t wear maternity wear. She usually orders a “regular” dress in a size or so up (hence the front usually is too short, as it’s not cut to accommodate a pregnant stomach).

  34. Joannie says:

    She has great legs.

  35. Jill says:

    Can we just stop with the ‘keen’ crap, or is that just me.

    After 2017 I’m kind of over ragging on mostly decent human beings who are just trying to get by, no matter what their position/title. The world has shown there are a lot of worse things you can be besides lackadaisical or an heir factory. Maybe I’m not able to totally grasp it because I’m not British but, she’s mostly harmless in a largely ceremonial role. Let’s just try to be kind and save our snark for the assholes who deserve it.

    • Joannie says:

      I totally agree. It’s so immature and really degrading to someone who doesnt deserve it. Same goes for the waity and normal bill. School yard mentality!

    • nic919 says:

      Jason Knauf uses “keen” in his press releases over at KP, so I am not sure how that word is degrading.
      As for harmless, well the royals get to live a life of luxury and no repercussions for having a third child, whereas the regular UK peasants get benefits cut off for a third child, unless they can prove they were raped. So perhaps the people who are seeing their benefits and health services cut don’t find this family quite so harmless. (to be fair Meghan will be taking up resources that could be spend on taxpayers as well)

    • LAK says:

      Better write to KP then.

      Almost every other word in their press statements for Kate is ‘keen’. They have abused that word to the extreme.

    • Natalie S says:

      From my cold, dead hands…

      Also, the money that Kate lives on comes from somewhere. Someone that lives that high on the hog while lacking a sense of duty is not harmless.

  36. Amelie says:

    Love the coat minus the two flaps hanging right above each boob.

    The dress length is appropriate though the dress in general just seems too big on her and just kind of hangs there like a sack. She’s pregnant though and maybe it’s a maternity dress but bought too big? However her dress is riding up so much under her coat in the second picture. That’s not just me is it? I get so self conscious about dresses riding up with tights due to static cling so I specifically buy dresses that can be worn with tights or I put lotion on the the tights under the dress to reduce the effect of static cling. I realize here it’s probably the coat forcing the dress to ride up so high but again I would be so self conscious about this I wouldn’t have worn this outfit!

    • Elaine says:

      The dress length is not appropriate. Way too short for an HRH on an official engagement, representing Her Majesty the Queen.

      • nic919 says:

        But her legs are great so it’s ok. :-/

      • SoulSPA says:

        I’ve said before that she thinks her legs are her best asset and keeps showing them off. What she should show off is intelligence and work ethic. We as a society should emphasize those traits. She, given the immense privilege of her position and title, should lead by example. Otherwise she will be known in history as the Catherine The Queen With Good Legs, Thick Hair And Maniac Smile.

    • Scarlett says:

      She does love boob flaps on her dresses! That white dress she wore in India to a war memorial ceremony that blew up past her waist and flashed everyone there had the same boob flap features. Shudder….

  37. Katebush says:

    She looks really nice here, always looks good in jewel tones and I love the coat.
    She can’t win on here though …if she doesn’t work she’s lazy and if she does work she’s ‘keen’ it’s getting a bit tired!

    • curious says:

      Holding her hands like she doesn with the red skirt/coat does ruin it. She looks too tense for such a bright fun colour. I think they should have given her a clutch then she could have hold on to something with at least one hand.

  38. curious says:

    Black tights and shoes and bright red dress and nevertheless Kate manages to look bland. She looks as if she forgot to bring her personality. *LOL*

  39. Starlight says:

    I love the red dress not sure about the coat but is it the fashion to over emphasise eyebrows by drawing a black line in the shape other than looking like a clown not sure I like the look

  40. Bianca says:

    Her hands look bigger, maybe she is retaining water? She probably doesn’t feel very well, sometimes the pregnancy takes all the energy from you. I would feel exhausted to be pregnant and have two small kids at home (even with all the help she has).

  41. Aerohead21 says:

    It’s not only an awful sleeve but it needs something right under the bustling to make it look less like a sack and more like a dress. Otherwise it looks great and comfy for a pregnant lady.

  42. Lulu says:

    I’m anti-monarchy so I’m not really interested in what W&K are doing, how much work etc, as I think it is all unnecessary expense as a U.K. taxpayer.

    However, Kate is still a woman, and I strongly believe no one has the right to tell a woman her hemline is too high, whoever she is and whatever her job. Before everyone piles on about how this is a gossip site – there are multiple comments saying the dress is too short, which carry with them a moral judgement about what a woman ‘in Kate’s position’ should and shouldn’t be wearing.

    There was a case earlier this year where a woman mounted a legal challenge after being fired for refusing to wear high heels in her job as a receptionist. I believe workplace dress codes are outdated, patronising and infantilising, and they overwhelmingly concentrate on the so-called suitability of clothing for women.

    For me, this goes together with the current #metoo movement. The length of a woman’s skirt has absolutely no bearing on her professionalism.

    • Elaine says:

      LOL. And I believe no one has a right to tell me that I have no right to comment on the appropriateness of her hem lengths.

      The dress is too short.

