Kate Middleton is clearly a woman of her word. A few months ago in May, she met with five year-old Mila Sneddon, a little girl who she had previously spoken to via a video call when she was selected as one of the final 100 for #HoldStill2020, Middleton's photography project with the National Portrait Gallery.
Sneddon's photograph showed her pressing her hands to a window and blowing a kiss her to father, the consequence of a very difficult decision that the family made to protect her as she shielded as part of her treatment for leukaemia. During the call, Middleton promised that, if they met, she would put on her finest pink dress for the occasion. And that's exactly what she did when the two sat together on a sofa at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.
Instead of a pouffy princess dress, Middleton chose something much simpler and more suitable for a working royal, a pleated shirt dress from mid-market label Me+Em. The sugar pink style is £450 and, as of today, is available for pre-order via the brand's website (the estimated dispatch date is August 6 - so you don't have long to wait).
The British label is known for its hardworking pieces that can be transformed with the tweak of a button or belt. Middleton's dress, for example, has a removable tie that you can knot around the waist to give the silhouette more shape or slip it under the collar as a kind of pussy-bow scarf.
SHOP: Kate Middleton's Me+Em Dress
1 of 1Me+Em, Colour-Block Silk Shirt Dress And Belt, £450
She also owns a long-sleeve stripy top from the brand, while Meghan Markle has one of its belted blazers. Accessorising with her favourite earrings from Missoma - the Mini Pyramid hoops which are still available for £85 - and a sold-out square-buckled belt from Boden, she demonstrated exactly the kind of polish (put-together but still practical) that you would expect from a modern-day princess.
SEE: All The Times Kate Middleton Practised Literal Dressing
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This Catherine Walker coat, complete with a bow at the neck, couldn't have been more festive for last year's carol concert at Westminster Abbey.
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For last year's visit to Scotland, Kate packed some modern tartan in the form of this trench from Holland & Cooper.
3 of 18Kate Middleton wearing an emerald green jacket from Zara
The emerald green jacket (a double-breasted number from Zara) was an easy spot for St Patrick's Day, but how many eagle-eyed followers noticed that she was also wearing a necklace with a teeny shamrock pendant from Daniella Draper?
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To celebrate Burns Night, and bring a traditional feast of haggis, neeps and tatties to workers at NHS Tayside, Kate Middleton appeared via video wearing a tartan dress from Emilia Wickstead.
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In honour of what would've been the start of finals weekend at Wimbledon, Kate surprised a group of young tennis players with a video call with Andy Murray. For the call, Kate wore the HVN's Tennis Long Maria Dress{
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Earlier this year, the Cambridges and their three young children joined the rest of the nation in the weekly Clap For Our Carers outside their home in Norfolk. Kate, William, George, Charlotte and Louis all wore outfits in tones of blue in honour of the NHS.
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For her very first in-person event following lockdown, Kate Middleton visited the Fakenham Garden Centre, arriving in a simple outfit that looked perfect for a day of weeding and planting.
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In December 2019, Kate joined families and children who are supported by the charity Family Action at Peterley Manor Farm in a very festive red puffer jacket and green jumper combo.
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Kate loves a floral print and won't let a visit to a garden centre or flower show go unmarked, from the 'Back to Nature' festival at RHS Garden Wisley (left) to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (middle) to the White Garden at Kensington Palace (right).
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While on a royal tour of Ireland with Prince William in 2019, Kate made sure to pay tribute to the colour most associated with the country: green. Our favourite? The stunning Vampire's Wife dress she wore in Dublin.
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Speaking of green...Kate almost always attends a St Patrick's Day parade each year and she always, always wears green to celebrate.
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While on a royal tour of Poland in 2017, Kate paid homage to the country with her wardrobe twice. First, she wore a white dress with red accessories to honour the Polish flag. Then, she wore a dress by Polish designer Gosia Baczynska.
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Over the years, while attending events involving sailing or boating, Kate has capitalised on the nautical theme wearing white-and-navy stripes with golden accessories.
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The royals love Wimbledon and Kate is no exception. Having attended many, many times over the years, you can bet Kate will show off her tennis whites at the tournament at least once every year.
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In 2017, the Cambridges and their children arrived on the royal tour of Germany wearing different shades of cornflower blue, the colour of the country's national flower.
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Kate and William went on a royal tour to Pakistan in late 2019 and this is where Kate's passion for diplomatic dressing shone the brightest. Wearing outfits designed by Pakistani designers and wearing traditional Pakistani-style dresses, Kate certainly made a mark on this tour.
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Kate also showed her love for diplomatic dressing while on a royal tour of India and Bhutan, wearing dresses by local designers that featured traditional motifs.
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While in Canada with Prince William, Kate went to the rodeo, where she dressed for the occasion with a white cowboy hat. Later in the trip, she wore a red hat featuring maple leaves that look very similar to the Canadian flag.