On Monday, the Princess of Wales wore a “bespoke” Patrick McDowell coat to Garter Day at Windsor Castle. Nevermind that she easily has three dozen coats in her closet which have a very similar vibe in color, cut, quality, fabric and button amount – she clearly needed yet another light-colored coat so she can promote the idea that she’s the savior of British fashion, that she has a Midas Touch for moving product. The opposite is true – countless brands worn by Kate have collapsed, gone bankrupt and/or folded. Just a short list: LK Bennett, Cefinn, Issa, The Vampire’s Wife, Tabitha Webb, Seraphine and Orla Kiely, and many more. That’s probably one of the reasons why Kate has weirdly started wearing California-based American brands in recent months. I mean, there are other reasons too, obviously. Well, even when Kate wears a bespoke piece from a British designer, she’s still getting backhanded criticism. The Mail had a piece where they flat out said that this McDowell cost would look more at home on Queen Camilla.
She is the Kate that got the cream. At the 2026 Order of the Garter Service at Windsor Castle, the Princess of Wales stepped out in a custom-made coat dress by Patrick McDowell, made from cream brocade fabric custom woven by Stephen Walters & Sons in Suffolk.
She completed the look with cream suede Gianvito Rossi 105 pumps, £710, a cream ‘Natasha’ clutch by Emmy London, £445, and topped it off with an ‘Enid’ boater, £1930, by milliner Jane Taylor in – you guessed it – cream.
Given that the coat dress was so restrained, sober and classically regal, royal watchers might be surprised to learn that its Wirral-born designer is only 31 years old.
Elegant as it was, it would have looked equally at home on Queen Camilla, a woman three decades older than Kate.
In fact, so tailor-made was the princess’s coat dress that it was even named after her. According to the description on McDowell’s website, the ‘Wales’ coat dress is “a beautifully tailored piece crafted from lightweight damask fabric designed to sculpt the body, featuring a nipped-in waist with elegant hip pockets”. A white version is currently available for pre-order, priced £1990.
Every designer feels grateful when the Princess of Wales chooses to wear their clothes. As one of the most closely watched women in the world, ‘the Kate effect’ has been proven to boost a designer’s profile – and sales – exponentially.
I’d really like to know if British brands and British designers even want Kate to wear their clothes at this point. Truly, Kate is damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t – either she becomes the harbinger of doom for every label she wears, or she’s criticized for not doing enough to “fly the flag” for a British fashion industry on life support. But pointing out that Kate wore a fussy brocade coat which would look more at home on a septuagenarian?? LMAO. What’s worse is that Camilla wouldn’t be caught dead in this style – Camilla prefers baggy housedresses and more modern lines. Still, that’s actually Kate’s default style when she’s not copykeening Diana or Meghan. Fussy, ancient, button-covered, unmodern.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales, with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. // GARTER DAY AT WINDSOR CASTLE Monday, 15th June 2026 Engagement: The King and Queen and Members of the Royal Family will attend a Service for the Most Noble Order of the Garter at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Monday 15th June 2026. St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, SL4 1NJ. Their Majesties The King and Queen and Members of the Royal Family will walk in procession from Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel to attend the annual Order of the Garter service. Following the service, Their Majesties and Members of the Royal Family will depart by carriages for their return journey to the Castle. Ahead of the Service, the three new Companions to the Order of the Garter will be invested at a private Investiture in the Garter Throne Room, Windsor Castle. The following appointments were announced in April 2026: • The Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. • The Lord O’Donnell, GCB to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. • The Right Honourable The Lord Burnett of Maldon, to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Background The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago. The Order includes The King, who is Sovereign of the Garter, The Queen, several Members of the Royal Family, and up to 24 companions chosen in recognition of their work. Companions of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally. The appointment of The Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, The Lord O’Donnell and The Right Honourable The Lord Burnett of Maldon was announced on Thursday, 23rd April 2026.,Image: 1110372583, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Editorial use, commercial use may require additional licenses. We don’t use AI to make images which could be mistaken for news photos. AI use will be clearly indicated. Supplied on condition you ensure personal data is processed in compliance with DPA2018, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Tony Kershaw/Avalon
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- Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales arrives at St George’s Chapel to attend the annual Order of the Garter Service at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, June 15, 2026.,Image: 1110378313, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Toby Shepheard/Avalon
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- Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, arrives at St George’s Chapel to attend the annual Order of the Garter Service at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, June 15, 2026.,Image: 1110378324, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Toby Shepheard/Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JUNE 15: Catherine, Princess of Wales laughs as she attends the 2026 Order Of The Garter Service at Windsor Castle on June 15, 2026 in Windsor, England. The Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest chivalric order established by Edward III, includes The King, Queen, Royal Family members, and up to 24 companions honoured for their public service. Companions of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.,Image: 1110378462, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JUNE 15: Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the 2026 Order Of The Garter Service at Windsor Castle on June 15, 2026 in Windsor, England. The Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest chivalric order established by Edward III, includes The King, Queen, Royal Family members, and up to 24 companions honoured for their public service. Companions of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.,Image: 1110378504, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JUNE 15: Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as Prince William, Prince of Wales walks past during the 2026 Order Of The Garter Service at Windsor Castle on June 15, 2026 in Windsor, England. The Order of the Garter, Britain’s oldest chivalric order established by Edward III, includes The King, Queen, Royal Family members, and up to 24 companions honoured for their public service. Companions of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.,Image: 1110378568, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no , Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
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- The Order Of The Garter Service At Windsor Castle. The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded by King Edward III in 1348, is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 15 Jun 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- The Order Of The Garter Service At Windsor Castle. The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded by King Edward III in 1348, is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 15 Jun 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
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- The Order Of The Garter Service At Windsor Castle. The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded by King Edward III in 1348, is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 15 Jun 2026 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
The kate effect is a myth since she copies other people
Seriously, that fabric can be found in sample books for curtains or sofa upholstery. There’s probably a few lovely brocade couches scattered around the royal residences in exactly the same style.