      There are reasons uniforms exist. She is a Royal, out of ‘uniform’.

    • Pumpkin (formally soup, pie) says:

      Nobody is disputing the fact that public opinion should refrain from judging the appearance of a woman – should she be in the public eye or not. The issue is that there are protocols regarding what royals should wear in order to project a certain image- and hem lengths are included. There are even these hem weights that are sown into the garment so the wind doesn’t blow the skirt up and expose the nether parts of the woman in question. Which, in case you don’t know, has already happened. What a “proud” moment.
      Women from other royal families are usually flawless when it comes to their choice of attire – not that they don’t get criticized as to colors, fabric, cut. So it’s not difficult. It’s about respect for the role.
      I strongly believe in work dress codes – obviously not those including cruel criteria such as high heels when you have to be on your feet for 8hrs. They exist for a reason. Suitability of clothing for women? There are dress codes for men too in many professions. But yes, women are judged more severely then men, which is outrageous. And women are judged by other women too, which is probably worse.

      • nic919 says:

        In most business environments men are expected to wear suits all the time whereas women have more options. While the restaurant industry is very sexist and the women have to dress more sexy than the men, (which of course should be challenged) the business and legal world are conservative for men and women. And since the Royal Family is a conservative institution, Kate should be dressing more like Catherine Quinn. But since Kate never had a real job, she has no idea how professional women dress up. Compare her to Amal Clooney, who may have odd casual style, but her attire for professional events is always on par and has an element of funkiness as well. Amal would not wear an outfit like this to a children’s conference, but then again Amal has worked real jobs.

    • SoulSPA says:

      Dress codes for the workplace exist for a good reason. And should be tailored so they would not be detrimental to one’s health and dignity. In some cases, the dress code projects/reflects a company’s or an institution’s image. Any royal family is representative of a country and its people. The royals are the highest ranking people in their country. So yes, physical image is the first thing people see. It’s visible, for lack of a better word. You can see pictures but not hear them talking or see them working. Having a good image is the single most basic thing. There are royal dress codes for the job that being a royal entails. Other than Kate and of course Fergie ages ago, all BRF women and men seem to do it right.
      Image is everything for Kate and about Kate because she has nothing to show of substance. She cannot even get her physical image right.

      • Ollie says:

        The royal dress code has changed. All the younger royal women now wear short dresses. Madeleine, Victoria & Sofia of Sweden, Alexandra of Luxembourg, Charlene of Monaco. Even Queen Letizia shows half of her bare upper leg when she’s representing Spain!
        They all wear short skirts/dresses for work. A Princess decides what a Princess has to wear. And they have spoken. There is nothing wrong with Kate’s hemlines.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Ollie, the dress code for each royal family is set by the monarch of that family. QEII has one dress code, other monarchs have different ones. Since Felipe was said to be the one to convince Letizia that she had nice legs (she wore pants for years because she thought her legs were her worst feature), it isn’t surprising that as king he’s okay with her shorter hems.

      • Ollie says:

        There you have it. The Queen is obviously ok with the younger generations having their own modern dresscode. Kate wears short hemlines for years, Eugenie and Bea sometimes attend their few royal functions in minis too.
        It’s time the old royal watchers update to the modern dresscode for the young royals. The Queen and her children still live by the old dresscode, the grandchildren not.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Eugenie and Beatrice are not working royals, and no one has to follow the dress code at private events (Order of Garter, Christmas walk at Sandringham, etc.). At no time are B&E representing HM, so no dress code for them to follow. Even their events for Great UK and the trip to Germany were on personal time, requested by the organizers not as HM’s representatives. Any charity work B&E do is on personal time, of their own volition, and doesn’t fall under the Firm’s dress code because they don’t work for it.

        HM’s dress code remains in place for working royals, and you’ll notice they all follow it. Even Sophie who is decade or two younger than the majority of the working Firm staff. It also remains in place for anyone in “her box” at Ascot and anyone attending formal functions she hosts (see Rita Wilson’s hilarious article about trying to find a dress that meets code).

    • Natalie S says:

      I’m feeling some of what you’re saying. It’s one thing to give an opinion essentially saying not my style for clothes or makeup or hairstyle and making suggestions on what you like or think is more flattering for someone. That’s still pretty light-hearted.

      But deciding something is right and this person is wrong until they do what you’ve decided they should do -looking them up and down and marking them like that is different. That feels like we’re encroaching on her bodily autonomy. There’s some heavy history behind dictating what is “right” in appearance for women.

      • notasugarhere says:

        A work dress code does not encroach on “her bodily autonomy”. She can wear whatever she wants in her loads of personal time. On the job, just like the rest of us, she has to follow the dress code set by the workplace (in this instance, HM).

      • Natalie S says:

        My main point of issue from the general comments, not your post, is her hair length. Opinions on what hairstyle would be more flattering or practical is one thing, but the comments on her hair being too long are so weird to me. For me, that’s well into questions of bodily autonomy.

        And the thing with the BRF and most privileged people is there aren’t many hard and fast rules. The practice of wearing longer hems were last addressed really with Sophie. Kate’s wearing stockings. She’s completely covered up. IMO, the outline of her legs shouldn’t be a concern. I don’t want to look at a few inches of a woman’s thigh and think she’s done something wrong. Some of the protocols of an institution like the BRF really could do with some updating.

