I love “analysis” of the Princess of Wales’s fashion, even if she hasn’t given analysts much data in recent years. They recently claimed that “grandpacore style” is a real thing for Kate, and it is the height of modern princess fashion. Now those analysts think they’ve found something else to praise: Princess Kate’s recent pointy shoulders and boxy shoulder pads. For several years now, Kate has been trying to make “pointy shouldered coats” happen, especially on her bespoke coats and coatdresses. Those combined with the shoulder pads give her a broad-shouldered witchy look, in my opinion. But according to fashion experts, the shoulder pads project “stability” following Prince Andrew’s arrest. Er…
The Princess of Wales’s strong, structured shoulder pads at the Commonwealth Day service served as a ‘secret style weapon’ to show the Royal Family’s ‘stability’ as it faces scrutiny in the aftermath of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, a stylist has said. Speaking to the Daily Mail, fashion expert Lisa Talbot shared how Kate was ‘power dressing’ at Westminster Abbey, to project an image of confidence with her cobalt blue Catherine Walker coatdress.
The royal, she explained, ‘understands the subtle power of clothing’, as she made the sartorial statement while leading the largest gathering of senior royals since the disgraced former duke was detained by officers last month.
‘The return of the structured shoulder is a very clever style signal,’ Lisa continued. ‘Shoulder pads have long been associated with authority and presence, they visually broaden the frame, strengthen the silhouette and create a sense of composure and control.’
They also add structure through the shoulders, which the stylist said makes the look ‘instantly feel more commanding and confident, which is why we’ve historically seen this shape used by women in leadership roles’.
‘It sends a message of strength without needing to say a word,’ she added. ‘For the Princess of Wales, this kind of tailoring works almost like a secret style weapon. At a moment when the Royal Family is under scrutiny and navigating difficult headlines, the strong shoulder creates an image of stability and reassurance. It’s polished, purposeful and incredibly modern, projecting confidence while remaining elegant and respectful to the occasion.’
“This kind of tailoring works almost like a secret style weapon…” We’ve officially run out of royal women as “secret weapons” and now we’re on to shoulder pads as secret weapons. What’s next? Secret weapon buttons? Diplomatic linchpin wigs? Stateswoman Sister Wife sack dresses? While it’s true that Kate has been trying to make that “shoulder style” happen for a while, I don’t think it has a greater sartorial message beyond “Kate is really slender and she’s wearing padded clothing and layers to add literal bulk to her appearance.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- 09/03/2026. London, UK. Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081428646, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image is free for use but 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. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace/Avalon
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- Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081452599, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Arthur Edwards The Sun/Avalon
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- Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081452711, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Arthur Edwards/Avalon
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- 09/03/2026. London, UK. Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.,Image: 1081660055, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: © Kensington Palace. This image is free for use but 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. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: Pete Maclaine/Avalon
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM Royals from around the world attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Pictured: Princess Catherine of Wales, Kate Middleton BACKGRID USA 9 MARCH 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM Royals from around the world attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Pictured: Princess Catherine of Wales, Kate Middleton BACKGRID USA 9 MARCH 2026 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM Catherine, Princess of Wales, attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, London Pictured: Princess Catherine of Wales, Prince William BACKGRID USA 9 MARCH 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: Zak Hussein / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- London, UNITED KINGDOM Catherine, Princess of Wales, attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey, London Pictured: Princess Catherine of Wales BACKGRID USA 9 MARCH 2026 BYLINE MUST READ: Zak Hussein / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Mar 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince William Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Mar 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey Featuring: Catherine Princess of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Mar 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
“Stability “? Ok if she is so stable then why the maniacal smile and weird hand movements and laughing at inappropriate moments? Please how will that be explained?
Another stable genius, like her best buddy Trump
These photos are photoshopped. apart from being so thin, she looks quite good.
It’s as nonsensical and silly as “ They [shoulder pads] also add structure through the shoulders….”
No, really!?!?
Keen is too shallow to have such thoughts about her outfits.
There has to be a way to add shoulder padding without making that upturn at the seam.. It literally reminds me of this ⛩️ (Shinto Shrine emoji) every time I see her.
