On Saturday morning, Catherine, Princess of Wales, walked back onto the public stage in her signature color-coordinated fashion for the first time since announcing her cancer diagnosis last year, as she joined the rest of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the traditional final flyover of King Charles’ birthday parade. She wore a knee-length white Jenny Packham dress, with a black and white striped belt and a sweeping bow at the neck, topped off with a Phillip Treacy hat, tilted just so.
The nautical theme was reflected in the navy blue dress with sailor collar and white trim worn by Princess Charlotte (who also wore white shoes to match her mother), along with the matching navy blue double-breasted suits with their gold buttons, white shirts and bright blue ties from Princes George and Louis, all of whom formed a neat Union Jack trio with William’s bright red military uniform – which in turn matched that of Charles and Prince Edward.
As a family unit, it created on the balcony the image of a tightly controlled, unmistakably harmonious, united front for a photo session that would travel across the country. There was nothing disturbing to look at here, the photo seemed to say. It is business as usual. Everything will be fine.
It was a characteristic piece of imaging for the princess, who is still in the recovery process. Catherine has always been closely attuned to the attention paid to what she wears as part of a family whose job is to symbolize rather than speak, and the communication capabilities embedded within. Since the beginning of her marriage, she has used her clothing as a symbol of a beautiful compromise between tradition and modernization. Her wardrobe often seems aimed at conveying a respectful sensibility for what’s next, rather than, say, a royal family in a gilded bubble, whether it’s mixing high street brands with high fashion, upcycling her dress several times, renting an evening dress or supporting British designers. .
Instead, Catherine chose white, a color full of meaning – of new beginnings, rebirth, purification.
She chose Jenny Packham and Phillip Treacy, both brands she wore often, both tent poles of the British fashion establishment.
And she chose a dress that seemed to have been… upcycled: First worn in 2023 at Buckingham Palace before King Charles’ coronation, and now in a bit of a refresh. After all, she has other things on her mind now than shopping. But dressing special is also part of the job.
Looks like she’s getting ready to do it again.
