The Princess of Wales’ team was forced to release a rare statement after her new wardrobe policy sparked criticism.
Kensington Palace clarified that there has been “no change” to the royal’s official policy on releasing details about her clothing following recent backlash.
“Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding the Princess of Wales’ clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits,” a palace spokesperson told People magazine.
“To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not the Princess of Wales. The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to the Princess of Wales,” the statement continued.
“To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.”
The statement comes after an article was published earlier this month in the Sunday Times, titled “Princess of Wales: Focus on my work not my wardrobe,” which quoted a royal source saying, “There is an absolute feeling that [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing.”
The spokesperson told the Times that Kate “wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”
They added: “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.”
The palace’s decision not to release fashion details caused a stir, as the princess’ outfit choices often put a spotlight on British designers and the fashion industry.
Critics also noted that her fashion choices sometimes pay homage to the legacy of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth, as well as serving as an important tool for connecting with the public.
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Kate has eased back into royal duties after taking most of 2024 off to undergo cancer treatment, which she completed in September.
Last month, the princess announced that her cancer is in remission, and she made several public appearances in the ensuing weeks.
During a trip to Wales at the end of January, where she met with children at a hospice charity of which she is a patron, Kate’s team notably did not release details of her clothing.
Two weeks prior, on Jan. 14, Kensington Palace also did not share the details of what she wore during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital where she underwent cancer treatment last year.