Inside Kate Middleton's Traitors-inspired wardrobe: How the Princess of Wales channels Claudia Winkleman's 'Highland goth' style

Daily Mail​

02-05-2025

This week, the Prince and Princess of Wales toured the Scottish Isles and, as always, Catherine served up several stunning looks that harmonised with her surroundings.
To mark her fourteenth wedding anniversary, the future queen, 43, stepped out in a blazer from Holland Cooper and a lightweight Boden shirt teamed with her reliable Massimo Dutti trousers and Chloé boots as she sampled whiskey and cooked haggis on the Isle of Mull on Tuesday.
And she continued her sartorial streak on Wednesday in a countryside-inspired ensemble consisting of a Ralph Lauren Collection tweed jacket layered over a Boden blouse and a Johnstons of Elgin cashmere jumper in khaki green as she walked through the Ardura Community Forest.
But is it possible the princess is borrowing from the style book of television royalty?
Eagle-eyed royal watchers pointed out that Claudia Winkleman, the award-winning host of The Traitors and sister of Lady Frederick Windsor, was first to rock 'haute couture' in the Highlands.
Since starting to film the hit series at Ardross Castle in Ross-shire in 2022, the Strictly Come Dancing presenter, 53, has traded her sequinned dresses and stilettos for Chelsea boots, blazers, kilts, chunky jumpers and turtlenecks.
Sophie McKeefry is the mastermind behind Claudia's 'Highland goth' wardrobe for The Traitors, with fashion columnists saying the aesthetic befits the show's 19th century setting and ominous themes.
Fans and critics alike have also praised the high-profile stylist for spotlighting the work of British designers and brands on the show including Holland Cooper and Johnstons of Elgin. Sound familiar?
The Princess of Wales wears a Holland Cooper blazer as she steps out with Prince William in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull on April 29, 2025
Now all Catherine needs is some fake tan and a jet black fringe.
Whether it's tartan and Fair Isle prints or cord and tweed fabrics, McKeefry told The Independent that Claudia's 'outfits need to work' in the 'rugged backdrop' that is Scotland.
'It's country attire,' she said. 'But still high fashion.'
'I think where the missions are sometimes set – like the woodlands – can almost make it feel like a beautiful photo shoot, where you'd see those lovely Gothic looks put together in a woodland atmosphere so naturally,' she told the publication.
'I think people like to see those looks – like the Holland Cooper jeans with the Dr Martin boots in this series, it's got that heritage feel but also an edge, which makes it look so cool.'
The same could be said about Catherine who donned the classic Massimo Dutti trousers and her well-loved Chloé walking boots as she knelt down to join the Ardura Acorns - a local children's group that take part in outdoor learning.
The Princess of Wales has spoken out about how she reconnected with nature during her treatment for cancer - a heartwarming message perpetuated by the green and brown hues in her country-inspired Scottish wardrobe.
And Claudia is no stranger to country chic either, reaching for a Barbour jacket when overseeing all the missions throughout the first series of The Traitors.
Both Catherine and Claudia (both pictured in ruffled blouses) seem to take inspiration from the rugged landscape around them
The Princess of Wales and Claudia both wear kilts
Both women wear chunky turtleneck jumpers and hunting jackets. Claudia (right) wears a Barbour jacket - a British heritage brand loved by the royals
'The first series we did, I think Claudia wore my old Barbour for every mission,' McKeefry, who has worked with the presenter for over 20 years, revealed.
'I was like, she needs a coat as well, so I thought I'll go to my house, get my Barbour and just throw that in there as well.'
Barbour is a British heritage brand favoured by various members of the Royal Family including King Charles, Camilla, and, of course, Catherine.
But, according to Claudia, she and McKeefry only have one royal 'muse' when it comes to choosing outfits for The Traitors - Princess Anne.
During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Claudia summed up her style as 'Princess Anne meets [English soprano] Sarah Brightman.'
This wasn't the last time Claudia referenced Princess Anne - whose timeless 'countrycore' aesthetic has earned her fashionista status - while discussing her looks on The Traitors.
Ahead of the show's season two premiere in 2022, Claudia described one of her outfits as 'sea monster meets Princess Anne, and then they go to a golf sale, and nod at Jane McDonald'.
Along with Claudia and her longtime stylist McKeefry, Princess Anne has also served as a muse for Silvia Venturini Fendi, the matriarch of the revered Italian fashion house Fendi, who dedicated a menswear collection to the royal mother-of-two.
The Fendi catwalk in January 2024 - with a Princess Royal influence
The ultimate Barbour family with Anne, Peter and Zara all matching in coats and wellies
'I fell in love with the style of Princess Anne who, to my mind, is the most elegant woman in the world,' Venturini Fendi previously said. 'When I saw the Coronation...with Princess Anne in her uniform, I thought she looked beautiful.
'So I said, "Let's be inspired for a men's collection."'
During Venturini Fendi's AW24 men's show last year, models walked down the runway in wax jackets, welly boots, and lashings of tartan as the prolific fashion designer paid tribute to Anne's timeless style.
Gushing over Princess Anne's wardrobe choices, equal parts practical and feminine, Venturini Fendi added: 'I liked the idea of breaking barriers, breaking the masculine and feminine codes.
'The Princess Royal is very rigorous in how she dresses, with his kind of military-minded attitude, but feminine at the same time,' she continued. 'She's kind of an anti-fashion person and, to me, that's something that's actually very fashionable and chic.'
Despite curating a wardrobe inspired by Princess Anne, and showing off similar sartorial taste to Catherine, Claudia has a far more direct royal connection.