It always feels like a special occasion whenever the Princess of Wales wears a ponytail. She should do it more often, it’s an interesting look for her! But I suspect that Kate, like many women, uses her hair (and wigs) as a security blanket. I’m the same, so I won’t judge. Anyway, Kate stepped out today in SUSSEX of all places. She visited the West Sussex Minibus, a volunteer-led community transport system for the elderly. The headlines are basically “Kate rode on a bus, like a big girl!”
While this is totally a worthy initiative to highlight, style-wise this event was not Kate’s best. Kate wore a Jigsaw Wool Maxi City Coat in grey. The coat isn’t terrible, it’s just sort of shapeless on Kate because (IMO) she needed to go down a size. She’s swimming in it. She paired it with a dove grey pussybow blouse and some pleated & cuffed trousers. This outfit was sponsored by a secretary in 1988 Omaha, Nebraska.
Anyway, the minibus for seniors is a very worthy endeavor. Kate probably should have organized a fundraiser for it? Gas prices? Buying a new fleet of minibuses? But that wasn’t the point of Kate’s visit I guess.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales visits volunteer-led community transport organisation West Sussex Minibus service in Pulborough Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Pulborough, West Sussex, United Kingdom When: 30 Sep 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
Not a terrible outfit but yes, that coat is huge on her. I guess it’s her security blanket for the day.
And poor sausage is going to be exhausted after so much “work.”
I personally love dark grey and wear lots of it but I don’t think it’s a great color for Kate, in fact the light grey blouse just washes her out.
Not a terrible outfit??? I am 80 in a couple of months and I would NOT wear such a drab unflattering outfit. She has no style and her posture makes it so much worse.
It’s a terrible color for Kate. And why so drab? This is an event celebrating good works, not a memorial service.
She looks weighted down by that coat. And it seems as though she didn’t bother with all the belt loops on her trousers, which I find weird. Does nobody check her before she leaves the house? I mean, she clearly doesn’t. I like the trousers–what I can see of them–and I like her use of purple shoes & bag (the fashion gods have decreed purple to be the color of fall 2026 and Kate listened), but since I personally am not fond of gray I cannot fathom wearing all that gray. I had a helluva time working for the NPS all those years & having to wear a gray uniform shirt to work every day. I was so depressed!
I know someone in the other post said they’re likely getting in some engagements before the kids go on break, but I’m actually starting to wonder if they’ll even go on vacation. Would they dare to not take a break and keep working? I know this sounds delusional, but Kate in particular has been giving “desperate” vibes so she just might?
@Sparkling, it will be interesting to see. Especially if they try to do it sneakily but someone catches a photo!
IMO not a good color scheme on her, and I hate pussy bow on everyone, no matter who. The Wiglet Gofer needs to do something about the ends. All that money and time and her wiglets and extensions and hair still don’t look great. The belt is loose and gaping, and that one detail makes the rest look sloppy.
She is going to be so exhausted from all this ‘work.’
80+ year old Silvia of Sweden and Sonja of Norway have some nice pussy bow looks but no one younger really manages it. I think part of it is the way people tie the bows, Kate’s are always to long and droopy
I’ve always hated pussy bows and never understood how they became a thing. It was worse in the 70’s, women walking around with a big bow under their face. It’s not a good look.
I have one blouse that has a bow that I really like. But it’s a very light gauzy material which streamlines it and keeps it from looking overwhelming. I also was shown how to tie the bow by the woman who sold it to me. They can be done to look chic, but you need the right fabric, cut, pattern etc. Hers looks frumpy.
I don’t like the bow thing either. I have a couple-three sleeveless silk tops with the bow thingie, but I never tie the fabric into a bow, just let the ends hang. Looks fine to me.
@Dopple, same. I actively detest them.
I despise pussy bows too. I hate the name, I think I’ve seen it done ok like two times and I can’t name them. The coat is meh, I don’t think she can size down because she’s too tall for children’s sizes.
