Kate, Princess of Wales, 41, stepped out wearing a brand new bespoke Alessandra Rich “Polka-dot Silk Midi Dress in White/Black” at the Order of the Garter on Monday.
At first glance, the Princess looked to be wearing her Alessandra Rich “Asymmetric Polka-dot Silk Crepe De Chine Dress in White and Brown” that she wore to Royal Ascot in 2022, but after further inspection, it turned out the dress was not the same.
Apart from the polka dots now being black instead of brown and slightly smaller than last year, Kate’s new dress also featured no excess material around the waistline.
Royal fans were slightly dismayed at the Princess wearing a new near-identical dress. For instance, @Emma4AboutRoyal tweeted: “I’m not too much a fan of buying very identical dresses. You’d think she could just have repeated last year’s Ascot look, I guess.”
In addition, @Japanese_Ginger wrote: “I’m still not an Alessandra Rich fan, and I don’t really get the need for the new dress when the one Kate already owns would’ve worked fine.
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“Ditto on the shoes. I like the look from the neck up though. The hat with the updo is great and she picked the right pearls.”
Style expert Molly Elizabeth Agnew, the founder of Eternal Goddess, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk to explain why Kate likely purchased a near-identical dress for the Order of the Garter.
She said: “It’s hard to think of a viable reason why anyone, including a Princess, would buy a dress so identical to one she wore only last year, especially from the same fashion house.
“Perhaps in the eye of her style team, a new dress keeps Kate’s style fresh and interesting.
“Of course, something could’ve happened to her Ascot dress that we are not privy to and thus they sorted a replacement. Alas, we will most likely never know the thought process.”
Kate’s husband Prince William is the founder of the Earthshot Prize Awards which awards those who champion sustainability.
Ms Agnew explained whether or not buying a near-identical new dress was a hypocritical move on Kate’s part.
She claimed: “It’s an accepted fact that members of the Royal Family buy and own far more items of clothing than the average person, and we do enjoy seeing them experiment with aesthetics and silhouettes.
“We take inspiration from them! However, when so many in the UK are struggling monetarily, it can come across as somewhat out of touch.
“Furthermore, for someone who places an emphasis on sustainability in her work, constantly wearing brand new items (or, at least brand new in the public domain) could seem hypocritical.”
Ms Agnew also examined possibilities explaining why Kate’s dress from Royal Ascot could not be worn again.
She suggested: “It’s undeniable that we are quick to over-analyse any items worn by Catherine, however, this is a particular instance where, although she looks marvellous, the purchase seems redundant.”
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