Kate Middleton brought autumn’s trending hue to Oxford on Thursday as she stepped out in a tonal olive suit and matching knit for a “stay and play” session at a local family centre.
Olive green’s currently having a major fashion moment, with Vogue dubbing it “the new black”.
Kate gave it her royal seal of approval during a visit to Home-Start Oxford, a local branch of a national charity that provides free, confidential support for families with at least one child under the age of five.
The relaxed tailored suit came from Victoria Beckham’s SS25 collection.
Royal fans on Twitter noted that the Oxford visit coincided with the launch day of Victoria Beckham’s documentary on Netflix—suggesting the Princess wore the suit in a nod of support to her friend.
Inside, the Princess joined Home-Start’s ‘Rose Buds’ session—a weekly stay-and-play morning filled with storytelling, singing and sensory games.
Kate didn’t let the $2,000 suit stop her from getting hands-on with the children. At one table during a messy play session, she helped children make imaginary cakes in trays of flour, dusting off her jacket with a laugh: “the messier, the better.”
Kate also sat in on a training discussion with volunteers during the visit.
She viewed and talked through the new series of animated films produced by her Centre for Early Childhood (you’ll remember she launched the organisation in 2021 through the Royal Foundation).
The short videos highlight the importance of nurturing relationships and everyday interactions in the first five years of life. Home-Start plans to use the videos in training sessions across its UK network of volunteers and staff.
The Oxford engagement followed the publication of an essay from the Princess on the Royal Foundation’s website on the same day.
Co-authored with Harvard’s Professor Robert Waldinger, “The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World” calls on families and communities to invest in real, face-to-face relationships, warning of an “epidemic of disconnection” in modern life:
We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds. We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.
The Princess of Wales
As ever, her outfit deserves a closer look.
Kate’s olive ensemble in Oxford:
For the engagement, the Princess chose a Victoria Beckham jacket and wide-leg trousers in deep olive green.
You might recall that she wore both pieces back in May while presenting the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design (below)
On Thursday, she paired the suit with light brown leather pumps by Ralph Lauren, a delicate gold pendant necklace engraved with the initials G, C and L—a nod to her children—from Daniella Draper and her Kiki McDonough drop earrings.
Her hair was softly waved, and her makeup kept to warm neutrals, echoing the natural palette of the outfit.
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