Most wedding guests tend not want to upstage the bride on her big day, and though Kate Middleton can always expect to cause a stir when she arrives at a private event, the Duchess of Cambridge appears to have developed a clever fashion trick to ensure that her sartorial choices don't steal the spotlight - and it's pretty likely she'll do the same at Princess Eugenie's wedding next week...
At the wedding of Kate’s close friend Sophie Carter (who is also Princess Charlotte’s godmother) and Robert Snuggs last month, the royal recycled an occasion-appropriate outfit from her extensive wardrobe, choosing to re-wear the blue Catherine Walker ensemble which she debuted last summer on a tour of Poland and Germany. This time, however, she paired the smart coat dress with an eye-catching floral headpiece by Juliette Botterill, a milliner whose striking pieces have previously been worn by royals like Zara Tindall and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
By giving an old look another spin, Kate thoughtfully ensures that her choice of outfit isn’t the main topic of conversation. It’s a trick that she also used back in May, at the royal wedding of her brother-in-law Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The Duchess, who arrived at St George’s Chapel in Windsor with her two older children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, along with the other bridesmaids and flower girls, wore a lemon yellow coat dress by Alexander McQueen, an outfit that closely resembled the one she wore for Charlotte’s christening in 2015 and for the Trooping the Colour parade the following year.
NOW READ: (Almost) Every Time Kate Middleton Has Repeated An Outfit
Kate Middleton Repeat Recycled Outfits
1 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: December 15, 2015 Where: Anna Freud Centre Family School Christmas Party **Outfit: **Red Alexander McQueen dress
2 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: June 3, 2012Where: The Thames River Pageant at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations Outfit: Red Alexander McQueen dress
3 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: April 9, 2014 Where: Plunket Play Group at Government House Outfit: Tory Burch dress
4 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: October 10, 2015 Where: Event hosted by Mind at Harrow College Outfit: Tory Burch dress
5 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 8, 2011 Where: British Consul-General's residence reception, LA Outfit: Green Diane von Furstenberg dress
6 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 29, 2011 Where: Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall's Pre Wedding Party On the Royal Yacht Britannia Outfit: Green Diane von Furstenberg dress
7 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: 6 May, 2006 Where: Wedding Of Laura Parker Bowles & Harry Lopes At St Cyriacs Church, Lacock, Wiltshire Outfit: DAY Birger et Mikkelsen coat dress
8 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 30, 2011 Where: Wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh Outfit: DAY Birger et Mikkelsen coat dress
9 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: 29 August, 2012 Where: Opening ceremony for the London Paralympic Games 2012 Outfit: DAY Birger et Mikkelsen coat dress
10 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 7, 2011 Where: Slave Lake, Alberta Outfit: J Brand jeans, Stuart Weitzman wedges and navy blazer
11 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: August 9, 2012 Where: Team GB House in the Westfield Centre on Day 13 of the London 2012 Olympic Games Outfit: J Brand jeans, Stuart Weitzman wedges and navy blazer
12 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 29, 2014 Where: 20th Commonwealth Games, Glasgow Outfit: ...Oh, and the navy blazer goes with everything.
