Kate Middleton continued her business-chic streak with a pinstripe suit on Thursday.
The Princess of Wales chose the trouser suit, by Holland Cooper, and a crean polo neck sweater for a meeting with the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook.
In recent months, Kate’s been showcasing a sharper, more professional look by sporting a range of sleek blazers, tailored trousers and two-piece suits. Her latest ensemble continues the trend.
Tim Cook attended the meeting with both the Prince and Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle.
Kensington Palace confirmed that the three VIPs spoke about the Earthshot Prize Ceremony in Singapore, the environment, mental health and the early years—all passion projects for the two royals.
Following the meeting, the Apple CEO shared two photo to his Twitter (X) page with the following message:
It was a true honor to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales. We had a wonderful and wide-ranging discussion about the environment, mental health, and other issues that mean a great deal to all of us.
Tim Cook / X
Eagle-eyed fans spotted two Apple-branded bags in the background of one of the photos, which look like they contain the company’s products. It’s plausible these are thoughtful gifts for the Prince and Princess.
The news of the meeting came shortly after the Palace confirmed Kate won’t attend William’s Earthshot Award Ceremony this year, as she wants to stay home and support Prince George who has exams in the same week.
The Prince, who is in year six at Lambrook School in Berkshire, visited Eton College with his parents over the summer. It’s thought that the young prince will be sitting his entrance exam to Eton in November. Although children attend Eton in year 9, the selection process begins in year 6. A quick online search does show that the exam usually takes place in October/November.
A shame for us royal fashion fans, but understandable.
Let’s look at Kate’s pinstripe suit now.
Kate’s outfit:
The Princess suited up in a double breasted-blazer and matching high-waisted straight-legged trouser, both in navy with a chalk white pinstripe. Both pieces are from Holland Cooper.
The tailored blazer is crafted in the UK and designed to sculpt a sharp silhouette. It features a classic pinstripe pattern, bold lapels, subtle hip pockets, and is adorned with signature gold hardware by Holland Cooper. It is also fully lined with a luxury stretch lining for added comfort.
The blazer is still available to buy and costs £549.00. Each piece is custom made to order, so expect a delivery window of 14 to 28 working days.
The matching trousers are crafted from a luxurious wool blend. They’re UK-made and feature a wide waistband, two large side pockets, and iconic gold hardware detailing. They offer a flattering fit with a straight-leg design and a high-rise waist.
Available for purchase on Holland Cooper’s website, they come in sizes 6-16 and are priced at £249.00. Estimated delivery time: 3-5 working days.
Kate wears Holland Cooper fairly regularly. I assume she likes the British brand’s classic-meets-contemporary British aesthetic, and that the garments are made here in the UK.
Holland Cooper is a luxury fashion brand known for its contemporary yet timeless pieces with a modern take in British heritage styling. Founded by Jade Holland Cooper in 2008, the brand sells a range of products from outerwear to accessories, for women, men and children.
Unfortunately, I can’t identify Kate’s roll-neck sweater. It could be another Holland Cooper piece, the buttoned roll neck in cream (RRP £99).
Kate does own a couple of Holland Cooper roll necks, so it’s a solid theory.
Finally, Kate finished her smart look with a pair of small hoop gold earrings. They’re from Spells Of Love. The Medium Twist Hoops in Gold.
The elegantly crafted earrings are made from gold vermeil over sterling silver and embody a modern twist design.
The earrings, along with other jewellery from this brand, are created from recycled materials and come in eco-friendly packaging—making them not only a fashionable choice but an ethical one too.
The hoops can be purchased from Spells of Love for £60.
Kate owns a few pieces of jewellery from the Welsh brand, including a double strand necklace, a pair of garnet drops and a pair of angular hoops.
Spells of Love is known for its timeless designs and commitment to sustainability.
It’s a shame she can’t attend the earthshot prize this year. As someone mentioned, the only had one(!) evening appointment (baftas) this year. But neverless I think the prize will be amazing and I can’t wait. The solutions / nominees are fantastic!
I wonder if it is also a decision designed to keep the focus on Earthshot. Last year the green dress seemed to be the focus of coverage.
I’m missing Kris Ward’s commentary on this one! I was looking for it with anticipation, I admit! Shades of Steve Jobs in the roll-neck?! Actually, the picture of the jacket teamed with light blue denims is the most interesting…. I usually love Princess Catherine’s style, but this is a bit, I don’t know, the jeans would have looked more interesting, though I really appreciate her good heart and her dedication to dressing appropriately for a “business meeting”. I also liked the picture of the roll neck with the brighter checked pants. This suit might have looked nicer with a slightly sparkly gold-lurex knit top? Or just a goldish silk blouse? To pick up the buttons. She looks very tired. Perhaps with plain navy pants? Or a mid-length gold chain. Just to liven things up a bit. It would have looked nice over her camel skirt-and-top combo, too.
Carly, you could be correct about the Holland Cooper roll neck. It looks like the one I had until a week ago (sold it because NWT’s and never worn). It looks better on Kate.
The other reason I think it is HC is because after Kate wore the suit, HC put the suit and the rollneck in their menu as “featured” products…
Though I love every one of Kate’s outfits even the most polarizing ones, and inclusive of every single business-like suits of hers, it would be very nice to see Kate back in her usual wardrobe of dresses and skirts instead of these suits that we’ve been seeing lately. I kinda miss all her more feminine looks.
We are discussing Holland Cooper and this is another of my shopping comments.
I received a back in stock notice from HC this morning. The HC Faire Isle (sorry if spelled incorrectly) sweater Kate has worn a couple of times has been restocked. The price is $228.81. UK is 179.
The cream has been difficult to find in the colorway worn by Kate. This is the first time I have seen it directly from HC since around February 2022.
Oooh handy, I was just thinking about this sweater yesterday. Good to know they’ve restocked. Thanks!
I wanted to warn everyone about the sizing. I sold one NWT’s about a week ago in a size small. This roll neck is oversized. The small was 22.5″ across (underarm to underarm seam).
What gets me about this suit is all the gold buttons. Granted, it’s a personal weird aversion of mine – when gold buttons are on a dark fabric, it’s just too jarring (and traditional) for me. (Maybe she wore this to coordinate with the gold accents of the room! LOL.) This suit is an assault on my eyeballs, I don’t like it on Kate at all, particularly with that turtleneck that probably has even MORE gold buttons!!!! The turtleneck washes her out. If she insisted on pinstripes, at least wear a different top! Pinstripes to meet with a high-powered CEO, how cliche is that?
If this suit ‘had to be worn’ as is, I like Pamela’s idea of a goldish blouse underneath and something more feminine. That would be a statement and make all the buttons somehow make sense! Add a gold shoe, be crazy, Kate!!!!! Put a beautiful brooch on that lapel! (I prefer when double breasted blazers are buttoned rather than hanging open. Why is everyone standing like that with their hands in the same position???) Please, get me some smelling salts, I’m having an episode. hahaha
I continue to hope that Kate hires a talented stylist. I know there is someone out there who could accessorize this and make it “sing”. Maybe wearing the suit as separates would be a decent approach.
It IS disappointing she won’t be going to Singapore with William. I was hoping to see some fun fashion moments on that trip.
Thanks Carly for another thorough write-up.