Many of the rules and regulations members of the Royal Family must follow are according to tradition, which some of the younger royals are now choosing to change. Kate Middleton is one of these royals, opting for a less strict dress code when she steps out in public. How has she broken royal protocol in recent months?
Taking after her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, Kate has modernised the Royal Family and doesn’t seem to take things as seriously as the older royals.
Examples of this can be seen in the way the Duchess dresses.
Like Diana, Kate has worn denim jeans and more casual clothing to some royal engagements over the past few years and months.
Before the late Princess of Wales, royals rarely wore trousers, let alone jeans.
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But Kate has taken to doing something else that is rarely seen within the Royal Family in relation to fashion: taking her coat off when indoors.
Interestingly, it is not the done thing for members of the Royal Family to take their coat or jacket off inside establishments, according to fashion and royal experts.
When stepping out for royal engagements and appearances, royals usually keep their whole outfit on – even while indoors.
However, in recent months, Kate has been seen taking her coat or jacket off once inside a building.
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An example of this was last November, when the Duchess visited London’s Imperial War Museum.
Kate wore a black and white military-style top with a pair of black trousers and a long, navy-blue coat.
The coat came off once Kate was inside the museum, allowing royal fans to see her top more clearly.
It featured long sleeves and gold buttons on its chest and along its sleeve cuffs.
Personal stylist and fashion expert Samantha Harman also commented, calling the royal fashion rule “old-fashioned”.
She told Express.co.uk: “Kate is supposed to keep her coat on indoors because of royal protocol.
“This rule is often attributed to the Queen who apparently deems taking off your coat in front of the public ‘unladylike’, although there isn’t any clear evidence on this.
“Even when Prince William is wearing a jumper or cardigan, the Duchess would still be in her coat.
“In 2021 this kind of thing comes across as old-fashioned. Why one rule for women and another for men?”
Samantha added: “Kate taking her coat off is a subtle way of saying ‘I’m human just like everyone else’ and also, ‘I’m ready to be in charge now’.”
When the Cambridges visited the Caribbean in March earlier this year, Kate was seen without a coat, but trips abroad are different.
Daena Borrowman, Marketing Manager at Jewellerybox.co.uk, explained: “Whilst touring abroad, royal protocol dictates that royal women also honour local history and traditions by sporting the colours of the country they are in.”
The royals’ outfits abroad are also dependent on the weather.