The Princess of Wales is festive in green for St Patrick’s Day parade with the Irish Guards

This year, Kate wanted to treat the serving junior guardsmen and officers to a round of drinks to mark their 125th anniversary, so she put money behind the bar. She told one of the guardsmen“it’s the least I could do“.

The Irish Guards cherish their Irish cultural roots, and wherever they are based across the world, they celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style.

– ARMY.MOD.UK

Kate’s attended the Irish Guards’ parade since 2012, however, this year marked a first for the Princess—it was the first year she’s attended solo.

In the past, Kate attended with her husband William, who was Colonel of the Irish Guards up until 2022.

The military roles were reorganised following King Charles’ accession in 2022.

The Prince formally handed over the responsibilities of Regimental Colonel to his wife at the St Patrick’s Day parade in 2023. The outgoing and incoming Colonels both gave speeches.

Kate was due to attend last year’s celebrations alone but missed the parade due to her health issues.  The guardsmen gave three cheers for the Princess in her absence.

At the time, the palace said her absence was due to ‘planned abdominal surgery’. However, days later, Kate revealed that the doctors had found cancer during the procedure and she was to undergo chemotherapy.

Shortly after arriving at the barracks today, Kate presented operational medals to soldiers recently deployed in Iraq. The medals recognise the soldiers’ service overseas.

She also handed out medals for long service and good conduct.

Next, it was time for the traditional parade.

As in previous years, Kate was given a sprig of shamrock to pin under her gold brooch.

Then, she, in turn, presented traditional sprigs of shamrock to the waiting Officers and Guardsmen.

The regimental mascot—an Irish Wolfhound named Seamus—had a sprig of shamrock fixed to his ceremonial outfit, too.

Kate also couldn’t help but give the dog a pat on the head.

The parade ended with a royal salute and march past. The Princess took the salute as Colonel of the regiment. 

Following the parade, Kate met with Irish Guards young and old.  She met with Irish Guards veterans and the ‘Mini Micks’ junior cadets.

It’s the first time Kate’s met with the ‘Mini Micks’ who had travelled over from Northern Ireland.

As in previous years, Kate joined the official Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess photographs and spent time in the junior ranks’ dining hall for a toast in her honour.

The Princess supped her half a pint of Guinness following the toast.

Kate spent time meeting Guardsmen to hear about their roles and experiences within the Irish Guards. 

Before leaving, she spent time in the Sergeants’ Mess.

Here, Kate met with members and their families.

Let’s take a look at the Princess’s outfit in detail now.

Kate Middleton’s St Patrick’s Day Outfit:

We all know Kate loves a bit of literal dressing—she rarely misses the chance to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.

Of course, the shade is widely associated with the country.

Her long green coat isn’t new. She debuted it during a visit to Boston in 2022 (below).  She also owns the same design in blue, which she wore on Christmas Day in 2023.

The coat is a bespoke creation, commissioned by the Princess and crafted by the team at Alexander McQueen.  

The maxi-length coat extends to the mid-calf and features a sharply tailored silhouette, peplum-style pockets and a belted waist detail— all of which give the coat an elegant, streamlined shape.  

The double-breasted design and statement cuffs both add a polished, military-inspired touch to the coat.  A nod to the location and purpose of her visit today, of course.

If you follow the Princess’s style, you’ll know she’s only deviated from wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day twice. First, in 2015, during her pregnancy with Princess Charlotte. She opted for a dark brown Catherine Walker coat paired with a matching Lock & Co. hat on that occasion. 

In 2023, Kate chose an eye-catching teal Catherine Walker & Co. coat (below). But the colour choice wasn’t random. The vibrant hue was a nod to the plumes worn in the bearskin caps by the Irish Guards. 

I’ve often thought Kate chose this shade to symbolise a new era in her role as honorary Colonel. (This is the year William officially ‘handed’ the role to Kate during the parade.)

Let’s go back to discussing today’s look and move on to Kate’s accessories now. The Princess paired the green coat with a matching scarf, green gemstone earrings, black gloves, a structured black handbag, and a shamrock brooch. Let’s take a look at each piece in turn.

Let’s start with the scarf. Let’s preface this by saying I do not know where it’s from and it’s unlikely that this detail will be confirmed for certain. But one fan on X.com has a theory, which I think is plausible.

Magui believes Kate’s wearing the ‘Classic Pashmina Stole’ from Pickett London in the colour ‘Bottle Green.’ (I think the lighting in the photo I’ve cropped actually makes the whole ensemble look a little more blue than it did in reality).

The Princess owns one of the brand’s stoles in a lighter shade of ‘emerald’ green, see below: 

Kate wore the item during a visit to Scotland in 2019.  Canny Kate fans were able to identify the brand from part of the logo visible on the label.

Magui could be correct and Kate might have repurchased the item in a darker shade for today’s parade.  Each Pickett London Classic Pashmina Stole is handspun in Nepal using a blend of 70% cashmere and 30% silk fibres. The scarves retail for £145 on the brand’s website.  

Note, if you plan to treat yourself, I’ve just spotted that the brand offers a 10% discount if you sign up to their email newsletter. See their site for more details.