Yeah, I don’t get the sloppy belt thing–it’s too loose & she missed a belt loop. Was she inebriated when she got dressed this morning/afternoon?
I hate pussy bows in general but I really hate it in this outfit. The wide collar of the coat creates enough interest on its own. The addition of the pussy bow detracts from the coat and makes the outfit appear messy. As a side note, one of the reason why Meghan is such a fashion icon is that she knows when to let the clothes do *less*. She understands that a beautiful piece of clothing can stand on its own–and that adding a lot of accessories or details will only distract from its beauty.
Kate was better at this engagement. The hair is much better. The make up better. She suited the clothes. The conversation with the seniors looked real. The last engagement at the rugby event she looked zoned out and appeare9d to not be paying attention. The random laughs and head nodding was the clue there. That green jacket looked like it was made from polyester, cheap polyester, and hung horribly on her. The grey outfit is a huge improvement and, surprise surprise, Kate even managed to take her coat off inside!
No! She took her coat off?! She never does that! I’m always reminded of the Beverley Hillbillies theme song when I see Kate in her coats, ‘take your coat off, set a spell’. Is she, gasp, learning manners finally?
Kate came to the engagement riding in the front seat of the minibus with the pensioners in the back of the van. Then someone opened her door, she jumped out and walked away leaving the pensioners in the van. Very gimmicky and weird. The outfit is not good. A blazer, sweater and jeans with some sneakers or flats would have been more appropriate. I still remember the derangers saying royal women are supposed to wear bright colours and dresses or skirts. What’s changed, where’s the outrage? Interesting that KP chose to schedule a visit to Sussex. But we’re supposed to believe that William and Kate are not competing with Harry and Meghan.
Just a bit of background. Pensioners right now is the news. Why? Well if you watched or read PM Burnham’s big speech, one major thing stood out was about pensions and how that will change (from three lock to two)—which at this point is hard to say how the government proposal to calculate pension will affect the country. Why is it a big deal? Paying for Pension, like social security, is burdening young people who see no future as they see high unemployment, stagnant wage, high housing and education fees along with inability to buy a house of their own or start a family. For many pensioners who own home and are better off, they have gotten wealthier with the three lock system.
UK is in this deep mess because the Thatcher years and decade of Tory rule along with Brexit resulted in a gutted NHS, sunk its safety net, widened inequality, and due to tax laws which benefitted the rich and the royals have emptied its treasury. The same way how Trump and the GOP along with complicity of SCOTUS have added trillions to the national debt with an unnecessary war, wasteful spending, beneficial self-dealings, massive tax cuts for the rich while failing to collect billions in unpaid taxes.
The crown has always favored the conservative Tory and even though it won’t be seen rubbing shoulder with far right Conor McGregor publicly, its useful palace grey men are Tories and/or right wing press execs who belong to the same exclusive clubs. . So the more the BRF uses black and brown people, and pensioners as useful prop, the more you know BRF is leaning into the Conservatives. (In just the same way Trump tells Americans the US economy is great and fuel price is down.)
Meanwhile, The BRF soap opera is useful as are the royals in that for the right, it’s about purity and tradition and national honor as well as convenient entertainment. The Sussex family as scapegoat much like how non whites, immigrants and Muslims are convenient scapegoats for all the things which have gone wrong in England.
So yeah, every time the royals use black and brown people or pensioners as convenient props, it’s for a measured reason.
Interesting, thanks!
This is the best comment yet this week, @Kit. Never occurred to me but you are 100% right.
Look at Waity working another hour this week, we haven’t seen this much of her since her drunken club days when she was in wait mode.
This is why she desperately needs a stylist. That outfit is fine but honestly it could have been fabulous while still being professional. A better fitting coat, coordinating accessories (on my phone it looks like burgundy for the handbag and brown for the shoes? But maybe they’re burgundy too?), etc. I feel like I see this look in reels every day as the “before” with the after being a few minor swaps to elevate and modernize.
