Duchess Kate repeated the infamous hot pink-9/11 Mulberry coat in Coventry

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Coventry Cathedral

The Duchess of Cambridge repeated an infamous coat today in Coventry. This Mulberry coat was first seen in December 2014, during Kate’s first-ever trip to New York, when she and William visited the 9/11 Memorial. I thought it was inappropriate at the time, to wear hot pink to such a somber event. It was especially odd considering that up to that point in the New York trip, Kate had been wearing a lot of black – she wore black to meet with little kids, she wore black for a cocktail reception, etc. Then suddenly she goes to a sombre photo-op and she wore a radioactive shade of pink? It was weird. In any case, she wore the coat today with seemingly all of the same accessories? Same clutch, similar black shoes, black tights.

She put the coat away in her archives for a few years, but she brought it out today for this day-trip to Coventry with her husband. Kate and William scheduled events together throughout the day, events like… visiting a really old church, visiting a new church, meeting some kids and more – go here to read People Magazine’s coverage.

The Duke and Duchess’s itinerary for their Sweden and Norway trip was just released too – they’ve scheduled a “tour” of both EU countries for four days, January 30 through February 2. The itinerary involves time with Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria, a reception with Alicia Vikander as a guest, and lots of photo-ops, I’m assuming. The point of the trip is making nice with all of the EU countries after the Brexit fallout. George and Charlotte will not come on the trip, because both have school those days.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Coventry Cathedral

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Coventry Cathedral

Photos courtesy of WENN.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

110 Responses to “Duchess Kate repeated the infamous hot pink-9/11 Mulberry coat in Coventry”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Nancy says:

    I love pink and black together. I also rather like her black gloves and tights. The problem is the timing. If it were April, I’d be all in.

    • seesittellsit says:

      Ditto. Pink and black is what I call quietly classy. I also like pink and navy. She’s six months’ along, she looks fine.

    • HadleyB says:

      Who would be wearing a winter coat in April ?

      I live in Chicago and have several styles of coats — and many colors. In April I am in shorts and flip flops!

      • LAK says:

        It’s still cold here in April.

        Not deep winter cold, but cold enough to warrant a light coat.

      • FLORC says:

        I’ll wear a winter cost in April. Not a fashionable 1 like here. A functional, climb a mountain to ski down or shovel snow coat. April is spring, but that doesn’t mean it feels like spring.

      • Beth says:

        Back in ’97, there was a huge blizzard on April 1st in Boston. Spring isn’t always warm and sunny enough everywhere for summer clothes.

      • Nancy says:

        Easter! I always have a pretty coat for Easter or early springtime. **I live outside of Cleveland and remember a blizzard on the day of the home opener**

      • minx says:

        I’m in Chicago, too, and it can be quite chilly here in April.

      • Spicecake38 says:

        Hey guys fellow midwesterner here-Wearing a winter coat in April and May where we are-one day of 75F and the next blizzard.Looked many a time for Easter eggs in the snow

      • LInabear says:

        Is it really warm enough for flip flops and shorts in April in Chicago? I’m moving there in a few months from a southern state.

    • Nicole says:

      Same

    • Princessk says:

      She looks absolutely fine.

  2. littlemissnaughty says:

    Putting aside the question of appropriateness for the NYC event, this is still an excellent coat, one of the best she’s ever worn.

    • Ankhel says:

      It’s pretty and becoming, yes.

    • minx says:

      Very pretty coat.

    • Imqrious2 says:

      It’s occasion appropriate, and I think she looks lovely. Pregnancy, as well as the pregnancy pounds suit her so much. She looks young, healthy, and just glows. Even her hair looks better, not all curled into styling iron barrel curls, just loose and natural. I think this is a win today.

      • Veronica says:

        Agreed. Hated the coat at the WTC memorial but liked it in general and love it here. And i really like her shorter hair. She looks much more professional.

