Kate Middleton owns The North Face’s Summit Pacesetter 3″ Shorts in Iron Clay—a lightweight trail-running short from the brand’s technical Summit Series line.
The Princess of Wales debuted the red shorts in July 2026, in the family photos released after she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in aid of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. I
It marked her first time wearing The North Face in public—a genuinely new brand for her wardrobe after fifteen years of royal watching, which doesn’t happen often!
About the shorts:
The Pacesetter 3″ Shorts sit within The North Face’s Summit Series—the brand’s top-tier technical range, built for mountain athletes.
These aren’t casual weekend shorts; they’re designed for long days of trail running and fast hiking, which makes them a fitting choice for a challenge that involved summiting Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.
Each pair is made from a stretch-woven fabric using predominantly recycled materials, with a non-PFC durable water-repellent (DWR) finish to shrug off light rain.
The brand’s FlashDry™ technology manages moisture to keep the wearer dry and comfortable, and there’s an adjustable drawcord waistband, multiple pockets and reflective details that add visibility in low light.
The Iron Clay colourway is a muted, earthy clay shade, but they do appear red in the palace’s photos.
Where to buy Kate’s shorts:
The shorts retail for £65 in the UK and $80 in the US.
At the time of writing, the Iron Clay colourway is out of stock on The North Face’s UK site. But they’re still available in Black.
On the UK site, the shorts are stocked in all sizes.
Kate Middleton and The North Face:
The Three Peaks Challenge marked the Princess’s first public outing in The North Face—a notable addition to her activewear roster, which has previously leaned on brands like Sweaty Betty, lululemon and Berghaus for outdoor and sporting engagements.
It’s a natural fit, though. Kate has never shied away from proper technical kit when the occasion demands it, and a 24-hour, three-mountain endurance challenge certainly demands it.
The use of recycled materials and The North Face’s commitment to sustainability and ethical manufacturing make the brand a natural fit for Kate.
About The North Face:
Founded in San Francisco in 1966, The North Face began as a small climbing shop and grew into one of the world’s best-known outdoor brands.
The Summit Series, launched over 25 years ago, is its most technical line—athlete-tested gear designed for serious mountain use, from expedition climbing to trail racing.
The brand has increasingly focused on sustainability, with recycled fabrics and non-PFC water-repellent finishes now standard across much of its range.
Leave a Reply