13 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: October 18, 2013 Where: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London Outfit: J Brand jeans, Stuart Weitzman wedges and navy blazer
14 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: August 19, 2011 Where: Machan Express Coffee bar in Birmingham Outfit: Alexander McQueen blouse and skirt
15 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: June 18, 2014 Where: Bletchley Park Outfit: Alexander McQueen blouse and skirt
16 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: November 8, 2012 Where: Reception and Dinner in aid of the University of St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Appeal at Middle Temple Hall Outfit: Temperley London Amoret gown
17 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: January 8, 2012 Where: War Horse UK film premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square Outfit: Temperley London Amoret gown
18 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: May 8, 2012 Where: A dinner hosted by The Thirty Club at Claridges Outfit: Roland Mouret ivory gown
19 of 50Kate Middleton
**Date: **December 5, 2013 Where: Royal film performance of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom at Odeon Leicester Square **Outfit: **Roland Mouret ivory gown
20 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: September 2, 2012 Where: London 2012 Paralympic GamesOutfit: Zara navy blazer
21 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: April 13, 2014 Where: Queenstown, New Zealand Outfit: Zara navy blazer
22 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: September 18, 2012 Where: Tuvalu, Diamond Jubilee tour Outfit: Yellow broderie anglaise dress
23 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: April 20, 2014 Where: Taronga Zoo, Sydney Outfit: Yellow broderie anglaise dress
24 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: April 18, 2014 Where: Manly Beach, Sydney Outfit: Zimmermann Roamer sun dress
25 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: July 2, 2014 Where: Wimbledon Tennis Championships **Outfit: **Zimmermann Roamer sun dress
26 of 50Kate Middleton
Date: March 15, 2012 Where: The Prince's Foundation For Children And The Arts at Dulwich Picture Gallery Outfit: Orla Kiely dress
27 of 50Kate Middleton
**Date: **October 27, 2015 Where: Islington Town Hall, London Outfit: Orla Kiely dress
28 of 50kate-middleton
**Date: **9 June 2011**Where: **ARK 10th anniversary dinner**Outfit: **Jenny Packham dress
29 of 50kate-middleton
Date: June 22, 2016Where: A fundraising gala for East Anglia Children's Hospices Outfit: Jenny Packham dress
30 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 19 April 2014Where: Visiting RAAF Amberley, Brisbane on the royal tour of Australia and New Zealand**Outfit: **Floral dress by LK Bennett
31 of 50kate-middleton-outfit-repeat
Date: 24 August 2016 Where: Visiting youth projects in LutonOutfit: Floral dress by LK Bennett
32 of 50kate-middleton-outfit-repeat
Date: 11 March 2016Where: Visiting the XLP mentoring programmeOutfit: Skirt suit by bespoke womenswear brand Eponine London
33 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 24 March 2017 **Where: **The launch of 'Out of the Blue' for Best BeginningsOutfit: Skirt suit by bespoke womenswear brand Eponine London
34 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 1 October 2016**Where: **Leaving Canada by plane from Victoria Harbour**Outfit: **Cream Catherine Walker coat
35 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 16 April 2017 Where: Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle Outfit: Cream Catherine Walker coat
36 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 5 July 2012Where: The Order of the Thistle ceremony, EdinburghOutfit: Emilia Wickstead coat dress
37 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 14 April 2016Where: Arriving in Bhutan**Outfit: **Emilia Wickstead coat dress
38 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 25 February 2011**Where:**Outfit: Luisa Spagnoli skirt suit
39 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 14 April 2014Where: Playing cricket on the tour of New Zealand**Outfit: **Luisa Spagnoli skirt suit
40 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 6 February 2017Where: Attending the Place2Be Big Assembly at Mitchell Brook Primary SchoolOutfit: Luisa Spagnoli skirt suit
41 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 11 February 2014Where: Attending the Portrait Gala 2014: Collecting To Inspire**Outfit: **Jenny Packham dress
42 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 9 December 2014Where: Attending the St Andrews 600th anniversary dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkOutfit: Jenny Packham dress
43 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 18 May 2012Where: Garden party at Buckingham PalaceOutfit: Emilia Wickstead dress
44 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 29 May 2012Where: Lunch celebrating the Queen's Diamond JubileeOutfit: Emilia Wickstead dress
45 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 30 November 2012Where: Visiting St Andrews School in BerkshireOutfit: Alexander McQueen coat
46 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 25 December 2013Where: Attending the Christmas day service at SandringhamOutfit: Alexander McQueen coat
47 of 50kate-middleton
**Date: **16 April 2014Where: Greeting crowds at the Sydney Opera HouseOutfit: Yellow Roksanda dress
48 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 7 July 2016Where: Attending Wimbledon**Outfit: **Yellow Roksanda dress
49 of 50kate-middleton
**Date: **4 July 2011Where: Visiting Province House as part of the royal tour of Canada**Outfit: **Alexander McQueen dress
50 of 50kate-middleton
Date: 4 July 2012Where: Attending WimbledonOutfit: Alexander McQueen dress
Should Kate stick to this fashion formula, we can surely expect her to pull an old favourite out of her closet for the royal wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank next month. As for which ensemble she chooses, though, all bets are off, though our money is on another colour-block coat dress from her go-to label Alexander McQueen...