    • Adele Dazeem says:

      Agreed. She looks great. Glad she’s finally embracing maternity coats too, the stressed out buttons on the nonmaternity coats were irritating me.

    • L84Tea says:

      I agree, I like this coat on her. I can’t find any flaws here.

    • Sharon Lea says:

      Yes, I really like the coat, especially the color.

  3. Genevieve says:

    I guess that’s now her go-to coat for sites of infamous disasters.

  4. Lainey says:

    She wore it another time before her maternity leave, can’t remember with who.
    As for the tour one of their engagements includes walking along a street and a private tea. So same old same old with those two.

    • graymatters says:

      Yes, with the woman who started a charity in her son’s name, who died. I think he was an architect. I remember being very impressed with the mother’s strength and dignity.

      • Sara says:

        Baroness Doreen Lawrence. She started the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and Centre in honour of her son who was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack when he was just 18.

      • graymatters says:

        Thanks! It’s people like her who civilize this world.

      • Tina says:

        @graymatters, totally agree. I have had the honour of meeting Baroness Lawrence and she is truly an exceptional person.

  5. Maria F. says:

    i love this coat on her. The colour is amazing.

    • SNAP says:

      Agreed, I’m a sucker for well executed bright colored clothing. I need a coat like that one! Love it! But can’t afford it :-9

    • RoyalSparkle says:

      Fits awful and frumpy old looking on keen Do Little.

      She will be needing a rest from being out so much, since Princess Henry I/w arrival with a work ethics.

      • Lady D says:

        Come on now. Normally I agree with your criticism of Kate, but this time she actually got it right.

      • Veronica says:

        Yes, Harry who has done 4 events in a month, interrupted by a vacation to Monaco!! And one of them was a walk to church on Christmas!! So much work!!!
        I often wonder if you write your posts satirically?

  6. SNAP says:

    Something nice: I REALLY like the way her hair is styled here!!!

    • homeslice says:

      Wow, I was going to comment she looks like she needs a brush! Why did it look much shorter at Christmas?

      The coat is a nice color, but she looks so old fashioned as usual…

  7. Ayra. says:

    I really like this coat. Goes well with all black.

  8. Talie says:

    Are they usually this active together…?! I feel like I haven’t seen either one do so much as I have recently.

    • FLORC says:

      They do before the final count of work numbers goes in. Like clockwork.

    • William has been working quietly and consistently for awhile. Never thought I’d say this but I’m extremely impressed with his efforts to destigmative dealing with one’s emotions among men. That is so important and something he and Harry can speak sincerely about.

      • Tina says:

        Consistently? William did fewer engagements in 2017 (171) than he did in 2016 (188), despite being a “full time royal” for the final third of the year. And it’s not like 188 was all that impressive to start with.

      • I wasn’t looking vack over the years, just the last five or six months. I didn’t even say he’s been working a lot. Just consistently and with little fanfare. It’s what he should be doing.

      • Tina says:

        Well, I suppose he’s been working at the same low rate for years. That’s consistent, if you like. (Consistently poor). Personally I think he takes Kate with him on engagements because he knows he doesn’t get any media coverage if he does them on his own.

      • He and Kate don’t seem to be doing too many joint events anymore. William is a lot of things but an attention seeker isn’t one of them. He seems fine doing solo engagements, imo.

      • Tina says:

        I didn’t say William wasn’t fine doing solo engagements. But there’s really no reason for the two of them to do engagements like this Coventry event and the Birmingham events in November together. I don’t really object to joint engagements, but if they are going to do so few, it would be better to separate and reach more people.

      • I agree overall but disagree that William wants to do events with Kate because he wants extra press. I don’t think he cares about that at all.

      • Tina says:

        I don’t think he cares in general, but I think the lack of attention paid to his Finland tour smarted a bit. He should realise that he and Charles are very much in the same boat.

