Kate Middleton has returned to work with a new look following a summer break. Gone are the simple trouser suits and elegant coat dresses; in their place? Trendy midi dresses in bold patterns, ruffled blouses and smart tailoring.
Perhaps it’s the result of the Princess of Wales replacing her stylist. Earlier this summer, it was announced Natasha Archer, Middleton’s long-time assistant, would be stepping down. Archer, who was promoted to senior private executive assistant to Prince William and Kate in 2022, reportedly left the Palace in July to set up her own private styling consultancy. While the palace has never announced who would be replacing Natasha, many online speculated that Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey could be the woman for the job.
The stylist’s down-to-earth approach to fashion must have vibed with Kate Middleton at one stage, as the princess employed her services during Natasha Archer’s maternity leave in 2019. The then Duchess of Cambridge was spotted in a subtly different wardrobe that saw her step outside her sartorial comfort zone during engagements, swapping stilettos for modern, block heels and dresses for wide-leg trousers and pussy-bow blouses. Chadwyck-Healey was credited for Kate’s fresh new look, with one royal source praising her as a “secret weapon” to The Daily Mail‘s Richard Eden at the time. “She has made a big difference to the duchess’s wardrobe for public engagements and has helped give her a whole new sense of confidence. Catherine has been really impressed and is very grateful for her help.”
Shifts in the princess’ look have been noticeable throughout this year, even before the departure of Natasha. In January, sources said Kate hoped royal fans would focus on her work rather than her stylish outfits, after her cancer journey gave her a “new perspective.”
“There is an absolute feeling that it [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing,” a palace source told The Sunday Times. “There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it’s about the substance.”
Here’s how Kate Middleton’s style has changed since the departure of Natasha Archer.
This article first appeared on Tatler.
