Kate Middleton reportedly wants to forge “her own path” as the Princess of Wales—and the King Charles III’s coronation may be the perfect opportunity to make a statement. According to Bethan Holt, fashion director at the Daily Telegraph, it’s likely that the recently minted Princess of Wales will use the historic moment as a way to set herself “apart from the crowd.”
“It’s quite nice for her in a way that she can really make this her own, as every time she’s on a tour, either the queen or Diana has been there before—and there’s an expectation,” Holt told People. According to the publication, Middleton will be the first Princess of Wales to attend a coronation since 1902.
“I think Kate will wear something thoughtful that will in some way show her loyalty to King Charles,” Holt said. “She will recognize this as a huge moment, and I think we’ll see something that sets her apart from the crowd.” Holt says a traditional ivory gown from Alexander McQueen would be the “obvious choice” but notes the princess “might just surprise us!”
Whatever Kate Middleton wears could have the potential to cause tension with the king, if certain royal reports are to be believed. According to royals expert Katie Nicholl’s book, The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, King Charles has been jealous of the attention Kate Middleton’s style has received in the past.
According to the book, the king was unsettled by his late ex-wife Princess Diana’s popularity, particularly when it came to fashion. “Her star immediately eclipsed her husband’s, causing early fractures in their relationship,” Nicholl wrote, per Entertainment Tonight. “The diligent, sensitive, and status-conscious Charles found it hard to understand. He could not see that in the new media age, being a royal-born prince and future king was a lesser currency than his wife’s megawatt beauty and disposition.”
