Yesterday, Commodore Keen wore a grey Bella Freud suit to an RAF base. The Princess of Wales was appointed the Royal Honorary Air Commodore in 2023, and this was her first-ever trip to RAF Coningsby. I’ve included more photos of her visit in this post. Anyway, I didn’t have much to say about Kate’s suit yesterday. It was fine – appropriate, sedate, professional. If I have one criticism, it’s that Kate actually needs more of a flared or straight legged trouser – the subtle taper of the trousers is unflattering, imo.
Well, it didn’t even occur to me yesterday that Kate was actually sending a “message” by wearing a grey suit. Where else have we seen “grey suit” written and discussed ad nauseum in the past week? That’s right, Prince Harry’s clapback on the Sun. Harry didn’t actually say “the men in grey suits,” but he referenced nefarious people behind the scenes who are trying to sabotage his reconciliation with his father. Diana was the one (I think) who coined “the men in grey” term in reference to her biggest opps, the palace courtiers. Diana’s youngest definitely shares her hatred for these shady figures pulling the strings and manipulating the Windsors. So… Kate’s message is that she can wear a grey suit as well! She’s one of the shady courtiers turning father against son and brother against brother! Honestly… that’s on brand for Kate. We’re long past the Linchpin Era, when Kate tried to convince everyone that she alone could repair royal relations. She’s in her Men In Grey era now.
During this visit, Kate also “revealed” that Louis wants to become a fighter pilot. When she next visits a garden, she’ll say Louis wants to be a gardener. When she next visits a mill, she’ll say Louis wants to work in fashion.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- 02/10/2025. Coningsby, UK. The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby during her first visit to the station. Her Royal Highness received an overview of the work of RAF Coningsby on recent operations, including overseas operations to Poland in support of NATO. Her Royal Highness then met a cross-section of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) personnel and viewed a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft. Finally, Her Royal Highness visited a communal space called the ‘Lounge’ where The Princess engaged with members of RAF Coningsby’s Welfare Team, and a cross-section of RAF Coningsby personnel including aviators from Junior Ranks, to hear about their roles and experiences on site.,Image: 1042750534, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
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- 02/10/2025. Coningsby, UK. The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby during her first visit to the station. Her Royal Highness received an overview of the work of RAF Coningsby on recent operations, including overseas operations to Poland in support of NATO. Her Royal Highness then met a cross-section of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) personnel and viewed a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft. Finally, Her Royal Highness visited a communal space called the ‘Lounge’ where The Princess engaged with members of RAF Coningsby’s Welfare Team, and a cross-section of RAF Coningsby personnel including aviators from Junior Ranks, to hear about their roles and experiences on site.,Image: 1042750566, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
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- Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire for her first official engagement at the station. During the visit, Her Royal Highness learned about the station’s operational role, met Quick Reaction Alert personnel, viewed a Typhoon aircraft, and toured the new Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility. She also met families of personnel serving at the base. 02/10/2025,Image: 1042758290, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Glossop/Avalon
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- Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire for her first official engagement at the station. During the visit, Her Royal Highness learned about the station’s operational role, met Quick Reaction Alert personnel, viewed a Typhoon aircraft, and toured the new Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility. She also met families of personnel serving at the base. 02/10/2025,Image: 1042771983, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Glossop/Avalon
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- Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire for her first official engagement at the station. During the visit, Her Royal Highness learned about the station’s operational role, met Quick Reaction Alert personnel, viewed a Typhoon aircraft, and toured the new Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility. She also met families of personnel serving at the base. 02/10/2025,Image: 1042772054, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Glossop/Avalon
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- Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire for her first official engagement at the station. During the visit, Her Royal Highness learned about the station’s operational role, met Quick Reaction Alert personnel, viewed a Typhoon aircraft, and toured the new Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility. She also met families of personnel serving at the base. 02/10/2025,Image: 1042772115, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Glossop/Avalon
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- 02/10/2025. Coningsby, UK. The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby during her first visit to the station. Her Royal Highness received an overview of the work of RAF Coningsby on recent operations, including overseas operations to Poland in support of NATO. Her Royal Highness then met a cross-section of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) personnel and viewed a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft. Finally, Her Royal Highness visited a communal space called the ‘Lounge’ where The Princess engaged with members of RAF Coningsby’s Welfare Team, and a cross-section of RAF Coningsby personnel including aviators from Junior Ranks, to hear about their roles and experiences on site.,Image: 1042781807, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
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- 02/10/2025. Coningsby, UK. The Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, RAF Coningsby during her first visit to the station. Her Royal Highness received an overview of the work of RAF Coningsby on recent operations, including overseas operations to Poland in support of NATO. Her Royal Highness then met a cross-section of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) personnel and viewed a Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft. Finally, Her Royal Highness visited a communal space called the ‘Lounge’ where The Princess engaged with members of RAF Coningsby’s Welfare Team, and a cross-section of RAF Coningsby personnel including aviators from Junior Ranks, to hear about their roles and experiences on site.,Image: 1042781810, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image may only be used for news or editorial reporting purposes. This image must NOT be used for any commercial or other use, save for news or editorial reporting and cannot be altered or amended in any manner or form whatsoever., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
Her hair/extensions are still waaaay too long. Is she sending a message to Harry, to taunt him about his own hairline?