Pickett London dates back to 1988, launched by the brand’s founder Travor Pickett—who is described as “the quintessential English eccentric” on his website!  The brand launched selling leather goods before expanding into pashminas and Kilim slippers.

Let’s move on to an item I can identify for certain. The Princess carried a handbag by Grace Han, the ‘Love Letter’ bag in size small.  

Kate’s owned the bag since 2020, this is the ninth time we’ve seen her carry it to date.  She took the bag to the Wales vs England rugby game a few days ago.

The smooth black leather handbag has a distinctive envelope-style flap, a signature element of Grace Han’s ‘Love Letter’ collection.  Han says the design is an “ode to love letters of the past, present and future.” 

The rear of the bag is embossed in gold in the centre, and the piece is finished with matching gold-tone hardware. In 2020, Vogue Magazine described the bag as “sleek” and “compact yet capacious.”

Grace Han launched her eponymous luxury leather goods brand in 2019.  The designer was born in Taiwan but has spent most of her life in London.  The brand’s flagship store is located in the prestigious Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge, South Kensington. 

Boots next! The Princess brought back her black suede boots by Ralph Lauren for today’s engagement.

The Princess added the high-heeled boots to her collection in 2018. This is the 12th time we’ve seen her wear the style to date.

The knee-high suede boots feature a pointed toe, a full-side zip and a suede-covered that measures approximately 3 inches.

Like all of Ralph Lauren’s footwear, the boots were crafted in Italy. This eBay listing puts the boots’ RRP at over $1100.

Kate’s no stranger to Ralph Lauren, she owns multiple pieces from the brand, including a jacket she wore to the Cheltenham Races 18 years ago, which she recently repeated at a public engagement.  Talk about an investment piece!  The Princess also owns multple sweaters and blouses from the brand.

According to PEOPLE, Kate’s hat is by Awon Golding for Lock & Co. The Princess last wore it to the St Patrick’s Day parade in 2019.

Let’s take a look at the dark green beret-style cocktail hat. It features sculptural floral detailing on one side:

Kate frequently wears hats from Lock & Co. and has since she joined the Royal Family in 2011.

The esteemed British millinery company was established in 1676 and is regarded as the oldest hat shop in the world, and one of the oldest family-owned businesses still in operation.

The company, which held Royal Warrants for centuries, has supplied hats to British monarchs, including King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II.  Other famous customers include Sir Winston Churchill, Admiral Lord Nelson and Charlie Chaplin. 

Today, the brand continues to be the go-to milliner for British aristocracy, Hollywood stars, and hat enthusiasts alike.

OK let’s look at Kate’s green gemstone earrings next. They’re by Kiki McDonough. 

The sparkling design features two oval facted green amethysts that hang from round green tourmaline stones, both surrounded by a halo of sparkling diamonds.  A single brilliant-cut diamond links the top and bottom sections.

The princess debuted the earrings during a visit to India in 2016.  At the time, Kiki McDonough told PEOPLE that Kate’s earrings were bespoke, commissioned as a gift to celebrate Princess Charlotte‘s birth.  Naturally, the designer would not divulge who purchased the earrings.

At the time of writing, I cannot see the earrings on Kiki McDonough‘s website.  Nor can I spy anything in the same design with different stones. However, there are plenty of similar options to choose from if you know somebody celebrating a big birthday this year, or you’re looking for the perfect gift for a loved one. 

The Princess is a fan of Kiki McDonough’s colourful jewellery, we know that she owns more than 20 different pieces from the designer. There by far the most worn designer in her jewellery box.

Kiki McDonough, a fifth-generation jeweller with 40 years of experience, is known for her vibrant and elegant creations.  Her pieces are designed to be cherished as heirlooms for generations to come. 

Next, let’s take a look at the Princess’s gloves.  Cornelia James emailed to confirm the Princess wore their Imogen gloves today.  The warm and comfortable gloves feature a pretty bow at the cuff.

They’re handcrafted from superfine jersey merino wool.

Kate’s owned the Imogen gloves since 2011.  I cannot confirm if she’s owned the same pair, or has bought multiple pairs, of course.  Either way, she’s clearly a fan.

In fact, I’d call Cornelia James Kate’s glove maker of choice, we know that the princess owns at least seven pairs from the company. She’s been wearing them consistently since joining the royal family.

Cornelia James has been making gloves since 1946. Each pair is designed and made in East Sussex, England.  The company have made gloves for a number of the Royals in the past, including the Late Queen Elizabeth.  They have held a a Royal warrant since 1979.

Let’s finish with Kate’ brooch. The piece is crafted in the shape of a shamrock—the symbol associated with Ireland, of course.  It’s made from 18ct yellow gold and is finished with a single emerald in the centre.  It is widely believed to have been made by Cartier.

The brooch is owned by the Irish Guards and traditionally loaned to female members of the royal family associated with the regiment.  

It’s been worn by Princess Anne and the Queen Mother in the past. 

The Princess of Wales first donned the brooch in 2011 during a medal parade for the Irish Guards at Victoria Barracks, shortly after her wedding.