The Classic Spring Shoe Trend Kate Middleton Just Co-Signed

(Image credit: Getty)

published 25 April 2023

Contributions from

Very on trend this spring are ballet flats, and the Princess of Wales gave us a masterclass in the look this week at an engagement near her home base of Windsor.

Kate visited The Baby Bank, located not far from her home at Adelaide Cottage, and spent the day hearing about the organization’s work to support families in need. She wore a Reiss blazer, L.K. Bennett cigarette pants, and capped the look off with Boden’s Pointed Flat Ballet Flats. Kate’s black flats are currently sold out on the site, but the same style in different colorways is available.

Boden Pointed Ballet Flats

While at The Baby Bank, Kate shared that Charlotte is a “huge fan of Toy Story,” according to The Daily Mail. She also reflected on how quickly her children are growing up, telling staff “It only feels like yesterday that they were this tiny. They do grow so quickly.”

Ballet flats are a trend that has spanned generations of the royal family. Kate wears the style, as evidenced today, as does Meghan Markle, who has shown an affinity for Rothy’s in the past.

Rothy's The Point

Roger Vivier Gommettine Leather Flats

We've rounded up some of our favorite ballet flats to add to your wardrobe—a trendy, comfortable staple for spring. But first, one more look at Kate's shoes from yesterday.

Tory Burch Georgia Square Toe Ballet Flat

Sam Edelman Felicia Flat

Naturalizer Polly Skimmer Buckle Flat

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

With contributions from

Emma ChildsStyle Editor