The Princess of Wales usually sticks firmly to the sartorial protocol of being a working royal, but on 27 January, the wife of Prince William revealed the one royal style rule she is keen to break.
Kate, 44, stepped out in Bradford to visit Family Action's Children's Trauma Therapy Service, a mental health service run by Bradford Council. She met a mother and her five-year-old daughter, supported by the service, who were decorating a box of wishes, in which they had added items to help them express their feelings.
© Kensington PalaceKate crouched down to hold her hand before complimenting her leopard print dress. "I like your dress," the royal said. "That's a pretty dress and your shoes, I have boots like that, but they don't have glitter on sadly."
In revealing that she doesn't have boots with glitter on, Kate made a rare admission about a fashion regret – and the royal style rule she is keen to break as her boots are much more understated and in-keeping with a 'best of British' country aesthetic.
Inside Kate's boot collection
© GettyKate's boot collection includes a tasselled pair of flat boots by Penelope Chilvers, which she wore all the way back in 2005 on the second day of the Gatcombe Park Festival of British Eventing, styling then with jeans and a fedora.
© GettyShe later recycled them in 2017 while visiting the Robin Hood Primary School to celebrate 10 years of The Royal Horticultural Society campaign for school gardening. The classic heritage look oozed old money Sloane Ranger chic, perfectly aligned with the sartorial image of the royal family.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageMeanwhile, a pair of Gianvito Rossi knee-high boots (in various colours) is her go-to style these days. Equally as paired back but with a sense of elevation thanks to the block heel, this style is often paired with a structured coat. Take Kate's Christmas Day look from 2024, for example, where her black boots teamed perfectly with her forest green Alexander McQueen coat.
Kate's glittery heels
© GettyThough Kate might not own a pair of glittery boots (much to her dismay, it seems), she has previously worn a pair of glitter-covered stilettos. In 2020, Kate stepped out for a night at London's Noel Coward Theatre, opting for a touch of showbiz pizazz in her silver and midnight blue glitter heels by Jimmy Choo.
© Getty ImagesThey perfectly matched her sparkly clutch and offset the understated elegance of her navy Eponine London coat dress. She debuted the dazzling heels the year before while attending the Action on Addiction Gala dinner in June 2019.