The look should be sleek and modern but it fails bc the coat is too big so there’s too much fabric around the bow that’s too long so it overlaps the belt in some shots and the pleats in the pants also overlap with the belt.
On paper it should be a winning look and it’s not horrible, it just could be so much better.
On my computer I have a purple handbag and I think, dark navy shoes, shows just how reliable screens are. The dark nave seems to work with the blue but the purple looks weird. Be interesting to see it in real life.
Both look burgundy to me, but since the shoes are suede they look less matchy than might be ideal when you are going for matching.
Loved the coat, if only it fitted. Liked the simple off the face hairdo as well. But why is she wearing a winter top coat. It isn’t that cold in Britain.
Yes, seems like a heavy coat for September! And yes, hair up is much better than those ringlets that make her look like an old doll.
A very thin woman in church wondered how I could be wearing a sleeveless dress, she was so cold. I explained to her that as a fat person, I’m hot. As a thin person, she’s cold.
I expect Kate feels the cold easily.
People with disordered eating issues are especially prone to the cold.
I wore four or five layers when I was in the throes of one.
After all of this, a vacation is indicated. The additional work started when the Sussexes returned.
Oh, no, no, no. There’s something so old and defeated and droopy and sad about this outfit – like it just came out of the mothballs. It’s too bad because the pieces could have been styled in a fun and funky way (well, maybe not the pussy bow). But I do like her bag.
Totally agree. And her posture!
I read it as her face looks like Jigsaw, and was like yes checks out 🤭
Don’t love the outfit but I do like her hair – its better up.
I like the ponytail better than the long Rapunzel curls. And I like gray as a fall color. But ALL gray is a little drab on her. The coat is too big and she really needs to stop with the bow blouses.
See this is funny. Bc I love oversize coats. I love them. Wear them all winter. Very MK and Ashley old lady vibes but it’s my jam. So this is where I was like, oh I kinda like what Kate’s wearing today. To be fair, I doubt that what’s Kate was goin for though. She’s not purposely into the oversized and slouchy look.
She’s so skinny and it’s not showing up in her face yet because of the Botox and fillers. She looks a mess and it’s gross that her family — namely her mother who is all up in her business doesn’t help her.
Totally agree. There’s a photo in the longer DM series where she’s side on without her coat. She is very, very thin. They should be doing something to help her help herself.
It is showing up in her face where she’s not so filtered. I hope this loads from yesterday’s coverage in the express. If it doesn’t work, google Everybody says the same thing about Princess Kate’s appearance in Leeds.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/2252794/Princess-Catherine-Princess-William-Leeds-royal-family-latest
Who is this “everybody” who is describing her as “radiant?” Forget the room, are they in the same universe as us right now?
It’s this group-think about what she looks like. It’s almost as if we are meant to think someone can be thin below what is natural to them and yet have great skin and hair. She really doesn’t. A lot of her hair isn’t her own. Her face is very old for her age. This is genetics plus weight loss. The unfiltered photos show this clearly. There’s one half way down the Express article that which shows how she actually looks. It isn’t great. I feel sorry for her – this charade of looking great when she’s not her natural weight, hasn’t been in years, all faked by filtering and editing.
The photo under the write up also shows the scar on the left side of her forehead. The thinner she is the more that will show.
Hi Nic919. I haven’t been on here for some time, so it’s nice to see familiar names. The scar is something I’ve never really paid attention to until lately. I always thought people were talking about the one more in her hairline, apparently related to an operation she had when she was younger. I’ve recently paid more attention to what people have been saying about the scar on her eye area. Like you say, that must be pretty deep for it to evade heavy make up and editing.
That “scar” in the hairline was really a hair extension thing. But after her missing months in early 2024 this one is on the left side of the forehead (and not the temple area). In the second photo you can see it and then it goes below the eye brow)
Also if look back at the bench video, you will notice the area under her left eyebrow looked swollen more than the right side.
