Kate Middleton Just Broke an Age-Old Fashion Rule

For years, Kate Middleton’s fashion choices have been a masterclass in polished, princess-perfect style. But her look on March 15 at the Six Nations match in Cardiff? A quiet departure from the norm—one that signals a shift in how she’s approaching fashion altogether.

The Princess of Wales stepped out in a navy, military-style Alexander McQueen coat over a classic black turtleneck—breaking one of the oldest style rules in the book: never wear navy and black together. As Vogue points out, this once-taboo combination has been widely embraced in fashion circles for years, thanks in part to Phoebe Philo’s Fall 2010 Céline collection. Yet, seeing it on Kate—a royal known for playing by the fashion rulebook—feels significant.

It’s not just the color combo. The coat itself was an outfit repeat—Kate owns the same McQueen design in multiple shades. And while she’s no stranger to re-wearing looks, this choice feels different because of the timing. Just weeks ago, The Sunday Times ran a piece suggesting Kate wanted the public to focus less on her clothes and more on her work. The backlash was swift, so much so that the Kensington Palace spokesperson issued a statement to clarify: “To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.” But now, here she is, wearing a muted, understated outfit that subtly reinforces that very message.