Kate Middleton fashion policy sparks backlash, forces Kensington Palace to clarify

Fox News

11-02-2025

Kensington Palace clarified there has been "no change" in the approach to Kate Middleton's fashion policy after sparking backlash.
The palace has been known to sometimes share details of the Princess of Wales' outfits, and will continue to do so.
"Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales's clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told People magazine.
"To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not The Princess of Wales," the statement continued. "The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to The Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness's clothing."
Fox News Digital reached out for comment.
The Sunday Times initially reported that Kensington Palace will cut back on naming the clothing designers Princess Kate chooses to wear while participating in royal duties.
A spokesperson for the palace told the outlet, "There is an absolute feeling that [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing."
"She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting," the story continued. "There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it's about the substance."
However, Kensington Palace clarified the statement nearly a week later after the move sparked controversy.
The palace's decision not to release details was criticized, as Princess Kate's outfit choices tend to shine a light on British fashion designers and the fashion industry itself.
At the time, British broadcaster and photographer, Helena Chard, wondered if the reported new palace policy would cause more harm than good. She pointed out that the "Kate Effect" has led to over $1 billion in sales in British fashion, boosting the country's economy.
"There has to be a happy medium here," Chard told Fox News Digital at the time. "Her work is super, but the world also enjoys and needs a regular fix of glamour… The 'Kate Effect' is also an important part of her work… It's a great pity that the Princess of Wales views the public's interest in the context of 'style versus substance.'… [But] I'm sure this filters into the constant commentary about her looks, a never-ending intrusion into her life."
In foreshadowing the new approach, the palace did not release details of the Princess of Wales' clothing during a recent visit to Wales. The princess, who recently announced she was in remission for an undisclosed cancer, met children at a hospice charity she's a patron of on that trip.