Princess Kate Narrowly—and Expertly—Avoids Wardrobe Malfunction in Her Seventh Pantsuit in a Row (But Who’s Counting?)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 26 September 2023

The Princess of Wales stepped out today in yet another pantsuit—this time, forest green Burberry, a rewear, and, for those counting, her seventh in a row—for an engagement at a textile factory, AW Hainsworth, in Leeds. (Kate’s green suit was bespoke, but we found the blazer in a grey colorway; she is believed to be wearing her Holland Cooper bodysuit.) Widely celebrated as a global fashion icon—particularly for British brands—Kate “spent the day learning more about the heritage and innovation in an industry that plays such a high-profile role in Britain,” People reports.

Burberry Tailored Wool-Blend Blazer

Holland Cooper Cupro Shirt Bodysuit

AW Hainsworth is a family-owned heritage textile mill, and Kate has familial connections to it, as a matter of fact—People reports that “her paternal ancestors were owners of a local woolen manufacturer and merchant William Lupton and Co., which was sold to AW Hainsworth in 1958.” Kate’s great-grandfather Noel Middleton was a director of the company; Noel was married to Olive Lupton in 1914, and they had three sons, including Peter Middleton, Kate’s grandfather and the father of her father, Michael.

AW Hainsworth’s fabrics have a deep connection to the royal family: the fabrics were used during both the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and King Charles this past May; it also creates the bright scarlet fabric that’s the mainstay of the ceremonial uniform of the Buckingham Palace guards.

In a show of her appreciation for fashion and how it is created, Kate stayed at least 30 minutes longer than expected at the engagement, before heading off to another textile manufacturer, Standfast & Barracks, in Lancaster. While still at AW Hainsworth, per The Daily Mail, Kate shared that she “loves the feel and smell” of freshly-woven fabric; she also had a minor wardrobe malfunction, The Mirror reports—“just after she got out of her car…one of her trouser legs had become stuck inside her shoes,” the outlet reports. “Luckily for Kate, she quickly noticed and expertly balanced on one leg while she pulled the trouser straight so it [would] then lay over her heels perfectly.” A fashion pro, indeed.

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.

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