I usually think she looks best in dark, rich jewel tones, but she looks nice in grey and her make-up also is not overdone. I like the pop of color in her shoes and purse. (I register both as shades of dark purple). The pussy bow is 🤢 though. I would end up in the er if I tried to walk in heals that high, especially on uneven surfaces. She would look nice with shorter hair without using the wigs, wiglets and excessive lengths as a security blanket. She has a lovely facial structure in these (I assume) heavily photoshopped images. Poor sausage…. Having to drag her herself to work events instead of hiding out until the Christmas concert/Christmas church walk, then disappearing for a few months holiday…. Harry may have come back just for the comic effect of watching the Wails attempt to hustle in their only on their mind competition with him. 😄
I’ll say some nice things. I appreciate the ponytail. It’s not as flattering as soft curls, but it’s much more practical for her really long hair.
I also appreciate that Kate’s trying for someone’s idea of “working woman,” instead of “princess dripping with jewelry and designer clothes.”
But also, working women have much more fun these days, even first-year law clerks. Her outfits are all so 1990s, from the pussy bows to the all-grey palette. Was this outfit Kate’s idea? Carole’s idea? They should check out ME+EM, M M LaFleur, or even Jigsaw or J Crew. It’s easy to go for “relatable 2020s working woman” without channeling 1990s first-year law clerks.
I do love Kaiser’s use of the word “jaunty.”
This is Jigsaw, apparently. Kate just doesn’t know how to put things together, or what her actual size is.
So, we can’t talk about Kate cosplaying the Duchess of Sussex while making a surprise visit to Sussex?
Please, Meghan would never wear these clothes
@Kaiser, if you see this, I’m having issues commenting since I got a new phone and had to travel a bit so was posting from different locations. They either don’t show up at all, or get deleted. Help?
It’s been so long since we’ve seen Meghan in fall/winter clothes!!
Y’all maybe this is why Harry returned. He spent his whole life believing his role was to prop up his brother. He saw his brother getting lazier and lazier. And knew his presence would throw them into working. Maybe Harry despite his focus on mental health still struggles with a sense of guilt that his scandal would go down in history as contributing to the end of the BRF.
I can very much see this as a thought he would have had. I think he must war with himself a lot, despite everything. I don’t believe this would be the reason for their return, Invictus is much more likely, but it could have been a unfortunate note in the ‘for’ column.
You’re probably right. Makes sense that Invictus was the primary driver but I’m feeling more and more that the pro column was heavy with family guilt. No judgement. We all have it but most of us don’t have the tabs calling us out daily.
Nah. I don’t think Harry gives two thoughts about William or Kate. He’s got his own family to think about, and his work.
@Beaniebean – I fully believed that for years. But Harry himself with this move has proven it’s not true. So if it’s true he *only* moved his family to the UK for Invictus when he’s never previously moved to the host country, then it’s very much because he’s thinking about W & K and having Invictus stolen from under him. One way or another, the BRF is still very much in his psyche and decision making.
I like her ponytail wiglet, but does she realise you can include a bit of colour, whilst maintaining a grey ensemble? She dresses like her mental state. Dull and desperate
I’m not sure how to get my thoughts across clearly but I’ll try.
She’s visiting with elderly people, not going to a business meeting in the city. I’m not saying she needs to dress up like a clown but could she not have gone for something a bit more cheerful. Or pulled out an Alessandra Rich (sp?) to give them a laugh at least.
It’s interesting that you point that out. My mother who is 90 is in an assisted living. Overall it’s going well, but it’s an adjustment. Every time I go see her (which adds up to about once a month), I make sure to wear a cute outfit and look good. I also try to wear something different each time. She likes seeing me looking nice. I’ll wear brighter colors than I normally would, when I can. I wore red white a blue for the 4th of July, that sort of thing. It was just sort of instinctive, but she definitely likes it. I feel like it’s similar to a teacher of young kids. You dress to please. I can’t speak for all older people, but my mother and her friends there seem to prefer cheerier outfits.
