Kensington Palace clarifies Kate Middleton’s new style policy after backlash

Kate Middleton’s office is getting candid over new palace guidance.

After a week of chatter surrounding the Princess of Wales’ clothing and the possibility of changing the formal policy on sharing her fashion details, Kensington Palace has set the record straight.

Their statement comes a day after a Sunday Times article titled “Princess of Wales: Focus on my work, not my wardrobe” came out — in which a royal source was quoted saying that Kate “wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, a Kensington Palace spokesperson told People in response: “Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding the Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits.”

“To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not the Princess of Wales,” the statement continued. “The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to the Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.” 

The palace has maintained a policy for years of not disclosing details about what Kate is wearing. As a result, the internet detectives, including the website What Kate Wore, have taken on the task themselves, detailing her outfits and linking where to find similar pieces.

The official quote from the Sunday Times article read, “There is an absolute feeling that [the public 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,” they continued. “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.”

After announcing her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, the princess took a step back from public duties while undergoing cancer treatment.

She completed treatment that September and announced her remission in January. At the time, she wrote on Instagram: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery.”

“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” she continued. “I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”

The future queen added, “In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.”

Princess Kate has since been easing back into her royal responsibilities, making several public appearances in the past 10 days.

There is a chance, meanwhile, that details about Princess Kate’s outfits will be shared during major family and cultural occasions, like royal tours, hosting visiting heads of state or during the holidays.