Yeah, I love a strong shoulder, but I hate the upturned part. The point of a strong shoulder is to give a jacket angularity, a masculine edge, and the upturned seam kind of ruins that effect.
Agreed…shoulder pads are fine, and I understand why she needs them. But the upturn on them just makes the whole look weird.
It’s called a pagoda shoulder. 🙂
She looks like a scarecrow.
She looks like she forgot to take the hanger out of her clothes.
LOL
Yes!!!
Power dressing should include a good hair trim not a wig hanging down to her waist.
The hair looks terrible and is very ageing. I can’t imagine what she’s thinking.
“William likes long hair. I will keep my hair long.”
That’s it-arrested at the age they met, early twenties. A true love match partner wants you to grow and to change.
i don’t even mind the long hair per se. But it just looks bad. when you look at older pictures of her, her hair has looked much better – shinier, bouncier, more layers, no ringlets. Sometimes it was shorter, sometimes with those sausage curls, but its only been in the past few years that its looked THIS bad continuously.
https://dresslikeaduchess.com/2020/06/kate-middleton-in-repeat-yellow-roksanda-dress-for-australia-call/
(that’s just the first link I could find with different examples.)
now obviously hair changes as we age, and health challenges can certainly add to that. But then change the hair!!!)
She’s thinking along the same lines of the RR author of the original article who claimed that shoulder pads are a super “modern” mode of expressing feminine strength thru dress.
Modern!? Are the 1980’s “modern” to this particular RR?
Is that why William always gazes at her so lovingly? Because her hair is still long?
@becks – all I could think when I clicked on that link and looked at the close up photo was “wow, Kate & Emily Blunt have the same bad plastic surgeon!” Lololol
I do think it’s a case of arrested development and that she thinks it retains her youth, or something, something …
@Becks: Her hair looked very nice and natural when pregnant and after the birth of Louis, I thought.
It’s giving off Star Fleet Command vibes.
More like the Romulan outfit. Especially when the brows are jacked up.
If only they had something of substance to write about. Like her visiting mental health charities which help survivors. Planning outdoor activities for kids heading to term break soon. Cosponsoring a night out in the park for kids that live in the city. I could take the constant fluffing about her horrendous style with that, but how is this enough?
You know what else it gives? Protection. She’s gonna need padded protection if those protestors start throwing tomatoes. She can pierce one with her pointy shoulder pad.
This is Joost erasure!
https://www.reddit.com/r/CosplayHelp/comments/1ecsf68/how_to_make_europapa_suit/
His shoulderpads were next level!
And Joost wore it soooo much better!
Will forever remember those folks being called parasites at the Commonwealth service. References to this woman dress style reminds me why that word is so appropriate in describing those folks. No talks of making other lives better, no talks of inclusivity only what Kate clothes represent. They are helping that family live up to their new name of parasites while the folks they represent are having to make well enough due to support that family’s lifestyle. Gauche.
The thing that makes me shudder is what is the situation under her hat?This is the longest wig I think I’ve seen yet,can’t even imagine how it’s attached.
yeah Kate isn’t that deep, lol. She’s wearing those because she needs to add bulk to her (alarmingly) thin frame. It also helps somewhat with giving the illusion of better posture.
Its not about projecting stability through tailoring. lordy……
And the dish plate hat is to keep William away from her.
You see, I think that whoever wrote this piece, is actually trolling Kate and dying to tell the truth about her extreme thinness. They obviously can’t write the truth, so they hint it.” Kate’s recent pointy shoulders and boxy shoulder pads” are there only for giving her better posture and bulk and there isn’t any secret message at all.
Shoulder pads secret weapon. Can it get more stupid than this?
Lazy useless parasites.
Those shoulder pads look silly. Hair does as well. I would rather see the hair up with that formal hat. Her husband is not interested in the Commonwealth or god anyway so why did they bother to go.
Man, I have lost count of the number of “secret weapons” these people have. Everybody and everything are secret weapons!
So secret we have to be told what they are.
Sure, typical narcissists, brags ’bout everything, the real and the imagined!
