Kate Middleton signals shift in style as Princess of Wales as she borrows fashion tip from the Queen and Princess Anne

Kate Middleton signaled a shift in her style as Princess of Wales as she borrowed a fashion tip from the Queen and Princess Anne. 

• The Princess of Wales could be seen to have taken a different fashion direction at the BAFTAs 2023 when she wore long black gloves. 
• The Queen and Princess Anne have been pictured wearing this formal accessory consistently over the years though Kate hasn’t before. 
• This royal news comes as Kate Middleton pats Prince William on the bottom in an adorably cheeky PDA moment at the BAFTAs.  

Stepping out for the BAFTAs 2023 on February 20, Kate Middleton’s Zara earrings were paired with a truly fabulous white Alexander McQueen gown. Her overall look was one of Woman&Home Fashion Channel Editor Rivkie Baum’s pick of the BAFTAs best dressed 2023. And it could be said that Kate Middleton signaled a shift in style now she’s Princess of Wales, as whilst she’s walked many red carpets in her time, here she borrowed a fashion tip from Princess Anne and the late Queen Elizabeth with a particular accessory.

Whilst Kate Middleton’s dresses are always show-stoppers, her BAFTAs 2023 look was made even more striking thanks to her black gloves. These elbow-length beauties were a bold contrast to the angelic dress and the Princess accentuated this with a matching black clutch bag. 

Longer gloves aren’t something we’ve seen on the future Queen Consort before and certainly not since she’s become Princess of Wales, but they’ve always been a popular choice for Princess Anne and the Queen. 

Throwback photos of the two royals show them opting for opera gloves as they’re also known for everything from dinner at Claridge's in 1972 hosted by the Grand Duke Jean and Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg to a visit to Los Angeles pre-Olympics in 1984.

More recently, the Queen wore longer white gloves for the visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands in 2018 and chose slightly shorter ones for a State Banquet for then-US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Buckingham Palace in 2019.

Princess Anne also wore long white gloves during the President’s visit to the UK. Though they both wore longer gloves typically for state occasions, Princess Anne and the Queen favored gloves for engagements too - regardless of the temperature. Just a few weeks ago the Princess Royal, who is 16th in the royal line of succession, wore gloves inside at a reception.  

In contrast, the Princess of Wales is generally only seen wearing gloves for warmth outside in winter rather than as a style statement. It could be seen that Kate Middleton signaled a shift in her style towards this more formal, regal look now she’s taken on her important new role as Princess of Wales.

And it’s not the only fashion tip she seems to have taken from the Queen and Princess Anne. Throughout the Queen’s life she often re-wore her bright outfits and Princess Anne is well-known for bringing back beloved staples. 

For her recent trip to New Zealand, Princess Anne proved bold wedding outfits can wow all year round when she stepped out in an outfit she’d once worn to Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding. Kate Middleton has also consistently re-worn pieces she already owns, including at the BAFTAs 2023, showing she too isn’t afraid to showcase her love for her closet items.

Though this is something that has been observed for many years, her choice to wear long gloves for a largely indoors event is something new. So fashion fans might well be intrigued to see whether this BAFTAs accessory choice, perhaps inspired by the Queen and Princess Anne, is going to be a new pattern for Kate Middleton going forwards at major events.