I’ve seen someone I know before have fun with wigs when she had cancer and it was heartwarming.
So I could understand if that is what Kate was trying to do, but at least make the wigs good quality and good fun.
Two things: One, I don’t think she’s smart enough to ‘send a message’ like that. She’s copy-keen, not message-keen. Someone else could have easily influenced her for that though. Two: She looks so uncomfortable in every picture. She is not a woman comfortable in her skin or who can even fake it.
We’ve seen her theme dress before, to be nasty to Meghan, but this wasn’t it.
Sounds more like “any excuse to give the makers of bird cage linings an opportunity to hit out at Harry for pulling them up on their bs”.
This has the Rota’s rodent handprints on it, not hers, if anything.
What would the message be – ‘I’m leaking to The Sun’? The haters don’t think things through, do they? 😅🤣😂
She’s not that clever. Men in grey? She has no idea because she doesn’t get the reference.
Oh my god, the lengths they go to trying to convince readers she’s bright enough to be waging a sartorial messaging game. No. Palace Barbie is just wearing clothes.
Now, to be fair, Kate looks great in a well-tailored suit like this. I don’t love the color on her — she looks ashen — but the suit itself is beautiful. She looks polished and professional, except for the hair.
Who’s “they”?
I just see too much grey. Couldn’t she have worn, for example, a blue top and blue shoes? Going monochrome just emphasizes what a boring blank slate she is! Also, the hair is just ridiculous!
Her shoes were actually a deep sapphire. You could see it in some lighting.
Exactly what I thought, she’s not smart enough to do this. And if she did, just a reminder that “men in grey suits “ was first used by Diana. Is she wants to be on that side… are we surprised ?
I was going to say, if this was true, it would actually increase my respect for her as a cunning sartorial communicator. Not that I’d like her more— just that I’d have to respect her game.
I can’t stand that theatrical hand movement that both Kate and Bill use; it makes everything seem even more studied and lacking in spontaneity, if that were possible…
Genuinely surprised as how haggard she looks here. The grey does not help.
She doesn’t look.well and really needs help with her diet.
V unlikeable woman
I dunno, she survived cancer and is a woman in her 40s.
I have no idea what she spoke during coffee break. Her gesture seems like, ‘Oh…. this coffee… it is very important, you know…mmm… important. Like…like every pilot need coffee…. m…. So that they can be strong….. you know. I am keen to promote… mm… coffee… yeah, coffee in every…. army base….. the smell of the taste of coffee…. is good… mmm…. important.
Any suggestions??
I heard all of that in her annoying voice…LOL
@Booboochile … “survived” pre-cancerous cells? How does one do that?
“Survived” cancer? How does one “survive” precancerous cells?
She REALLY REALLY needs a decent makeup person.
In the last photo, with her sitting in the cockpit, she looks like she’s morphing into Joan Crawford. This time, I will totally buy that she did her own makeup.
Her profile is different. I noticed it when she was in the carriage with the Trumps and here in the cockpit.
I was thinking the same. The heavy eyeliner is doing her no favors. A lighter touch would make such a difference.
She could ease off the Botox, too.
She needs a stylist. It’s like she is not allowed to look like a modern, sophisticated woman. Chop the hair extensions, find more flattering, modern clothes, bring some joy to what she is wearing, freshen up the make-up routine and put away the spackle. Find a look that she can wear comfortably. Do anything, anything to give her an actual look of her own.
Don’t give her any ideas! She’ll soon hire Carole as her stylist just to continue the grift.
Why are we supplying ideas to this stupid woman ? I know for a fact that they have people going through pages like these, press included ..a friend wrote a plausible theory on Reddit when Madam Middleton disappeared and literally within hours the idea went viral plus the palace was trying to plaster the cracks
Part of me says that this is just the media being angry that their hand got smacked and assigning “clapbacks”on their behalf that don’t exist. But then, I think about the burgundy coats at the Christmas carol after the docu series came out and Meghan mentioned trying not to wear the same colors, so who knows.
