The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Pontypridd, South Wales, on Wednesday, 26th February 2025, to meet with the local community ahead of St. David’s Day.
The couple’s visit focused on hearing from residents about life in Pontypridd and learning more about the challenges they faced following the devastating floods caused by Storm Bert and Storm Darragh in December 2024.
The Prince and Princess undertook several engagements in the town, packed into a one-day visit.
Outfit spotlight: Kate began the day in a red Alexander McQueen coat, brown sweater, Gucci skirt and Gianvito Rossi boots. She finished her polished look with garnet gemstone earrings and a Mulberry handbag. Jump to full outfit overview ≫
The pair surprised commuters by arriving by train. They took the train into Cardiff and then on to Pontypridd (though rail disruptions delayed their arrival by about an hour).
Then, it was onto Pontypridd Indoor Market, a hub for local businesses.
Pontypridd Market is part of the town’s Market Quarter, which has been at the heart of the community for over a century.
A market has stood on the site since 1805. The present market was built in the late 1870’s.
The pair visited The Welsh Cake Shop for a friendly challenge.
Donning aprons, William and Kate went head-to-head making Welsh cakes—a popular, traditional griddle cake.
William joked about Mary Berry teaching him “everything she knows”. The shop owners were impressed with the pairs skills.
Prince William joked about their efforts, “you’ll have to sell these for half price”.
The shop owner’s daughter gave a thumbs-up – “They’re perfect… they’re bangin’”, she said of the finished cakes.
After baking, some of the fresh Welsh cakes were served next door at the market’s Fountain Café, where William and Kate sat down for tea with local traders and business owners.
They listened as shopkeepers recounted how the winter floods devastated businesses – one trader lamented that the frequent storms made them “feel like sitting ducks”
The Prince and Princess discussed the impact of Storm Bert’s late-November flooding (which caused tens of thousands of pounds in damage, including one bookshop losing about $25,000 in ruined stock)
The pair asked many questions and William was “really interested” in what could be done and even asked for names—with one business owner hoping the prince will nudge authorities to help.
Following the market tour, the royals spent time outside, greeting a crowd of well-wishers who had braved pouring rain just for a chance to see them.
The Prince and Princess brightened up the rainy day for the excited locals—many waving Welsh flags.
The locals were cheering behind barriers, hoping to catch a glimpse.
Kate chatted with children in the crowd, while Prince William shook hands and thanked residents for coming out.
One attendee said Kate remarked on the heavy rain that week and expressed hope that “it doesn’t happen again” – referring to the floods.
For their second engagement, the Prince and Princess visited the Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland, a volunteer-run green space established in 2021.
Situated next to the River Taff, the garden had been filled with debris after earlier floods and was hit again by Storm Bert in November 2024.
During the visit, community development manager Helen Williams and volunteer Dawn Parker showed how locals rallied to clean up and restore the garden “pretty quickly” after the flooding.
The garden project not only creates a welcoming space for residents to garden, do woodwork, and weave, but also promotes well-being and resilience – causes close to Kate’s heart.
The Princess has been a long-term advocate for the benefits of nature and being outdoors for both mental and physical health.
Last month, she was overheard remarking on how being outdoors had personally helped her throughout her cancer treatment.
The royal couple heard how volunteers (including youth groups) grow produce in the community garden and woodland. Kate learned that young gardeners had been harvesting plums to make jam, which prompted her to enthusiastically offer, “I’ll send you my [plum jam] recipe so you can try it!”
In addition to the public engagements, William and Kate made a discreet, unpublicised stop at a resident’s home on hard-hit Mill Street.
The pair visited 61-year-old Kevin Kidner, a local butcher who runs his shop in the market. Mr Kidner’s home was severely flooded during Storm Bert. Floodwaters reached about three feet deep, causing extensive damage.
The Prince and Princess spent time with the family, asking lots of questions.
“[They were] obviously concerned,” Mr. Kidner said afterward, noting that the royal visit left him hopeful “they can push other people to help us”.
As the couple departed the neighborhood, many residents gathered outside – the royals took time to greet them too, with onlookers describing how William and Kate warmly said hello, shook hands, and even posed for quick photos before leaving.
Let’s take a look at Kate’s outfit now. I’ll break it down item by item:
What the Princess Wore in Wales
For her visit to Pontypridd, the Princess delivered two stylish yet practical looks, seamlessly transitioning from polished elegance to countryside chic as she switched engagements.