      • Lobbit says:

        And once Harry loses what’s left of his ginger hair, he’ll be in the same boat as his brother and father. Women royals are just more interesting to watch – especially once their husband’s reach middle age…

    • Princessk says:

      Why are people interested in NUMBERS? It is the QUALITY of the visit that counts. I also feel that if the royals are seen TOO often in public they become overexposed and the mystic will wear off. There needs to be a balance.

      I keep asking the question, do people not understand the meaning of Royalty, they are not supposed to be seen out and about on the streets every week. We need to be thrilled when we see them and so that means sparingly. I have seen Charles and Diana from afar, William and Harry close up (sad circumstances) but never the Queen who I would like to see. I have seen Prince Philip close up.

      I am particularly concerned that where Meghan is concerned there will not be too many engagements because I see her becoming very very popular.

      It seems that some people just want them to be like Joe Bloggs. if you want a Republic just say so!

      • Tina says:

        That has never been the deal with the royals. As Queen Mary said, “We love hospitals. We are never tired.” The Queen Mother wore her best to visit bombed-out areas and said when Buckingham Palace was bombed, “Now we can look the east end in the face.” The Queen herself, at 91, still does more engagements than William and Kate put together.

        It is not necessarily about numbers. It is about public service. I give Harry a bit more of a pass than William and Kate because he genuinely seems to care about his causes, particularly Invictus. William and Kate do not seem to care about anything but themselves.

      • notasugarhere says:

        “I have to be seen to be believed.” HMQEII

        The younger ones have neither the quality nor the quantity of the elders re. their engagements.

  9. EscapedConvent says:

    I don’t see anything to complain about with this outfit. It’s one of the few times I’ve ever liked what she was wearing.

  10. Sequinedheart says:

    Nana-nana-nana-nana, WIG-LET!

  11. maria says:

    Norway is not a EU country

    • graymatters says:

      No, but GB needs to negotiate treaties on their own now, and not as part of the EU. So they need to deal with everyone separately. It’s why May was sucking up to Trump earlier. They want at least as good a deal when they negotiate with the US as they had as part of the EU.

    • Tina says:

      And Norway is following the Brexit negotiations VERY closely. They (quite understandably) want to make sure that they get any concessions we do. I don’t think they have to worry though, our negotiators are failing miserably at every turn.

    • RoyalSparkle says:

      A more formidable RF team like The Wessexs, need to represent GB CW than the entitled over spending, with the least duties, lambridges. They are the last to be assisting the government on Brexit plans.

  12. Margo S. says:

    Broseph, if you’re balding that much, why don’t you just shave your whole head. Why don’t will and Kate have style?

  13. FLORC says:

    Something interesting. This is in the span of time Kate cleared. She removes all charity work from her calendar saying she didn’t feel well months ago. And even if she feels better she’s still not visiting her patronages. What she’s made time for are selective fluff to puff up numbers. Why can’t she visit her charities?
    It’s not a damned if she does/doesn’t. It’s just why can’t she uphold her commitment to them?

    Also, she looks like she’s having and as had a perfectly healthy pregnancy.

    • RoyalSparkle says:

      +1000
      @FLORC

      Only that Prince Henry Couple is out performing duties, that waitie keen now out after 7 years lacking any work ethics or quality time (baring red carpet events), with charities.

      • FLORC says:

        It’s like clockwork. They choose the events they want. If it’s celeb related for Kate she attends even if it’s cancelled to the public like the sailing event. If it’s PR/charity work she tends to arrive late. Leaves early. And nothing more than pictures comes from it.
        Not often does she appear to engage with the coordinators. And I’m waiting for someone to say her support or her appearance to a patronage has ever benefited them. When she does engage we all praise and hope its a turn towards the better.

        Some consistency would help them. Then they wouldn’t need to have flurries of work.

      • Veronica says:

        Harry has done 4 events in a MONTH. And one was a walk to Church. And he’s not pregnant. Meghan has done 2, but she isn’t married yet, so I don’t blame her.
        Reality is a beautiful thing.