If it’s just the media trying to make hay out of something because they’re angry that Harry will continue to go on the record and isn’t afraid of them, then good. If it really is the senior royals trying to needle Harry they just seem pathetic to do so.
What do you mean by “this”?
This article.
She’s wearing a Prince of Wales check (aka glen plaid). Maybe that’s the message.
The message is the call is coming from inside the palace…?
Rota are reading too much into it.
Kate doesn’t possess the bandwidth for nonsense like this anymore.
I mean look at her, she can barely manage to put on her own hair.
This makes sense to me. The men in gray suits is apt, but I think a bit too subtle for Princess K. But, the prince(ss) of wales check, that scans.
I wonder what that guy looking up at her talk is thinking as he listens to her. 😂
No I still say she had the jet on her mood board and she tried to match her grays to that jet. That’s all she knows how to do and that’s copy other people and other things.
Lmaooooo she’s cosplaying inanimate objects now 😂😂😂
Well, she has been compared to one.
In these photos she has a hatchet face. Would you not think that her family members would do an intervention? She is invoking the image of Karen Carpenter.
She’s looks like those people on Ozempic gone wrong. Hopefully once she moves into her new ginormous house she will start looking better.
Is she referring to the grey suit men. I think not. All she wanted was to blend in the background. Grey jet, grey asphalt, grey wall, grey…
The suit is ugly imo, I would have left it hanging in the closet, ugly suit for an equally ugly message the rota are using for more nastiness.
The pants have a male cut. Also too baggy for her. The whole look is terrible.
Its a nice suit but on Keen, something is lacking. I would have worn a Burgundy top or maybe teal. This just looks blah. But at least she didn’t go all out and wear a flight suit.
I’m a pink loving girl so I’d have worn a pale pink top to give a little color to my face in that sea of drab gray.
Kate is – never – about blending in to the background. Think the message here is about the Prince of Wales check pattern of the suit, though it looks like WWD is the only one who picked up on that slant: “Kate Middleton Nods to Her Royal Title…” That sounds like Kate, as is copying Meghan’s monochrome style, even though a more colorful top would have looked better. The rest of the media went with a “grey men” reference but agree that’s too subtle for Kate. Bet she planned for them to notice the suit pattern, but as long as they’re making a fuss about her for something, she’s fine.
She isn’t clever enough to wear grey to get back at Harry, pity she hasn’t got anyone who knows how to iron trousers, two creases over the knee in the sitting down with a cup of tea picture. And that top doesn’t work with the suit, to much blue in the grey.
Who is saying she did that? To me, it looks like every other one of her pants suits.
You’re missing the best part of her visit. She went up and down the cockpit steps while wearing heels. All alone. No helpers. Amazing.
Literally not a single soul in Little Britain is looking out for this woman.
She went down the steps backwards and it looked really stupid. She was wearing totally inappropriate shoes.
I just think she believes that wearing a grey suit will make the press take her more seriously. It wasn’t long ago her style was used to bash Meghan for wearing pants and suits and now all she does now if cosplay Meghan. While the press was praising her dressing in bright colours and dresses she was jealous of Meghan and wished she could dress like her.
Kate only ever got attention for what she wore, because there’s not much there from the neck up.
Meghan by contrast has an educated mind and has never been afraid to use it.
Kate saw Meghan’s popularity and attributed it to what she wore, not who she is and how gracefully she conducts herself.
Pro tip, Wonder Wiglet: this is why you keep falling at your job. Being a white duchess made of Magic Shell isn’t enough.
I’ve always thought something similar was true about Will and Harry; that Will believes Harry’s popularity is connected to how flashy the event is he’s involved with, but he doesn’t get it’s really about all the hard work Harry puts in, because as the heir, working hard to achieve something meaningful isn’t something Will’s had to do. That’s what ES, for example, with its celebrity attendees and far flung locations is supposed to do for Will, make him stand out, as are other events announced with great fanfare (e.g., solving homelessness), but which fall flat because it’s about more than surface appearances.
I think it’s a good suit and it suits her and wearing the Prince of Wales plaid seems like a good choice. Low heels or ankle boots might look more professional for getting in and out of a cock- pit. Both Kate and William seem to love to sit in front of a wheel and go vroom vroom, don’t they? The officer looking at Kate had an indulgent look on his face- like he was humouring someone. If only William could conjure up such an expression.
