Why Is Kate Middleton Obsessed With Burgundy Outfits? There's a Hidden Meaning To It
Kate Middleton is celebrated for her chic fashion choices, with outfits selling out within days of her wearing them. Interestingly, the Princess of Wales has shown a clear preference for specific designers and colors, which is evident in her public appearances. Commenting on her fondness for burgundy, fashion expert Karen Haller notes that the color carries a hidden meaning. She explained that Middleton favors Burgundy because it conveys her confidence, without seeming too flashy or flamboyant.
Most recently, the Princess of Wales stepped out in burgundy when greeting Donald and Melania Trump for their UK state visit on September 17. She debuted a bespoke Emilia Wickstead coat, pairing it with a matching Jane Taylor veiled hat and Gianvito Rossi suede court shoes. Reflecting on the appearance, Haller said that the color captured Middleton’s ‘public persona.’ She told the Daily Mail, "This rich shade reflects the balance Catherine achieves in knowing when to take centre stage and when to step back. It carries an understated authority and natural poise, projecting confidence without being showy."
In color psychology, maroon or burgundy is often associated with traits like strength, courage, and confidence. Burgundy is also the color of Fall. Middleton has worn the shade numerous times in the past. In 2024, she greeted the Emir of Qatar during his UK state visit in a splendid Alexander McQueen coat. At the time, her smart choice was also attributed as a sartorial nod to Qatar’s national colors. Between 2022 and 2024, she repeated her classic burgundy Roland Mouret suit, wearing it on four public occasions, including the Boston visit and the Shaping Us Symposium. Moreover, during a 2023 visit to Birmingham, she donned a burgundy Karen Millen trench dress.
Middleton has long been aware of the attention her savvy outfits attract, so much so that she has refrained from revealing details about them, preferring to keep the focus on her royal duties. A Palace source explained her approach to The Times, saying, "There is an absolute feeling that it [the public-facing work] is not about what the Princess is wearing... She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people, and the causes she is spotlighting. 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?"
Sharing their thoughts on the hype around her outfits, a close friend of the Princess also revealed that the attention was ‘enormously frustrating and difficult’ for the future Queen. They explained, "What was enormously frustrating and difficult for her, especially in the early days, was that she was going out and doing the work she was interested in and was hugely important to her, and people just talked about what she was wearing." Dubbed ‘The Kate Effect’, any outfit that the Princess of Wales wears almost immediately sells out.