    • Sharon Lea says:

      Did she clear her calendar around her charities?! I don’t remember reading that, I thought it was just at the time she was feeling morning sickness/when the pregnancy was announced. Ha Royal Sparkle, the competitive ‘sporty’ aspect of Kate is kicking in! I too think she doesn’t want to be outdone.

      • FLORC says:

        Sharon Lea
        It was during the morning sickness this was announced. That her calendar would be cleared for the remainder of her pregnancy. Even if she felt better she would not add anyone back to the events she was very keen to attend. It was weeks of good press built up. How she was going to work and excited to work. Then cancels everything regardless of health. It was just pr.

      • Sharon Lea says:

        FLORC – you have a very good memory! I can’t think of a response. I am so disappointed in her lack of willingness or basic interest in charities.

      • FLORC says:

        Sharon Lea
        It was covered here several weeks ago. Very silly. Each pregnancy appears easier for her. Healthy everything. It was just a nice excuse.

    • Digital Unicorn (aka Betti) says:

      Even when she’s not pregnant she gives very little time and press to her patronages, unless it’s Ben Ainslie. She’s just not interested in them.

      • notasugarhere says:

        She has never worked. I don’t know why we expected things to change once they got married. Silly us for believing anything they said in the engagement interview.

  14. WakaDoo says:

    She does love her hot pink – uh… just no. And will someone please get her some boots for cripesakes, it’s winter and those same ole, black tights, black suede pumps aren’t cutting it anymore.

    • Karen says:

      Agree. Boots for winter.

      Also buttons on coat look odd. Especially for the price!

    • magnoliarose says:

      Boots would have been nice here. She doesn’t wear boots much, but I am tired of the pump-tight look with that coat length. She looks ok.

  15. Really says:

    Love the outfit on her. She looks polished and classy.

  16. Cher says:

    She looks nice. It works.

  17. Maria says:

    Love the outfit. Glad to see she is recycling coats. She doesn’t more new coats, let’s face it.

  18. bluhare says:

    That really old church is Coventry cathedral which was bombed to what it is now in WW2. Father forgive is inscribed on the altar wall. It’s actually a very poignant site especially with the new cathedral. I have been there. Story is Churchill let it be bombed rather than give the Nazis a heads up that they’d broken enigma.

    • This reminds me of a priest in Milan who had workers direct huge spotlights onto his church so Allied air strikes would see that they were about to bomb a house of worship (the city underwent mandatory nightly blackouts). It worked and during strikes many people were able to flee to the church and find temporary shelter.

  19. Vinot says:

    I’m so excited for the CP Victoria photo op! I find her infinitely more interesting than William and Kate.

  20. manta says:

    Both EU countries? Sorry ,I’ve missed the date when Norway became a member. In fact they declined to join, twice.
    If the goal of international trips of these 2 is to smooth relationships between UK and UE, well maybe Sweden is a good pick, not sure about Norway.

  21. Citresse says:

    I see Kate’s coat matched the Coventry choir!

  22. Cerys says:

    I think she looks good. It’s a nice coat and I like the colour. Pregnancy suits her and she looks healthy and happy.

    • MsKatie says:

      I agree! In fact, I think she looks quite beautiful in the that third photo, and the first photo of her and William together is just lovely.

      (No, I’m not Waity, or even a fan, but credit where credit is due.)

    • Princessk says:

      Yes , her face looks nice chubby and she has nice dimples.

  23. Sharon Lea says:

    W&K haven’t made a point to go to the Scandinavian weddings, christenings etc, but are now willing to do this trip? Sophie & Edward usually attend. First became aware of it for Princess Grace’s funeral, Diana insisted on going, but no one else from the family (not even Charles!) I read in the tabloids the UK royals notoriously do not attend other royal family special events, its a bit of ‘we are the top and you are all below us.’ I can’t help but think there is some truth to this.