She arrived wearing a striking, long red coat—the colour a clear nod to the Welsh flag:
Later, she swapped to a heritage-inspired green jacket for a visit to the community Garden, embracing a more outdoorsy aesthetic perfectly suited to the setting:
Let’s take a look at both pieces of outerwear in turn.
The red coat—a long, double-breasted design featuring a peak lapel and flap pockets—is a custom design by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
While bespoke, the coat incorporates elements from the brand’s previous ready-to-wear collections, see below:
This red coat is a well-worn favourite in the Princess’s wardrobe. She’s chosen it for four public occasions to date. She debuted the coat in 2020, to launch the Hold Still outdoor photography exhibition at Waterloo station in London. She repeated the coat in Cardiff, during the Royal Train Tour, in the same year. We saw it again two years later, for the England v Papua New Guinea rugby match, and we most recently saw the Princess wearing the coat at the Together At Christmas Carol Service in December 2024 (pictured below).
Kate owns the coat in two other colours, green and brown.
Unfortunately, the coats are not available for purchase at the time of writing.
Alexander McQueen is one of Kate’s most trusted fashion houses. Sarah Burton’s designs have been a mainstay in the Princess’s wardrobe since she joined the Royal Family nearly 14 years ago.
Of course, Kate famously wore two McQueen gowns on her wedding day, cementing her long-standing relationship with the brand. She has since relied on McQueen for many of her most significant public appearances, including the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum and Diamond Jubilees, the christenings of all three of her children and multiple official overseas tours.
Alexander McQueen is a British luxury fashion house renowned for its dramatic, avant-garde designs and meticulous craftsmanship. Founded by Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992, the brand quickly gained a reputation for pushing fashion boundaries while maintaining impeccable tailoring. Sarah Burton took over as creative director in 2010, leading the house for 13 years before stepping down in 2023.
Let’s look at Kate’s green-brown jacket now. It’s by Ralph Lauren, from the ‘Purple Label’ collection:
It is a tailored, structured piece with a nipped-in waist, button front, flap pockets, and a contrasting suede panel across the shoulders and collar. Thank you to Middleton Maven and her friend for identifying the jacket and sharing the image above.
The jacket’s tweed-like texture and earthy hue add to its equestrian-inspired appeal—which is probably why Kate chose it for the Cheltenham Horse Festival back in 2007! Yep, the Princess has owned the jacket for at least 18 years, impressive.
Here’s a picture of Kate wearing the jacket at Cheltenham nearly two decades ago, paired with the matching skirt:
A throwback moment for sure! It’s rare to see the Princess rewear pieces from her pre-royal wardrobe. One magazine wrote that the jacket pre-dated the Prince and Princess’s marriage, which I thought was a fun fact!
Kate’s 18-year-old jacket shows her commitment to sustainable fashion. In addition to sourcing vintage pieces from boutiques and patronising brands who use recycled and eco-friendly materials, Kate’s also been been re-wearing older items from her wardrobe too.
Remember when she departed from Belize wearing a 20-year-old Yves Saint Laurent jacket in 2022? She’d purchased the piece during her time at university two decades earlier.
I can’t help but wonder if we’ll see more of these moments—Kate “shopping her closet” and rewearing much older pieces. I think it’s fun to watch!
As you’d expect, the Ralph Lauren jacket is unavailable to purchase today. (Though one lucky person will be happy to know the same jacket is listed on Vestiaire Collective in an alternate colourway, in size medium, for £395. It’s made from cashmere and leather.)
In terms of the brand, Kate’s well acquainted with Ralph Lauren. She’s worn several pieces on multiple occasions over the years. She appears to favour their sweaters and blouses.
The American label is known for its timeless preppy-meets-equestrian style, making it a natural fit for Kate’s more casual, countryside-inspired looks. The brand, founded in 1967, has become synonymous with classic tailoring, elegant sportswear, and refined outerwear.
Let’s look at the rest of Kate’s outfit now we’ve covered her outerwear!
I’ll have to let you down straight out of the gates by admitting that I don’t know a thing about Kate’s brown roll-neck sweater. Sorry if you’ve scrolled down all this way to be disapointed.
