How Kate Middleton's Trooping the Colour Outfit Is the Ultimate ...

The Princess of Wales is known to pay deliberate tribute through her style choices at formal events

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Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton had the perfect outfit choice at Trooping the Colour.

On Saturday, the Princess of Wales attended the first birthday parade held in King Charles’ honor. While Princess Kate, 41, has been part of the patriotic procession each year since marrying Prince William in 2011 — with the exception of 2020 and 2021, when the event was scaled back greatly due to the COVID pandemic — today’s event is special as her first as the Princess of Wales.

Princess Kate looked the part in a green dress by Andrew Gn and matching hat by Philip Treacy. Gn is a fashion designer from Singapore, and Kate’s choice was a clear nod to her husband Prince William's Earthshot Prize, which will hold its third awards ceremony in the Asian country in November.

Green also nods to her colonelcy of the Irish Guards and one of the colors of the flag of Wales. Kate and Prince William were named the Prince and Princess of Wales upon King Charles' accession to the throne in September — and with Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, in red at Trooping, the Wales family had an ultimate display of flag dressing!

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Kate completed the look with sapphire and diamond earrings that previously belonged to Princess Diana — a rewear from last year! — and pinned on the Irish Guards' special gold shamrock brooch.

The royal birthday parade takes on a new weight for Kate as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards. The Irish Guards are one of the seven regiments of the Household Division of the British Army on display at Trooping the Colour, and King Charles made his daughter-in-law the ceremonial Colonel in December, three months after his accession. The position is a fitting tribute for the Princess of Wales, who has honored the regiment on St. Patrick’s Day for over a decade.

In another first, Princess Kate and Queen Camilla joined the other royal colonels on the ground at Horse Guards Parade as the Welsh Guards presented their flag. In past years, both royal women would watch this part of the ceremony from one of the buildings surrounding the parade grounds.

It was a touching tribute for Kate to wear Diana's earrings at her first Trooping the Colour as the Princess of Wales. The royal has reached for her late mother-in-law’s jewelry more frequently since becoming Princess of Wales in September, and most recently wore the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot tiara to the royal wedding of Jordan on June 1. The sparkler is famously a favorite of Kate’s for state occasions — just like it was for Diana. A few weeks before, Princess Kate also wore Princess Diana’s South Sea Pearl Earrings to the coronation on May 6.

"I think we have seen lots of examples where the reference is very intentional and I think that Kate uses fashion to pay tribute to Diana in a very positive way," Bethan Holt, Fashion News and Features Director of The Daily Telegraph, previously told PEOPLE.

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In another connection, Princess Diana also wore green for her first Trooping the Colour as Princess of Wales in 1982.

Princes Kate also sported a gold shamrock brooch featuring an emerald in the center. The pin belongs to the Irish Guards and is loaned to the royal women who are associated with the regiment, The Court Jeweller reports.

Before Kate, it was worn by Princess Anne and the Queen Mother, and Kate often wears the piece when she celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with the regiment each year. 

Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton

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Kate’s latest look is a confident affirmation in her power-dressing parade since becoming Princess of Wales in the fall, which Holt describes as a whole new mindset.

"I think this is her power moment — she's easing into the Princess of Wales role and that promotion that she's had in such a beautiful way," the style editor previously told PEOPLE. "She's got this big new title, and she's dressing for that job."

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