  24. Lorelai says:

    I guess she was completely unaware of the barrage of criticism hurled at her when she wore this coat to the 9/11 memorial, because one would think she would never want to wear it again and remind people of that awful misstep.

    Or else she just doesn’t care, which is certainly a distinct possibility with her.

  25. BearcatLawyer says:

    BUTTONS. Just buttons. Gotta have buttons!

  26. Mary Rose says:

    William looks disgusted. It’s that same face he gets when he has to be around the great unwashed. He doesn’t really like his subjects.

    • Tina says:

      I generally agree, but we’re not his subjects, nor are we the Queen’s subjects. We are citizens of a democratic state with full democracy, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (the US has flawed democracy).

    • CynicalAnn says:

      I saw video and he was very engaged and talking to people.

    • Merritt says:

      He looked like he was enjoying himself on video. Video always gives a more accurate view.

  27. Starlight says:

    Hot pink keeping up the dynamics in the Daily Mail today Wills furious he is going to be upstaged on the forthcoming Harry-and Megs Wales Visit , the paps all out to snap the engaged couple rather than Wills so interesting what is going on . Wills on same day doing a visit to his favourite charity and Kate may make impromptu show. I am guessing this is happening in the next couple of days.

  28. BAnna says:

    Norway is not an EU country

    • seesittellsit says:

      @BAnna – not technically, but it does participate in the EEA and has a close relationship with the EU – because of the EEA participation, I think it has to abide by all the regular EU rules, including free movement. I think the same is true for Switzerland and Lichtenstein.

  29. Katebush says:

    Like the pink and black combo.

  30. aquarius64 says:

    Kate, the Queen called. HM wants her outfit back.

  31. Pandy says:

    Maybe she wears a brighter color to stand out in photos and in public situations, a la HM? I’m happy she repeats clothes. And at six months, maybe there are only so many in the rotation that still fit. Personally I LOVE strong colors, especially with all black.

  32. Leah says:

    If you go to the Daily Mail, they have great pics-that is the only good thing about that paper and you can see how old Kate looks. I mean her forehead lines are pretty deep for someone who just turned 36. By comparison, Meghan, who is the same age, looks ten years younger and fresh as a daisy.

    Kate needs to stay her butt home on the day Meghan and Harry visit Wales. If not, we all will know that she is making a conscious effort to upstage-of course, that is the only conscious effort she would ever make.

    I was shocked that the pics of Charlotte were released the day before Meghan and Harry went to Brixton and not the day of.

    • Lobbit says:

      Were you seriously inspecting photos for wrinkles? Really? That’s pretty wild…

    • Helenw says:

      I’ve said it on other threads: such comments are really upsetting for all of us who, God forbid, have not won the genetic lottery. There is no such thing as “pretty deep for someone who just turned 36”. Yoir skin at 36 is not my skin at 36. I have same wrinkles but also much sagging. It is how it happens in my family.

    • Levin says:

      Her forehead lines may be “pretty deep for someone who is 36” but you’re also very petty for someone who is old enough to type complete sentences.

      I hope that the next time you’re feeling insecure, people are kinder to you concerning your flaws – sincerely.

    • notasugarhere says:

      The problem is the publications that have used photoshop on her until she is unrecognizable, coupled with her more obsessed fans who do the same. They want a Barbie not the real thing.

      The outcry about her first official portrait was funny because of that. The painting was an accurate rendition of an unaltered photo, her fans just didn’t realize it or didn’t want to realize it. As LAK and FLORC point out on here a lot, people are more interesting when viewed realistically, KM included.

  33. Kieron says:

    People on twitter are talking about how Kate made a ungracious response to the women there at the event who said, they took the time to make sure they had Almond milk on the table for her.

    She didn’t even say thank you to the women. She said “I Dont’T even like Almond Milk” don’t believe every thing you read.

  34. Ravine says:

    This coat sure is a coat, all right. Judging by these pictures, I’d say it has about two sleeves. Oh, and it’s pink, which is a colour.

    …Yup.