Kate Middleton Wore Red Dress Like Princess Diana at First Appearance With Royal Baby
On Monday morning, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child, a son, into the world. And when it was time for mother and child stepped out in public for the first time later that day, Kate Middleton wore an outfit that appears to give a subtle nod to Princess Diana.
Middleton left the Lido Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London wearing a red Jenny Packham dress with a white lace Peter Pan collar. (She wore the designer to announce the birth of her two other children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte—a blue polka-dot style for the former, and a yellow floral print sheath for the latter.) The garment wasn’t just another stylish entry into the Duchess’ closet: There seem to be plenty of comparisons to be drawn between her outfit and two iconic looks from the late Princess Diana’s style book.
PHOTO: Chris Jackson
The first, most obvious parallel is to what Princess Diana wore to make her first appearance with a newborn Prince Harry in 1984—a long-sleeved red dress with white collar, much like Middleton’s Jenny Packham style.
PHOTO: Tom Wargacki
Then, there are the similarities between the Duchess’ red dress and one worn by Princess Diana back in 1983, while on an official visit to Canada with Prince Charles. Remember this look?
PHOTO: Tim Graham
Middleton’s take on Princess Diana’s red dresses also had a special designer touch: Middleton has now worn Jenny Packham for all three royal birth announcements. For the birth of Prince George, she donned a blue polka-dot dress by the British designer. Then when Princess Charlotte came along, she opted for a Jenny Packham yellow floral print sheath.
PHOTO: Chris Jackson
The Duchess has been known to mirror the fashion of Princess Diana. While Middleton’s look today isn’t a detail-for-detail match, it appears to be a sweet wink at the royal family’s history on such a big day. Here’s to more adorable photos of the growing family in the coming weeks—like at next month’s royal wedding, perhaps?
Related Stories:
The First Pics of Royal Baby Number Three Are Obviously Adorable
The Photos of Princess Charlotte and Prince George Arriving to Meet Their Brother Are Too Much
How Princess Charlotte Is Making History Following the Birth of Her Baby Brother