Kate Middleton Turns Her Back on a Royal Fashion Protocol That Was Preferred by Queen Elizabeth
Being a member of the royal family comes with its share of stringent protocols, many of which seem outdated in today’s world. One such tradition required women to wear nude tights for public events, a rule reportedly introduced by the late Queen Elizabeth. While Kate Middleton has generated buzz for swapping tights for pantsuits, people wondered whether this signaled her ‘royal rebel’ era. According to royal expert Helena Chard, the Princess of Wales did not breach protocol by skipping nude tights, as it is now more of a personal choice.
While Queen Elizabeth reportedly expected royal women to wear nude tights, Chard says it's no longer mandatory. She told Fox News, "The late Queen Elizabeth II preferred women in nude tights, believing it gave a polished look. These days, it’s a personal choice. Princess Diana often avoided tights, using tanning oil instead." She added, "Since the Queen’s passing, we’ve seen Princess Kate embrace more power trouser suits — something Elizabeth wasn’t keen on during her reign." While Middleton has avoided wearing nude pantyhose, she has adopted one of the Queen’s favorite solutions, sewing curtain weights into hems.
After a few unfortunate moments, where gusts of wind lifted Middleton’s skirts in public, the Queen reportedly suggested to her the golden rule. Chard explained, "Queen Elizabeth introduced her [Middleton] to a secret weapon — curtain weights sewn into the hems of her outfits. They kept clothes hanging properly, and she hasn’t suffered any more embarrassing Marilyn moments." Reflecting more on royal protocols that are yet in place today, the expert continued, "While wearing lipstick, royals must always sip from the same spot on a glass to avoid smudges. Handbags are carried on the left, following the Queen’s tradition."
Echoing Chard’s claims, veteran fashion journalist Elizabeth Holmes told Business Insider that there is no written rule about royal women having to wear pantyhose. She explained that they simply did so as a sign of respect for the late Queen, how she dressed, and the tone that she set. Moreover, the Queen reportedly did not appreciate other royals color-coordinating their outfits with hers, as she was expected to stand out as the monarch. However, this is also not a compulsion now.
When it comes to the nude tights rule, Middleton has an unlikely ally in Meghan Markle, who has branded the protocol ‘inauthentic.’ In an episode of The Circuit with Emily Chang, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that she disliked wearing pantyhose, a tradition she found at odds with her true self. She said, "I hadn't seen pantyhose since the '80s, when they came in the little egg? That felt a little bit inauthentic, but that's a silly example." She continued, "But it is an example of when you're able to dress the way you wanna dress and you're able to say the things that are true and you're able to show up in the space really organically and authentically, that's being comfortable in your own skin."