Kate Middleton looked beautiful in a bold blue suit at Evelina London Children’s Hospital on Tuesday (December 5th 2023).
The Princess of Wales wore a tonal look comprised of a vibrant blue suit blazer, matching trousers, a coordinating sweater and skyscraping heels as she officially opened Evelina’s brand-new Children’s Day Surgery Unit.
The suit is by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. (Full details further down the page.)
Evelina’s brand new cutting-edge facility is set to revolutionise family-centric care for young patients. Uniquely designed, it offers a seamless experience from pre-surgery to recovery, all in one cohesive space. This thoughtful layout not only alleviates the stress of moving around the hospital for families but also boosts surgical capacity with two additional theatres, promising enhanced care for an extra 2,300 children annually.
Kate, who has been Patron of Evelina London since 2018, began her visit with a tour of the newly established unit. She experienced first-hand the state journey a child undergoes on surgery day.
She also chatted with families, staff and patients, and heard how the unit’s already making a big difference.
During the visit, Kate admired the space-themed artwork decorating the unit. Chosen by staff and patients, the artwork aligns with the natural world theme of the main children’s hospital. The artwork is not just aesthetically pleasing, it also creates a comforting environment for the unit’s young patients.
Evelina London is a specialist children’s hospital that provides life-changing care for children, young people and their families. The hospital helps around 104,000 children and young people every year. The new unit is a testament to their dedication to paediatric healthcare.
Kate’s paid a number of public and private visits to Evelina London Children’s Hospital over the last six years. She visit the hospital last year during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations. She wanted to meet with patients, families and staff unable to join in with the festivities over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The Princess also attended a workshop run by the National Portrait Gallery’s Hospital Programme at Evelina London in 2020 (left). Two years before, in 2018, Kate visited with her husband William to celebrate her new role as Patron (centre). In 2017, she officially opened Ronald McDonald House, ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families of children being treated at at the hospital (right).
Let’s look at Kate’s outfit from today’s visit in detail.
Kate’s blue suit at Evelina London:
The Princess of Wales chose a bright blue suit by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen today.
The suit is widely available online in numerous hues. The closest match I can find for the colour Kate’s wearing is ‘denim blue‘. But I cannot confirm the Princess is wearing this shade—she could be wearing a different colour from a forthcoming McQueen collection.
The ensemble will feel pretty familiar to those who follow Kate’s style. She owns the same suit in lots of different colours (I’ve lost track of the exact number). She wears some with cigarette-style trousers, others with wide-legged trousers.
Above: the Princess wearing the same suit in a darker blue, in pink and in white.
The bold blue structured blazer fastens with a single-breasted button. It features sharp peak lapels, a rounded hem, a flattering defined waist and two back vents. The angled flap pockets are a signature for Alexander McQueen:
It’s easy to see why the label is renowned for its elegant tailoring—the blazer displays clean lines, a streamlined silhouette and a polished finish. Classic, yet elegant.
For anybody looking to copy Kate’s elegant look, find the denim blue blazer at Neiman Marcus. I cannot find the same cigarette style trousers anywhere in this colour. But Neiman do sell matching blue trousers in the slim-fit bootcut style pictured above.
Eagle-eyed Kate fans Lady Parky and Canadian Duchess 14 think the Princess wearing her Jigsaw ‘Katharine’ Cloud Cashmere Knit in ‘Air Force Blue’ under her blazer jacket. (Pictured below.) I think they might be correct, the necklines do seem to match.
The Princess of Wales debuted the teal blue sweater during a visit to the Great Bear Rainforest on the small island of Bella Bella in British Columbia, Canada, in 2016.
The jumper is crafted from fine knit cashmere and is designed to be semi-sheer. The design boasts a classic crew neckline and a sleek, form-fitting silhouette. Subtle ribbed detailing at the cuffs and hem adds a touch of texture.
Timeless semi-sheer crew neck jumper meticulously crafted in pure cashmere for an ultra-soft touch. Long sleeves and neat fit through the body. An easy staple to be worn time and time again.
Jigsaw
As you’d expect, the sweater is from and older season so no longer available for purchase.