I think it looks weird as well. Set of curtains, perhaps.
Hard agree. I’m almost 60 and while I would absolutely put that fabric on my Queen Ann sofa, there is no way I would wear it!
I am not sure if this has been said, but that coat reminds me of paintings of QEI, where QEI’s hip padding protruded unnaturally. The fabric has much to be desired.
I unfortunately actually find the brocade very cool- I have a lot of work shirts and pants in my closet that could be described as “grandmas couch”- but I would’ve worn it open and probably with a contrasting solid shirt or pants. I also would’ve loved this in fall or winter rather than June, but I am in SE USA.
I know that the UK is a different climate, but still, how does she not have sweat stains everywhere??
That’s actually how the designer suggests how it can be worn – open over jeans and a shirt.
I like brocade too–it’s a really interesting and variable weave. I think I posted yesterday that my Scottish granny had a brocade couch. But also, I’m a sucker for interesting fabric in clothing.
As for the cut and tailoring, I think I read that Kate “collaborated” with the designer? Which means she told him: high waist, ankle-length skirt, and a vertical row of buttons, no arguing.
My mum who dies 20 years ago aged 87 also had a gorgeous brocade couch? Or more a chaise longue. It was stunning.
I like brocade too. I like textured fabrics.
I had a dress like this in the 80’s. Bigger shoulder pads, remove the buttons, and less shiny fabric. I loved that dress. I’d totally wear it today if I still had it.
Yes, because you have a point of view (sounds like we have similar clothing vibes!). Kate has no point of view she wants made public. Other than the one where she’s better than her biracial SIL.
Ow, ow, ow, ow! That’s almost $7,000 worth of outfit, not counting extra for custom design, custom-woven fabric and more buttons.
Two grand for a hat that will probably never see the light of day again?
How do they justify this?
As if the hat costs £1930! It’s a cool hat but gdamn. It’s also wider than her whole frame, that’s crazy :’) the fact that she collaborated with the designer and came up with this coatdress design is testament to her lack of vision. She probably thought the big pockets were edgy and left it at that. Imagine if this had been asymmetric with a wide shawl lapel, like a double-breasted shape but with only one set of buttons that were half the size, and calmed down on the pockets, would have looked miles more modern and better on her. The hat is modern but the coatdress isn’t so it throws it off.
That coat is uuuugly. It’s no compliment to say frumpy Cam could wear it.
I LOLed at the title, because I commented yesterday that it’s very grandmother-of-the-groom outfit. I stand by it.
The lovely cream brocade would look equally at home hanging in the windows of the drawing room in your 18th century country estate
” That’s probably one of the reasons why Kate has weirdly started wearing California-based American brands in recent months. ”
You mean, not satisfied with having ruined so many British brands, she’s now trying to tank California fashion brands as well? 😀
Oh – and the Mail totally got those Camilla comparison points from reading Celebitchy comments yesterday!
I actually *like* this. I think it is elegant, and I do love damask (there are different weights to the fabric: it’s not always a *heavy* fabric).
That said, if it was shorted about a foot, up to just above the knee… heck, even to *just*below* the knee, it would look *much* more modern and stylish. I’d also pair it with a different shoe/accessories. That would help to freshen the look immensely.