LMAO! That would exactly be my kind of humor – but not hers! Kate, the power-woman, sending hidden messages? The only power she could grab the last years was a bigger divorce home – and Williams’s backside, him apparently not being amused about…
Ooh! That second photo is giving wicked witch vibes. She looks kinda scary!
I like the suit idea. Head to toe grey is a bit dull and it would be a harsh look for most women. I would have swapped out that top for a different, lusher colour.
Right! A contrasting color would have softened the look. This suit is quite nice and seems to fit we!l, but it’s too dull. Punch it up with some color.
Imagine Princess Diana in the same suit, top, shoes……
KM needs a top hairdresser and make-up artist: the former to remove the extensions and give her a great flattering cut and colour, the latter to re-imagine her make-up after hair restyle & colour. She could look 10 years younger. Easily.
This photo looks so fake. I believe its her but this picture has been played with. Her and williams reign will be so illegitimate.
I saw an old picture of her recently and they added the eyebrow scar! Insane.
If this was anyone else i would say “ridiculous” but kate probably wire this on purpose.
sigh…. Sometimes I feel sad for Kate — she leads such an empty life with a man who palpably disdains her — and then I remember how she treated Meghan, and I think, nope! Girl, this is what you asked for. I was one of those people who pretty much bought the whole happy families schtick, because she seemed — for a long time — to be genuinely disarming, humble, straightforward, decent, unpretentious, ….and honestly, I don’t know if she changed, or if she was good at concealing her true nature for all those years. But when Meghan came on the scene, it’s like it flicked a switch in her mind, like a kind of villainess emerged, fully formed, seething, backbiting, sneering, and snarling. And ever since then, it’s been eating her alive. It’s a case study in what jealousy will do to a person. As opposed to insecurity. Diana talked about being insecure, and to her credit, she got to grips with the work and the public and the advocacy and the friends who helped her confront it, she built herself up into someone she could respect. From having been kicked to the kerb. Jealousy is a separate issue… and I don’t get the feeling she was jealous of Camilla (who would trade places???) so much as infuriated and disgusted by her husband’s clinging to his sloppy, boorish, chain-smoking mistress. Grotesque. It’s like… contamination. That’s a much *much* more psychologically fraught situation than Kate confronted. Meghan was not a love rival. She was a professional colleague and an in law. The fact that Kate was so clearly destabilised by her mere presence is nuts. Bonkers.
I am with you in having liked Kate. The photos fed to us by the media showed her being sportive, laughing with William and Harry, cuddling with William (14 years ago, when he still was happy with her). We saw her pregnant, looking good with her baby and toddler and got the impression of a happy family. She hardly worked, rarely gave interviews, there was nothing hinting of her being nasty. I gave her grace for raising young children and not working more than necessary.
I even gave her grace at the beginning with Meghan, she was heavily pregnant with Louis. Not much time for the new SIL. There was the Wimbledon Woman’s Final where she laughed and talked with Meghan and looked like they had a good time.
Then came the lies. The snubbing of Meghan and baby Archie at the Polo. The rumours spread. At first I thought it was the media pitting the women against each other, but very fast it became clear the media were fed stories to make Kate look good and to trash Meghan. And Kate played along. She could have stopped it anytime, but it became obvious she was one of the “sources close to”. With the lie about Meghan making her cry there wasn’t any doubt left and I looked at old articles and photos differently.
And then I read Spare.
I found her flirting with harry rather odd. Harry as third wheel looked uncomfortable.
The photo of her in the cockpit is hilarious. Most of these photos are horrible and I can’t believe that they allowed this photos to be released of her looking like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.
I would put nothing past this bitch. She is a professional mean girl. Instead of real duties, mean-girling is her one patronage .
and of course she had no idea as to what to wear underneath the grey suit
That’s a bit of a reach. Is it appropriate for her to be dressing with Harry in mind? This seems stupid and childish to attribute this to her, or immature on her part if this is her intention. Can they ever just do something and be fully present, instead of thinking how it will get one over on the Sussexes? Also not sure grey is her color. She looks like a background in that outfit.
I say this as someone who survived teenage anorexia: Kate needs help. She is doing that trick that I used of wearing a sweater under a jacket, probably because she’s cold all the time, but also because it camouflages how thin she is.
Look at her hands and neck.
That suit would have popped if she had worn a crisp white button down shirt and maybe even a red or black patent belt. She somehow manages to make even a classic staple look outdated and boring.
Working women have been wearing suits like this for years. Kate wears a suit and it is the second coming of God!