Kate’s no stranger to Jigsaw. The Princess has worn plenty from the British store over the last 12 years. Longtime fans will know Kate worked at Jigsaw for a brief time before marrying into the Royal Family. In December 2006, Belle Robinson (the company’s founder) offered Kate a job as an accessories buyer.
Founded in 1970, Jigsaw swiftly cemented its reputation as a beacon of British fashion, blending timeless elegance with contemporary designs. Renowned for its commitment to quality craftsmanship and fabrics, the brand encapsulates a quintessentially British aesthetic that draws inspiration from art, architecture, and culture.
Let’s move on to look at Kate’s shoes now. A familiar pair—her Gianvito Rossi heels in navy blue. This is the 11th time we’ve seen Kate wear the shoe in this particular shade since their debut last year. Clearly a favourite!
Since last summer, she’s paired the navy blue heels with everything from formal skirt suits to office-friendly dresses; from wool winter coats to sharply tailored suits. Versatile.
The deep blue high-heeled shoes are handcrafted in Italy from luxurious soft suede. They feature a pointed toe, and a silhouette that exudes sophistication and elegance. The interior is lined with a beige leather. The sole has a slim profile, while the heel itself is tall and slender, finished with a small cap at the tip for durability.
Like all of Gianvito Rossi’s shoes, the design is minimalistic with an emphasis on clean lines and classic styling. As Kate’s shown, the timeless shoes are suitable for both formal and smart casual occasions.
They’re widely available to buy, should you desire a pair.
We’ve spotted Kate wearing this particular shoe—the ‘Gianvito 105’ pump—in TEN different colours to date. She also owns four other pairs of the same shoe with a lower heel.
The Princess is clearly a fan of Gianvito Rossi’s shoes. And my own research supports this theory. Back in spring, I counted the different pairs of heels Kate has in her closet and the number of appearances each shoe has made to date. Gianvito Rossi came out as her top luxury shoe brand by far—she had worn 18 pairs of the designer’s heels to more than 130+ public engagements when I conducted my research earlier this year.
Related:
Gianvito Rossi is a globally renowned footwear designer known for his luxurious shoes that seamlessly combine exceptional comfort with sleek, understated designs and timeless, flattering silhouettes. In addition to royal fans, Rossi has legions of celebrities who wear his shoes, including Amal Clooney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Karlie Kloss, Lady Gaga, Eva Longoria and Emma Stone. The brand’s versatile yet sophisticated designs have become a must-have for fashion-forward stars everywhere.
Kate cinched her suit trousers with her mystery blue croc print belt. She’s worn it to over 20 public engagements to date, but we have no further information about the piece, unfortunately.
I cant tell you much more about Kate’s jewellery either, I’m afraid. She finished her look with pair of oval-shaped sapphire and diamond earrings, and a similar necklace (I don’t think they’re a set—but I could be wrong.)
Kate debuted the earrings in 2011 (and many people, myself included, wrongly assumed they were a reworked pair formally owned by Diana, Princess of Wales). The Princess debuted the necklace in 2020 and has worn it with a host of blue outfits to date. Nothing is known about provenance of either item, sadly.
This is a great overview, thank you! The Princess looks sleek and sharp in this outfit. Love the earrings and necklace with the suit. Also so pleased to see that she is wearing her “bangs” off of her face and incorporated into her hair.
It’s OK, I guess. I’ll never understand having so many multiples of the same garment design or shoe design.
The sweater doesn’t really do much for the suit. I think the pants don’t fit that well, and I think the entire ensemble would have looked better with a different shoe. No need to tower over everyone all the time.
With the jewelry, a silver buckle on that belt would have been better.
I quite like the colour, but yes… I could live without seeing her in a suit for a while!
yes the heels are too high for the trouser length and the trousers are pulling – not a good fit
Except for the towering heels and loose hair, she looks like a nurse ready for duty! (Except that here in South Africa, we wear maroon-coloured epaulettes with various badges to show what branches of nursing we have qualified in, on the shoulders of our uniforms). It shows sensitivity and inclusivity. I guess some lower loafers would have looked more functional, and some looser trousers. This is such a very important cause. To have parents near can make such a difference to a child in this sort of situation. Her continued attention to these causes is wonderful. The continual pants-suits are a bit boring, but she is not! And I much prefer the tonal to all the white shirts a while ago.