Kate Middleton wears grey designer coat dress for rare engagement with Queen

Kate Middleton, 37, was pictured stepping out with her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II today. The Duchess of Cambridge, who married Prince William, 36, in 2011, had not stepped out with Queen Elizabeth on an engagement like this since March 2012 – when they were joined by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The 97-year-old has since retired from his royal duties, in 2017. For today’s occasion Kate sported a grey coat dress which is by Catherine Walker.

The pale grey garment featured long sleeves and had a black collar.

It featured a fitted bodice and a large buckled belt, and had a pleated skirt.

It’s not clear how much the garment cost, with designs on the Catherine Walker website not being posted with a price tag.

Kate teamed the look with a pair of black tights and pointed high heels.

She also donned a black hat which had an oval shaped head piece and a floral embellishment.

The Duchess also carried a black clutch bag.

The royal wore her hair in loose curls around her shoulders, and kept her make-up look relatively natural.

Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth stepped out in a pale pink look.

The 92-year-old monarch wore a pastel pink Stewart Parvin Old Rose cashmere coat, and a matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat.

She also opted for a silk dress of autumnal woodland in shades of grey fuchsia and olive.

While the Queen and Kate have been pictured at the same events together a number of times in the past, today’s outing was their first joint engagement in which they were not joined by other members of the Royal Family.

Press Association reporter Catherine Wylie wrote on Twitter: “The Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge have teamed up for royal duties today at King’s College London.

“Kate is wearing a Catherine Walker dress.”

In June last year, Meghan Markle, 37, who married Prince Harry in May 2018, stepped out on her first joint engagement with Queen Elizabeth.

The Queen and the Duchess of Sussex arrived in Cheshire for the visit, having travelled overnight on the monarch’s private train.

On Sunday, Kate stepped out in an all-green look which could be worth more than £7,500 on St Patrick’s Day.

How did Kate Middleton become a royal?

Early life

Kate Middleton, or Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was born on 9 January 1982 at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, England.

She was born to Michael and Carole Middleton, a former flight dispatcher and air hostess. The couple founded a party supplies company, Party Pieces, in 1987 – now estimated to be worth £30 million.

Kate has a younger sister Pippa Matthews, 34, and a younger brother James Middleton, 31.

Education

Kate and her family moved to Amman, Jordan, in 1984, where the future Duchess was educated at an English-speaking nursery school.

After moving back to Berkshire the family sent Kate to private school, St Andrews School. She went on to briefly study at Downe House before moving onto Marlborough College where she boarded.

For university the young Kate attended the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. Here she was awarded an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in history of art.

Relationship with Prince William

Kate met Prince William when they were both studying at St Andrews, and both living in St Salvator’s Hall. Famously, William reportedly took a fancy to Kate after she wore a see-through dress during a fashion show.

In 2003 the couple began dating and lived together during their second year of university.

The couple split in April 2007, however, in October they were back together.

Wedding

Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother Princess Diana’s engagement ring in October 2010. The couple were holidaying in Kenya at the time.

On 29 April 2011 they married at Westminster Abbey with a whopping 26 million watching the event live.

Kate wore an Alexander McQueen dress worth a reported £250,000 on the big day.

Kate assumed the title “Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge” and also become the Duchess of Cambridge on the day.