Kate Middleton just did sharp navy tailoring with an unexpected chunky chain necklace

The Princess of Wales made a surprise appearance in East London, wearing one of her favourite navy suits and some standout jewellery

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles in The Cloth Working Centre during a visit to the V&A East Storehouse on June 10, 2025 in London, England. Opened on 31 May, V&A East Storehouse reinvents the idea of a museum store and offers free, unprecedented public access to the V&A collections and archives.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales made a stylish appearance in East London as she visited the V&A East Storehouse, dressed in a sharp navy trouser suit with statement gold jewellery.

The outing marked Princess Catherine's return to royal duties, following a short break to spend quality time with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis during their half-term holiday.

Kate kept her outfit smart and chic, with a crisp blue suit designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. While we'll never tire of an insight into Catherine's dress collection, we love how she continues to embrace sleek, feminine tailoring and women's trouser suits.

Relying on simple wardrobe staples to style her designer two-piece, Her Royal Highness proved, once again, that she's one to look to for inspiration on blazer styling. She layered the single-breasted piece over a fresh white T-shirt with a dipped round neckline,

Tucking the white upper into her high-rise waistband, Kate reminded us just how perfect a classic black leather belt with a chunky gold buckle can look with a pair of elegant trousers.

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles in The Cloth Working Centre during a visit to the V&A East Storehouse on June 10, 2025 in London, England. Opened on 31 May, V&A East Storehouse reinvents the idea of a museum store and offers free, unprecedented public access to the V&A collections and archives.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rivkie Baum, Digital Fashion Editor for woman&home, is always pleased to see Catherine embracing streamlined tailoring in pieces made by iconic British labels, hailing her most recent look "polished to perfection".

"When it comes to supporting British brands, we can always rely on Kate Middleton to showcase some of the best. This gorgeous navy trouser suit from designer brand, Alexander McQueen, fits to perfection and the deep blue hue makes a polished but lighter change from classic black," Rivkie says.

Shop Chunky Chain Necklaces

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles in The Cloth Working Centre during a visit to the V&A East Storehouse on June 10, 2025 in London, England. Opened on 31 May, V&A East Storehouse reinvents the idea of a museum store and offers free, unprecedented public access to the V&A collections and archives.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"The pared-back look is ideal for a formal occasion and pairing with other neutrals helps to keep this look smart. The addition of a chunky, chained gold necklace gives this outfit a modern finish."

Kate's jewellery of choice is always one of the first things we look at when she appears in public. Her collection is unmatched and the definition of high-low, with priceless Royal Family heirlooms, designer pieces, and some very affordable earrings in the mix.

This time, Princess Catherine strayed from her usual taste in dainty necklaces with delicate chains and subtle pendants, wearing her chunky chain link 4kt gold-plated necklace by Laura Lombardi.

It's one she has worn publicly just a handful of times - but we think it was the perfect choice alongside her slick blue blazer and trousers combination.

Caitlin Elliott
News Editor

Caitlin is News Editor for woman&home, covering all things royal, celeb, fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Caitlin started on local papers and titles such as Cosmopolitan, Now, Reveal and Take a Break while studying for her Multimedia Journalism degree. She also worked in Fashion PR as a Press Assistant for Arcadia's Topshop before becoming a part of the Now team. Caitlin went on to add the likes of Woman, GoodtoKnow, WhatToWatch and woman&home to her writing repertoire before moving on to her current role.