The Princess of Wales epitomised quiet elegance at the St Patrick’s Day parade at Mons Barracks earlier this month – but she subtly concealed a more daring side of her look.
According to Royal British Fashion on Instagram, Kate, 44, wore a bespoke Alexander McQueen dress under her bottle green coat by the same designer. It went against her usual style mantra of avoiding strapless dresses for daytime engagements with its shoulder-baring cut, but the royal managed to get away with it as the coat was buttoned up and secured with a black leather belt.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageKate’s hidden strapless dress
The pleated skirt of the dress peeked out from underneath, showing a subtle nod to the princess’ daring side, but otherwise, it remained under wraps. “Although Kate is known to wear strapless or off-the-shoulder gowns, these styles are typically reserved for evening events, so it’s no surprise the look was subtly concealed on St. Patrick’s Day,” fashion stylist Leanne Jones tells us of Kate’s intentional style move.
© Getty Images“The coat and scarf cleverly softened the neckline of the dress, which was beautifully tailored with a hemline that perfectly aligned with her Alexander McQueen coat. If you’re hesitant about lower necklines, remember that layering with coats, blazers, or even a shirt underneath can make the style feel both elegant and comfortable, without revealing more décolletage than you’d like!”
As for the rest of Kate’s look, the wife of Prince William added knee-high boots by Ralph Lauren, as well as the ‘Meribel Beret’ by Gina Foster and wool gloves by Imogen James. The finishing touch came in the form of emerald and diamond earrings by Asprey London.
Princess Kate’s best shoulder-baring dresses
The princess has worn just two strapless dresses during her time as a working royal and has only worn a handful of shoulder-baring Bardot dresses, as she usually keeps this area covered. Keep scrolling to see her elegant take on a strapless dress moment…
© Getty Images2011
Kate wore Alexander McQueen while attending The Sun Military Awards at Imperial War Museum on 19 December 2011. The black velvet number featured a classic sweetheart neckline and was paired with platformed heels and a bold ruby and diamond necklace by Mouawad.
© Getty2012
During her and Prince William‘s 2012 Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East, Kate enjoyed a visit to Governor General Frank Kabui’s house in Honuara, Guadalcanal Island. She wore a beautiful printed sundress made by a local design house, TAV, and open-toe wedges for the occasion.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageTwice in 2022
Perhaps her most quintessentially fairytale dress, Kate was radiant in emerald green as she attended a dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King’s House on 23 March 2022. The Jenny Packham design featured a full tulle skirt and a ruffle along the Bardot neckline so as not to reveal too much of the décolletage and shoulders.
© Dan Kitwood/Getty ImagesThat same year, on 19 May, the royal joined Prince William and Tom Cruise on the red carpet at the Top Gun: Maverick Royal Film Performance at Odeon Leicester Square in London. The mother-of-three exuded style in a black and white off-the-shoulder gown by Roland Mouret and added extra star quality with her Robinson Pelham cosmic design earrings.