      • notasugarhere says:

        And yet the work dress code is to the knee or lower, whether wearing opaque tights or not. Doesn’t matter if you think she’s covered up, her boss disagrees and her boss wins. If the skirt is too short, as this one is, she is doing something “wrong” according to the dress code. If Charles disagrees with the dress protocol, he can change it when he is king. Ditto William if he makes it that far.

        I don’t care how long her hair (or MM’s hair) is. That is a personal choice. My problem is when it is “done” in such a way that it is in their faces. In KM’s case, she constantly shoves her hands through it, then reaches that hand out to shake. No matter how clean you think your hair is, that is a huge etiquette no no. Ditto showing up at an event where she knows she’ll be doing a cooking demo, leans over, and gets her hair in the food. Her hair, like her clutch purses, are a crutch she needs to learn to do without.

      • Natalie S says:

        Kate has leeway in terms of how she tackles the role. She doesn’t always make good choices (Irish Guards), but if she wants to take on the Palace when it comes to showing a few inches of thigh, then she should do that. The attitudes behind how appropriately covered up a woman should be can be rooted in some pretty ugly thinking. If Elizabeth is die-hard about wanting this while being lax about far more meaningful things, then she’s wrong and so is Charles if he agrees with her.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Following work dress protocol is not putting women in their place or “ugly thinking”. It is an employee having the respect to follow work protocol that is basic and exists for logical reasons. See photos of events when she wears too-short skirts and ends up flashing when she bends over or sits down in a group of kids. The dress protocol is logic-based for the job requirements, as work dress codes often are.

        Pathetic that what often gets defended is her running around in miniskirts against work protocol, as if that is some grand gesture against the position she chased for 10 years. Or that her disrespecting her husband’s in-laws and the monarch of her nation is seen as some acceptable, feminist teenage rebellion from a 35-year-old.

        At this point, Charles and HM are likely throwing their hands up and thinking back to what they thought before. “It will all end in tears.”

  43. Karen says:

    I would estimate that 80% Kate’s events involve interacting with children. In the past few weeks she has been gardening, playing with kids at the Foundling Museum. I don’t understand why she needs to have all new clothing and heavy makeup and curls if she is meeting with children. Of course there are some photo ops with adults, but then all every talks about is her hair, makeup and outfits and the cost. I would imagine the British citizens are sick of her extravagance. Why can’t she wear a pretty blouse and skirt or slacks for these events and call it a day? Maybe as an American I don’t understand the significance of these visits.

    • nic919 says:

      She actually has a similar red dress and plaid coat that she wore during George’s pregnancy that she could have reworn. But being thrifty is not part of Kate’s skill set.

    • SoulSPA says:

      Karen: Kate will be on the same level with Diana as wife of the heir to the throne. Lady Diana was a fashion icon especially in her last years with an outstanding presence and charisma and involvement with people. Kate is very different. Not that she is expected to be a second Diana. It’s her ranking in the royal hierarchy and the expectation that she will do as much good as possible. Yet, she can’t. Therefore all there is to Kate is fashion and make up and hair.

      • Karen says:

        Diana always looked effortlessly beautiful. Everything just flowed. Kate doesn’t have the ability to piece together a coherent outfit.

  44. FuefinaWG says:

    I guess I’ve been reading fashion magazines too long and know what good tailoring can do to threads. This look is pure sh!t. The dress needs tailoring and there is something really off with the tights and shoes. AND WHAT IS WITH THE F*%KING SHOULDER PADS?
    The horrors!
    She should have left the coat on to cover up that crap!

  45. Valiantly Varnished says:

    She just always looks a mess to me. That dress is terrible, her hair is awful (as always). None of it is flattering. The dress would be nice if the neckline wasn’t so high and the hem wasn’t so short.

  46. The Original Mia says:

    Coat is nice. A longer version of the coat she wore last week, though. The dress is far too short. Wearing a mini to distract from her belly is a worn out sartorial trick. She’s 7 years and 2 kids into this gig. Lower the hem, Kate.

  47. Adele Dazeem says:

    It’s funny on my celebitchy header page, kate and Meghan are side by side and the difference between their eye makeup is Shocking.

  48. Allthestrings says:

    She looks good and I love that she’s wearing a slightly shorter dress than normal. I also love the colour of it.

  49. Meow says:

    If she didn’t have such a hard solid hair colour, and had lighter makeup, she could take about 5 years off herself

  50. liriel says:

    In some pictures (in a dress) her face looks haggard but in the ones with a coat on her face looks full and lovely. I don’t get it.

  51. Kaz says:

    The hair is not matching the vibe of the dress. How about a smooth swinging ponytail?

  52. Anare says:

    The red dress is slightly too short on her. That is the first thing that jumped out at me. It would be cuter if it touched the top of her knee.

  53. Cher says:

    Why does she always look so old?

  54. Sunshine says:

    Kate looks lovely as usual! She has stunning legs. They are such a lovely couple will make a good king and queen one day.