Kate Middleton Princess of Wales news: Trooping the Colour outfit deliberate choice to copy Princess Diana 1988 look because of tradition | Opinion

OPINION – – There is no such thing as a coincidence when it comes to the royal family and their remarkable ability to dress perfectly for every occasion.

With a legion of helpers at hand, and access to an extensive photographic historical record, if a royal wears something that immediately arouses a sense of nostalgia, that’s very likely a deliberate move on their part to pay tribute to tradition.

And no-one does that better than the Princess of Wales.

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For her appearance at Trooping the Colour overnight – also known as the King’s birthday parade – Catherine wore an outfit that has drawn comparisons to that worn by her late mother-in-law, Diana at the same event in 1988.

Both outfits are Catherine Walker designs and feature wide, white contrasting cuffs and collars set against deep aquamarine (in Kate’s outfit) and green (as seen on Diana).

We all remember the late Princess of Wales in that look because it was also the year when Prince Harry, who was three at the time, poked his tongue out while being held by his mother on the balcony, much to the delight of the world’s watching media.

Royal women, in comparison to their male counterparts, know their sartorial choices for events, great and small, get scrutinised down to every minute detail.

And there is no bigger event on the royal calendar than Trooping the Colour, bar a coronation.

For the woman who currently holds the title of Princess of Wales, Kate’s decision to wear an outfit that bears such resemblance to Diana’s iconic 1988 look is absolutely deliberate.

Rather than being custom-made for Kate, the style is on the British designer’s website and is known as the ‘Bria’. It also comes in red and black.

Some may wonder, why wear something so similar to that seen on Diana more than 30 years ago?

Surely such an obviously-similar outfit will just invite the Diana-Kate comparisons, something which the 43-year-old has had to live with since marrying into the royal family in 2011.

The simple answer is tradition.

As the King walked out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the culmination of Trooping the Colour – the part of the day most of us really want to see – he was joined by his family.

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The 14 of them in total represented what many believe is the result of the King’s slimmed-down monarchy, an attempt to modernise the 1200-year-old institution by involving only those working in service of the Crown, or those in the direct line of succession (as the Wales children are).

They were the King and Queen standing besides Prince William and Kate and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.

They were joined by the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

Absent from this year’s balcony line up were the two children of Prince Edward and Sophie: Lady Louise, 21, and James, Earl of Wessex, 17. Lady Louise was included in last year’s Trooping the Colour, including the carriage ride to Horse Guards Parade, while her younger brother last took part in 2022.

It was the late Queen Elizabeth II who used to include her wider family on the palace balcony at Trooping the Colour, though in 2022 – which coincided with her Platinum Jubilee – the line-up was noticeably smaller than in previous years.

Many took it as a sign of the 96-year-old monarch paving the way for her son and heir’s hopes for a more streamlined royal family.

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In recent years, other royal families across Europe have been scaling down their list of working members, notably the Danish royals and the Swedish royals.

This year’s Trooping saw another attempt at modernisation by Charles III: the Red Arrows who took part in the fly past used a blend of sustainable aviation fuel and normal jet fuel for propulsion and a renewable biofuel for its smoke trails.

It is thought to be the first time anywhere in the world that two environmentally-friendly fuels have been used for such a spectacle.

The King, who has long talked about the need to be greener, was said to “obviously be delighted” about the use of sustainable aviation fuel, an aide said.

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As Charles moves to propel the royal family into more modern times, it is the Prince and Princess of Wales who are determined to show the world that tradition still matters.

And a small, and non-threatening, way to do this is through fashion.

It was just months ago that Kensington Palace said there would be “no change in our approach to sharing information” about Kate’s clothes after reports emerged that the princess wanted the focus to be on her work and not her wardrobe.

What followed were many appearances by Kate wearing repeat outfits (of which, she should be commended for) or clothes in darker, muted colours. Hardly inspiring for her legion of fashion followers and fashion writers, though.

Fast forward to now with this Diana-esque look at Trooping the Colour.

Much like Diana in 1988, when she matched her outfit to Prince Harry’s green and white ensemble, Kate and her daughter Princess Charlotte were mirroring each other with similar hued dresses.

While there are countless examples of Kate wearing similar outfits to Diana, the most recent example (apart from Trooping) came earlier this month when the princess wore a navy and white Suzannah coat dress to christen a ship in Scotland.

It was nearly uncanny to a navy and white Catherine Walker outfit Diana wore to a nautical event in 1993.

Trooping the Colour has always been a family affair and children, and their parents, are at the heat of the celebrations.

King Charles attended his first Trooping aged three in 1951.

In 2015, Prince George made his balcony debut at the event wearing a recreation of the same outfit his father Prince William wore for his first Trooping the Colour appearance way back in 1984, just weeks shy of his second birthday.

When Prince Louis made his balcony debut in 2019, his outfit was a recreation of the one his uncle Prince Harry wore in 1986.

These fashion choices are not coincidence and any mother in charge of their children’s wardrobe at such crucial family events knows all too well the importance of looking unified and looking smart.

Every year there is debate about the relevance of the royal family and their place in modern society, yet the key players in the House of Windsor know that what their public really want is a continuation of tradition.

Trooping the Colour is the most popular – and loved – royal event because it is one that is a throwback to times gone by.

The centuries-old parade attracts tourists from around the world, many coming from outside the UK to get a taste of the royal family’s pomp and pageantry.

Seeing Kate wearing an outfit that is so remarkably like one of Diana’s is exactly what nostalgic-loving royal watchers want to see.

Prince William and Kate, and their children, are the future of the monarchy but when looking ahead, they are making sure they pay tribute to the past.

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