Kate Middleton brought fall’s on-trend hue to Oxford on Thursday when she stepped out in an olive-hued suit and matching knit for a stay-and-play session at a local family center.
Olive green is currently having a big fashion moment, with Fashion calling him “the new black.”
Kate gave her royal seal of approval during a visit to Home-Start Oxford, a local branch of a national charity which provides free and confidential support to families with at least one child under five.
The relaxed tailored suit came from Victoria Beckham’s SS25 collection.
Royal fans on Twitter noted that the visit to Oxford coincided with the release of Victoria Beckham’s documentary on Netflix, suggesting that the princess wore the suit in a gesture of support for her friend.
Inside, the Princess joined Home-Start’s ‘Rose Buds’ session, a weekly stay-and-play morning filled with storytelling, singing and sensory play.
Kate didn’t let the $2,000 suit stop her from getting down to business with the kids. At one table during a messy play session, he helped children make imaginary cakes on trays of flour, dusting off his jacket with a smile: “the messier, the better.”
Kate also participated in a training discussion with volunteers during the visit.
She watched and talked about the new series of animated films produced by her Early Childhood Center (you’ll remember she launched the organization in 2021 through the Royal Foundation).
The short videos highlight the importance of fostering relationships and everyday interactions in the first five years of life. Home-Start plans to use the videos in training sessions across its UK network of volunteers and staff.
The Oxford engagement followed the publication of an essay by the Princess on the Royal Foundation’s website on the same day.
Co-authored with Professor Robert Waldinger of Harvard, “The power of human connection in a distracted world” calls on families and communities to invest in real face-to-face relationships, warning of an “epidemic of disconnection” in modern life:
We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds. We are physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully relate to the people in front of us.
The Princess of Wales
As always, her outfit deserves a closer look.
Kate’s olive green Oxford ensemble:
For the engagement, the Princess chose a Victoria Beckham Jacket and wide pants in deep olive green.
You may remember that she wore both pieces in May while presenting the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design (below).
On Thursday, she paired the suit with light brown leather pumps by Ralph Lauren, a delicate gold pendant necklace engraved with the initials G, C and L, a nod to her children, by Daniella Draper, and her Kiki McDonough drop earrings.
Her hair was softly waved and her makeup was kept in warm neutrals, echoing the natural palette of the outfit.