While it’s a pretty nice coat, I really think she benefits from less slouchy designs because her posture is dire. I also think she should go for more warm greys, if she does want them, these particular shades wash her out. I reckon the top should have been white, and the accessories brighter. Her ponytail is fine, but her make up ruins every look, even more so when it’s less distraction from her hair. Overall a 6/10 (for her).
I remember a while ago it being mentioned, maybe by Kaiser?, that she should do more elderly-adjacent activities, which feel much more natural for her. I definitely agree! It feels like she performs less, I would imagine when she first joined the Firm there was a round table of causes and groups that she could work with, and children won out over older people because they thought she’d be good at it (eventually). But what they didn’t realise was that her transition to prim and proper left too little room for spontaneity which is essential when working with kids. With older folks, not as much of an issue.
They didn’t give her children as her cause because they thought it would work best for her; it’s more that it’s the stereotypical fallback that women in her position get. Kids, schools, hospitals, the elderly, the ill. Women stuff. Royals, First Ladies, and so on.
She’s had so much work done to her face that she looks like the Grinch now.
Oh, she visited a mini bus. How . . . cool. I think she tells her staff to book her to do the most innocuous, meaningless, no impact “events” where she shows up for a photo op (may commandeer an old old lady for “cute” pics which erroneously suggest she supports the elderly) and bounces (preferably on a helicopter). Useless, lying bloodsuckers. And those are their good qualities! Abolish the monarchy.
I hate it. Mainly because it looks like the sort of stuff I had to wear in the 90’s for my first white-collar job when I could only afford to thrift. A woman with a massive clothing budget has no reason to wear such mismatched, ill-fitting, worn-out looking garments.
Poor working elf will have 2 weeks off soon her kids half term break . . When they tally her numbers this year . She will have out worked herself. I think that the Windsors should cut Harry and Meghan a huge check for getting Willy and kitty to get off their asses and finally do something, anything
I hate pussy bows. She has no shoe game as usual, so boring. And she is the worst handbag model. She doesn’t make me wanna buy any of her purses. The coat is ok. The pony tail is ok, better than the ugly boy cap. I personally do pony tail all the time – I’m boring like that because I have to time and no hair assistant.
Pussy bows are straight out of the late 70s/early 80s. And I think the coat is to hide her thinness.
Kate has come a long way from her skinny jeans and trainers. Wearing real trousers has been a big step for her. I like the idea of Kate’s outfit- coat, blouse, trousers. Love grey and burgundy together. I think loafers would be a better choice for getting on and off a bus. Kate looks good with a pony-tail. The trousers look nicely tailored. She should have put an extra hole in her belt to fit. Agree with everyone else that the cope could be a size smaller. Kate can’t do over-sized because it makes simply highlights her skeletal frame. And a light crew neck sweater tucked in would make her look less fussy. Reading Spencer’s book, and recalling images of Diana’s fashion choices, and I’m coming to the conclusion that Kates’ obsession with buttons and bows comes from Diana’s 80’s wardrobe.
How much awareness did she bring to the charity? Kate badly needs a stylist, or maybe she should return to her original style and stop trying to compete with Meghan. There are zero similarities. You can’t compete if you don’t compare. She looks as though she’s going to an annual board meeting instead of a ride on a minibus with “seniors”. Be true to thine self 🙃.
So drab. The greys don’t go together. She cannot pull off this monochrome look like Meghan does.
Guess who else wears a casual pony tail a lot ? And neutrals/ monochrome. Meghan of course ,surprise , surprise . Kit Kat has also pared down strong make up and jewelry..its not a bad look for her but she will never pull it off like Meghan who just glows effortlessly
Of course they did, lol. That’s all they’re doing these days, “surprises.” Get your hair properly styled, Kate. Please.