Kate Middleton’s Royal Garden Party Look Backfires — Earns Her a Brutal Nickname From Royal Fans

Kate Middleton is celebrated for her elegant silhouettes and polished style that fit her royal role. Known for her commitment to following royal fashion protocol, she rarely misses a sartorial beat. But at the recent Buckingham Palace garden party, she surprised royal watchers by recycling an old dress. The move, though sustainable, sparked a flurry of reaction and earned her the brutal nickname ‘Princess of Rewears.’

The Princess of Wales attended the royal garden tea party on May 20 and served as a host on behalf of King Charles. Middleton turned heads with her bright-yellow Emilia Wickstead dress, the color of the season in London. Eagle-eyed fans recognized that she had previously worn the same outfit for the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Nicki Swift reports that netizens took to social media to dub Middleton the 'Queen or Princess of Rewears.’ Her overly done ‘caked-on’ makeup was also a far cry from her usual modest looks.

Netizens also noted that she had worn the same hat for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding. People magazine reports that a year after the Sussexes' nuptials, she re-wore the same Philip Treacy floral hat back for Trooping the Color in June 2019. The hat was a bold choice as she re-wore it just a day after Harry and Markle celebrated their 7th wedding anniversary. As per reports, the recycled hat was seen as an ‘olive branch’ to the Sussexes amidst their highly publicized feud. Middleton paired her gorgeous yellow dress and hat with her Robinson Pelham royal wedding earrings.

Middleton’s penchant for recycling old outfits has earned her much appreciation among environmentalists and fashion moguls alike. Fashion designer Bethan Holt told People magazine, “I think she is trying a more sustainable way of dressing. She already has a vast and extensive wardrobe, so why shouldn't she be looking for ways to take existing pieces and re-imagine them?” A royal source echoed the designer’s claims and told The Times, “There is an absolute feeling that it [the public work] is not about what the Princess is wearing. [Kate] wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people, and the causes she is spotlighting.”

The Princess of Wales has re-worn other outfits for various royal events. She wore her bright blue Catherine Walker coat dress at both the 2022 Commonwealth service and the 2023 Easter service. Most recently, she repeated an Alessandra Rich outfit for the 80th anniversary of VE Day. She also wore the same ensemble for Royal Ascot in 2022 and Garter Day in 2023. Her stunning polka dot dress was widely seen as a tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who wore a similar look to Royal Ascot Day in 1988.