Kate Middleton Repeats Alexander McQueen Coat Dress For Order Of The Garter Service 2012

Yesterday, the Duchess of Cambridge was taking a walk through the muddy woods of Kent in jeans and wellies, but today the 30-year-old is back to her royal best, kitted out in a fancy ensemble for the Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle. Well, phew for that!

So what’s the artist formerly known as Kate Middleton wearing, you ask? We can confirm that the Duchess has returned to the trusty benefits of Alexander McQueen, donning a double-breasted coat dress by the British brand and doesn’t she look ruddy resplendent? Sarah Burton is fast becoming the DoC’s official dresser for such majorly swanky events and after the designer scooped an OBE in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honour List this weekend, we can only expect to see more Middleton-McQueen magic.

You may recognise this creamy white number as the very same design the Duchess wore for the Trooping of the Colour (the Queen’s official birthday celebrations) last year. The sculpturally tailored white cotton and wool-blend piqué coat accentuates Kate’s fine form and features an oh-so-elegant tiered Samurai skirt. It WAS available on net-a-porter for a whooping £2,290 but has nowsold out. Well, it is a year since its first appearance so hardly surprising, eh?
As for her headgear, Kate has again stuck to what she knows, choosing a matching ivory hat by Jane Corbett. The milliner created that swirly chapeau which the DoC wore for Saturday’s outing as well as the pretty pink confection she sported with her Emilia Wickstead dress at last month’s Jubilee garden party.

And no prizes for guessing Kate’s wearing her favourite footwear, LK Bennett’s nude Sledge heels. In fact, Sophie Rhys-Jones, Countess of Wessex, AND Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall have followed her lead by donning near-identical shoes and matchy-matchy pastel ensembles. Talk about a style icon! Camilla is wearing an Anna Valentine cream chiffon dress and pale pink coat with a Philip Treacy hat and Russell and Bromley heels while Sophie has chosen a cream coat dress with platforms.

Meanwhile, Prince William looked even more fancy. As a Royal Knight of the Garter, he was dressed in the traditional blue velvet cloak of the Garter Order topped off with a hat featuring a giant plume of heron and ostrich feathers. Kate watched on as her husband took part in the annual ceremony, walking in a procession to the chapel. We can’t decide whose outfit we like more…