If she’s using shoulder pads as some sort of power move then she needs to stand up straight and square the shoulders or it doesn’t work.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
This outfit confirmed my belief that Kate is adding these pointy shoulder pads into her clothes herself. In this case the fabric at the shoulders is straining from having these pads shoved in. It’s the same as when Kate went through a phase of raising the waistline on her dresses by a couple of inches. She believes it enhances her silhouette, nothing more. It’s showing how little the British tabs have to write about if they need to make up ridiculous stories like this, unless the writer really believes Kate’s shoulder pads are going to save the monarchy?
The pointy shoulder pads look ridiculous. Does she ever look in a mirror?
I think Keen is cosplaying a 1940s wartime style with those shoulder pads, or maybe she’s channeling Joan Crawford. That’s what my mind thought when I saw the Commonwealth pics.
Her outfit looks like the Zoot Suit that Tom wore in an episode of the Tom & Jerry cartoon by Warner Bros. I think Tom wore it better.
Hahahahahhahaha! Those shoulder pads are single-handedly holding up the Royal institution don’t you know? 🤣
Are these writers on crack?
All they have left is this. Think about it. This is all they can write about. The press doesn’t want to discuss Andrew, or how popular Harry and Meghan are, they can’t write about how WanK go on 17 vacations a year on tax payer dimes, they can’t write about how William will be the most uncurious, stupid, lazy, arrogant, and violent King in centuries, and they can’t write about how the future Queen has ZERO curiosity about the world, clearly is suffering from some mental health crisis, and is (IMO) medicated every time she walks out the door.
So they write about her shoulder pads. That is it. That is all they have left.
And? They did it to themselves.
“….while leading the largest gathering of senior royals since the disgraced former duke was detained by officers last month….”
LOL, there were like 8 of them total….. hardly a rousing or robust showing of royalty during these “trying times….” 🙄
And also, I’d love to hear how Charles, Camilla, and William feel about the fact that they were apparently invisible and Kate was “leading….”
Kate puts shoulder pads in all her clothes to hide her slender frame. She also wears cape dresses for the same reason.
She looks like Carol Burnett as Scarlett O’Hara, wearing not only the curtains but the curtain rod.
“‘This kind of tailoring works almost like a secret style weapon…’ We’ve officially run out of royal women as “secret weapons” and now we’re on to shoulder pads as secret weapons.”
RIP Secret Weapons Sophie, Anne, and Keen. Shoulder pads are here to take your place. They’re sturdier, more reliable, and don’t ever speak…which is often how you previous “secret weapon women” have been brought down….. Cue Sophie’s “Oprah who?” And Keen’s “Can you test the smell by smelling it?”….rivaled only by her *alleged* statement that doing the funeral walk with Meghan was the “hardest thing” she’s ever had to do.
If we have to outwardly project that much. Then we don’t have “that” internally….
The styling is so secret that nobody gets it.
The crazy shoulder pads contribute to her look along with the maniacal grin, the huge hat and Rapunzel hair (which she may plan to use to escape out a window). She looks like a caricature.
Those upturned shoulder pads are called pagoda shoulders. Looks like the never-quite-a-trend started in 1979 and got a reboot that peaked in 2021. Shockingly, nobody really wants pointy shoulders.
https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/style/fashion/history-of-pagoda-shoulders-ss21-trend-balenciaga-balmain/
No, no, no. Diana was THE fashion icon of the 1980s and early 1990s. Shoulder pads were the look, then. Diana wore many a suit or dress with shoulder pads. We all know that William has a sick thing with wanting his wife to dress up like his dead mother. We’ve seen it plenty of times on Kate.
This is becoming an SNL kit. No matter what she does, Kate is sending a “secret signal,” showing her “power,” honoring the late queen, showcasing the fact she calls the shots, making it clear she dislikes Andrew, etc. Talk about grasping at (keen) straws!
You are so right! Secret shoulder pad message! What is next? Sending a message by wearing a pearl necklace? Secret jewelry messages (though I think they already did that one…lol). Secret shoes! Secret messages through how she uses the toilet! Secret weapon as she slices bread! She is a treasure trove of secret weapons!
Balls, I think we all know why she wears shoulder-pads. These people are too much.