Kate Middleton Put a Royal Spin on 2024’s It Color

If there’s one color that has outshone all others this season, it’s burgundy. Kate Middleton has always been a fan of the luxe shade, and on the occasion of her return to public engagements after chemotherapy treatments that kept her out of the spotlight for the better part of the year, she decided to sport it in a head-to-toe look.

The occasion for her burgundy ensemble was a visit to London by the Emir of Quatar, Tamim bin Al Thani, and his wife, Jewaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani. Kate Middleton welcomed them along with Prince William and King Charles, and together they attended the Horse Guards Parade. The Princess of Wales wore a refined coat dress by Alexander McQueen, a matching hat by Sahar Millinery, leather boots and gloves, and her favorite Chanel handbag.

Kate Middleton in Alexander McQueen

Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

The outfit was completed by a pair of pearl earrings, the same ones she wore at Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, and which originally belonged to Queen Elizabeth, just like the pearl and diamond necklace that served as the finishing touch.

It is no coincidence that Kate Middleton’s Chanel bag is burgundy. The Princess of Wales has had a predilection for this shade for as long as we can remember—beyond the trend cycle—and when she is not required to sport a specific color because it is imposed by the royal dress code, it is her go-to. She wears it at Christmas, but she also chooses it for her workdays and public engagements in the form of suits, coats, and accessories.

As Vogue Italia’s commerce writer Selene Oliva tells us, burgundy has always been linked to power and wealth. In imperial Rome burgundy was achieved with dyes were made of murrice, a rare shell from the Mediterranean, which is why it was reserved only for leaders and the emperor. But red is also the color of the tunic of cardinals, as well as the velvet cloaks worn throughout history by the great aristocratic families. The stealth wealth burgundy of today is the color of wine, Bordeaux to Barolo, Chianti to Amarone, all fine bottles that best represent the autumn-winter season.