Looking for something in a similar style and colour? Check out this style from House of Bruar. It’s merino wool. A good “repliKATE” I think:
I can tell you about the Princess’s skirt. It’s by Gucci, it’s from the label’s Resort 2019 collection.
It was crafted in Italy from luxurious wool twill in a distinctive black, burgundy, and beige check. I quite like the muted, earthy tones.
The skirt sits at the natural waist and features sharply pressed pleats, which create an elegant A-line silhouette with beautiful movement.
Does it feel familiar? The Princess wore it in a behind-the-scenes photograph released by Kensington Palace to mark Holocaust Day in January 2020—see below:
Kate had been photographing images of Holocaust survivors for an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum.
The skirt originally retailed for £1,115. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available to purchase. I can’t find it on Vestiaire Collective or other online consignment stores either.
Gucci isn’t a dominant name in Kate’s wardrobe, but she has worn a handful of pieces from the Italian fashion house for key public appearances over the last few years, including a pink ombré gown, a purple pussybow blouse, a black and white dress, plus the iconic Gucci horsebit clutch.
Gucci is a 100-year-old luxury Italian fashion brand known for its high-end clothing, accessories, and bold designs.
Under the skirt, the Princess wore a pair of brown suede boots by Gianvito Rossi. This is the seventh time we’ve seen her wear them to date. They feature a large block heel and a pointed toe.
Gianvito Rossi confirmed they made the boots for the Princess. I understand they’re bespoke, commissioned by Kate. I show a similar pair by the designer, below:
At the time of writing, the closest match from the same designer is the Glen boot in ‘Texas brown‘. RRP £1,465.00. See below:
If that’s out of budget, you’ll be pleased to see that I’ve found a pair of boots in a similar colour and style for a fraction of the price. They’re by Ralph Lauren. See below. A good ‘RepliKATE’, no?
Kate consistently turns to Gianvito Rossi for her footwear needs. At last count, she owns 23 pairs of boots and shoes by the luxury brand.
Gianvito Rossi is a renowned Italian footwear designer known for his elegant, timeless, and impeccably crafted shoes. The son of legendary shoe designer Sergio Rossi, Gianvito launched his eponymous brand in 2006.
Let’s move on to Kate’s accessories now. We’ll start with her pretty gold hoops with red gemstone drops.
They’re by Spells of Love. The Teardrop Charm Hoops. The gemstone is garnet—Kate’s birthstone!
The earrings are crafted from 18K gold vermeil on sterling silver. The ethically sourced garnet gemstone drop is removable.
Kate’s owned this particular style for at least two years, and we’ve seen her wear them on three other occasions to date.
If you’d like a pair of the earrings, you’re in luck. They’re affordable and available! Find them on the Spells of Love website for £89. Available for pre-order, shipping in mid-April.
Kate’s embraced Spells of Love as a go-to brand for chic and affordable jewellery in recent years. She has four other items from the brand in her collection.
Jewellery designer Hayley Jones launched Spells of Love from a small studio in the heart of Wales in 2016. The Princess frequently wears the brand’s jewellery when she visits the country.
As you’ll have noticed, everything we’ve listed up until now has been a ‘repeat’ item, right? Well, let’s finish with something new!
Kate debuted a new bag in Wales, it’s by Mulberry. The Bayswater Tote in the colour ‘oak‘.
The Princess was photographed with the tote while arriving and departing from engagements.
The brown leather tote can be carried in hand, over the shoulder or in the crook of the arm.
It’s an elegant and functional piece with clean and simple lines, finished with Mulberry’s iconic Postman’s Lock in brass. The reverse is stamped with the brand’s famous tree logo.
It’s lined in a contrasting dark suede, with a removable pocket for valuables.
The Mulberry Bayswater Tote is available at Mulberry.com, which delivers to over 190 international destinations.
It also comes in various colours and finishes, should oak brown not be your preferred choice.
Mulberry is undoubtedly one of Kate’s go-to handbag brands. Since joining the Royal Family, she has carried at least 11 different styles from the company. She’s worn coats, dresses, earrings and a belt from the British label too.
Founded in 1971, Mulberry is one of Britain’s most iconic luxury leather goods brands. Known for its impeccable craftsmanship, the brand blends heritage influences with modern sophistication. Committed to sustainability, Mulberry sources its leather responsibly and maintains high ethical standards in production.
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