Kate Middleton's 'nod' to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at palace garden party spotted by fans
Kate rewore the hat she sported at the Sussexes' 2018 wedding
Kate Middleton seemed to make a subtle nod to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a Buckingham Palace garden party this week.
The Princess of Wales’ appearance at the gathering on May 20 – which you can see here – has sparked chatter, not just for her dazzling yellow outfit, but for a possible hidden message in her choice of accessories.
Appearing alongside Prince William for her first garden party since 2023, the Princess of Wales, 43, stunned in a butter yellow ensemble.
She immediately drew comparisons to the late Queen Elizabeth II’s signature style of dressing in bright hues to be “visible in the crowd”.
In fact, the colour is one Kate has worn before, most notably at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018. But what truly caught the attention of eagle-eyed royal watchers wasn’t just the outfit; it was the hat.
Kate Middleton’s ‘nod’ to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at palace garden party
The butter yellow hat with rose appliqué was the exact same headpiece she wore to the Sussexes’ nuptials seven years ago.
Fans were quick to connect the dots, especially since May 19 marked Harry and Meghan’s seventh wedding anniversary.
One person wrote on X: “Catherine paying homage to Harry and Meghan by rewearing the hat she wore at their wedding! Sweet gesture in honour of their anniversary!”
“It’s ‘a nod’ to H&M,” one follower simply wrote, while another added: “I spotted that immediately… and smiled.”
Although some questioned the intentionality behind the move, with one commenter suggesting “she’s so busy she probably doesn’t know it’s the same hat”. Meanwhile, others were quick to applaud the sustainable fashion choice and the possibility of a subtle, thoughtful gesture.
“Who cares, she just looks fabulous! And good for her for rewearing, unlike some!” one user quipped.
Kate Middleton attends palace garden party
Kate’s choice of colour may have also been a subtle homage to Queen Elizabeth II.
The late queen’s strategy of wearing bright colours in large crowds was once explained by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in the documentary The Queen at 90.
“She needs to stand out for people to be able to say, ‘I saw the Queen,’ Sophie explained. “Don’t forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep. Someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen’s hat as she went past.”
Catherine paying homage to Harry and Meghan by rewearing the hat she wore at their wedding!
Earlier this year, reports claimed that Princess Kate would no longer publicly share her outfit details, in an effort to shift focus from fashion to her charity work.
A source told The Sunday Times: “There is an absolute feeling that it [her work] is not about what the princess is wearing. She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”
However, a spokesperson for the palace later clarified the comments were made by the aide and not the princess herself.
In an interview with PEOPLE, they assured fans that there had been “no change in our approach” to sharing fashion information.
Read more: Kate Middleton defended amid claim she ‘overshadowed’ King Charles at Chelsea Flower Show
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