I’d love this coat with your edits! Pair it with black slim leg pants, black pumps, and a shell in the color of your choice. Leave it open for a more casual look. It’d certainly look more like something worn by a woman of this century.
I can understand why some people get annoyed when she wears Californian fashion brands, considering she’s supposed to represent the UK. She should be promoting British brands first and foremost, or at least brands from Commonwealth countries. And if not, there are plenty of great European labels she could wear from time to time.
The thing is, there are British brands that are hugely successful right now, like KNWLS, Labrum London, and Tolu Coker. But Kate’s style is still very dated, in my opinion. It feels stuck in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Honestly, I sometimes wonder if her mother, Carole, has more influence over her wardrobe than people realize, because that’s exactly the era her fashion choices seem to come from.
She often ends up looking like a 1970s secretary or an airline stewardess from the 1980s. That’s why she never really champions younger British designers the way Diana did. Diana helped put a lot of emerging British designers on the map by wearing them, including Bruce Oldfield, Jasper Conran, and Catherine Walker.
Kate did wear Tolu Coker that one time, which was actually cool, except she made it look like another flight attendant uniform. Imagine if Megan does go to the uk, wears Labrum London, and puts it up on her fashion site that they’re so mad about. Oh the crashout would be scary. But yeah, it would be cool to see Kate in some more of these types of designers. If she could just get the styling right though bc it so often lacks a sense of playfulness. KNWLS might be too edgy but I haven’t seen their whole collection of clothes.
It is very likely that Carol is Kate’s unofficial stylist. At QEII’s funeral, Carol wore an outfit extremely similar to Kate’s (down to the accessories!), except Kate’s was more high end.
So many royals wear these weird coat dresses and I… do not get it at all. It’s so heavy and frumpy looking. If you’re going to spend all of that money, there’s so much better stuff that you can choose.
My problem with Kate’s fashion is not that it’s ugly — it’s not, it’s perfectly presentable and always appropriate and often very chic — it’s that she always looks “nice,” in the way that a girl in a catalogue looks nice. Like, inoffensive, harmless, appealing, and fashion can do so much more than that. Especially if your role is mostly non-speaking. I mean. It all looks like a very expensive re-fit of a high-street brand. There’s nothing original about it, nothing subversive, and nothing particularly striking or dignified. It eschews all the registers for “wow.” Put it this way: she could *never* pull off couture, as Meghan did, at Balenciaga, in Paris.
I get that buttons are her thing – but jamming twice as many of those ginormous things on there as were necessary was a bad call. Makes the whole look too busy, too fussy. I also think the placement of the pockets is awkward, at least on her body.
Could it be that those huge pockets are meant to give the illusion of her having hips? They’re so huge, she could put the contents of her bag in there!
I think with her hat she is trying to copy Melania T.
I think she has a Melania mood board, thus the bigger hats we see her in.
My mind immediately went to the mistress/wife squeezing her girth into Waity’s dress, those buttons would not be able to withstand her the pressure lol.. now I need to get that image of flesh protruding from the gaps between the buttons 🥴..
Overall this is not a bad look for Kate. We’ve seen a lot worse. Its that its boring (and extremely expensive – 3k in accessories alone not counting her earrings!) It’s just that she often thinks she’s dressing regally and or in a classy way and instead its just…..boring. it’s dull. her jewelry isn’t interesting, her 2k hat isn’t interesting, etc.
QEII had a uniform especially in her last few decades but she still kept it interesting with pretty patterns and color combos and jewelry.
You could also feel the queen’s personality in her choices. And it wasn’t a bland or boring one.
She looks fine. It’s a perfectly nice dress, but she’s worn so many variations of it that the overall effect is “yawn?”
I am just now finding out that LK Bennett went under. I got some of their shoes (boots) at a discount store. Gorgeous actually. Had I known they were on their way out I probably would have picked up another pair.
It’s just frustrating because she has time, money, and help. She could give us something more fun and interesting to look at. That getup is dignified but staid. It needs something.
I think the fabric is not per se bad.
Imagine the coat without the pockets and too many buttons open over a white T-shirt and Jeans, maybe spiky black heels.
That would make the Look more moder and let the fabric shine.
I could see Camilla wearing an A-line version of this coat dress. If I were the designer and I read this piece I wouldn’t be feeling too good. The DM basically said that he dressed Kate like an old woman.
I wonder if Carole was an overbearing mother who pushed her fashion choices on her daughter? I had a mother that way and I dressed older than my years like Kate does. When I would try to explain to my mother how I didn’t like those clothes, my mother would say she wore them and what is wrong with the way she dressed. What a manipulative response. If I answered truthfully I would have had to criticize my mother which never went well for me.