It can’t have escaped the notice of any dedicated follower of royal style that Kate Middleton is partial to a color-block coat (or coat dress) when it comes to dressing for public events. Indeed, in the last few weeks alone, Kate has been spotted out and about in a vibrant red-orange number by Boden, a Mulberry style in hot pink, the houndstooth print design by Catherine Walker, (surely a nod to an iconic Princess Diana look) and a military-influenced burgundy coat by Dolce & Gabbana on the recent royal tour to Sweden and Norway.

When the Duchess of Cambridge is out and about, she certainly commits to the look. What we’re trying to say is, if the coat is on, you won’t see her taking it off – just as you wouldn’t see her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, doing a quick outfit change in the middle of an engagement, or soon-to-be royal Meghan Markle doing the same.

kate middleton red dress coat

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

According to Australian site Honey, this very formal tradition stems from a simple matter of etiquette — it’s not considered ladylike for a woman of the Duchess’s status to remove their clothing in public, regardless of how smart or situation-appropriate the outfit underneath might be. Should the royals’ schedule require a change-up of layers, they’ll make the change away from the cameras.

This is just one of the royal style rules that Kate, as a senior member of the House of Windsor, must follow while carrying out public engagements. The Duchess typically eschews a colorful manicure in favor of pale pink nails in the Queen’s go-to Essie shade, Ballet Slippers, and opts for either a smart blow dry, or carefully groomed up do (a contrast to the laid-back bun recently sported by Meghan for a handful of royal events.)

This post was written by Katie Rosseinsky. It originally appeared on our sister site, Grazia Daily.

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