Kate Middleton looked radiant in red during this year’s Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration.
The Princess of Wales attended the annual service in largely recycled pieces—all seen before, accessorised with pearls for a fresh twist. Skip down outfit information?
The annual multi-faith service took place in Westminster Abbey this afternoon. It celebrates and honours the unity and diversity of the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth.
Since the 1970s, Commonwealth Day has been marked in early January each year. It recognises the unity and diversity of a remarkable family of nations, with a special service organised in the Abbey with the Royal Commonwealth Society at the heart of the celebrations.
The theme for this year’s service was ‘Together We Thrive’. The theme celebrates the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family and highlights the importance of fostering strong, connected communities that empower one another to build a better future.
There was a full royal turnout at the service. Notably, both King Charles and the Princess of Wales returned this year after missing 2024’s event due to their respective battles with cancer.
The Dean of Westminster conducted the service, which featured a mixture of prayers, readings and songs.
King Charles delivered an address emphasising unity amid global uncertainties, highlighting the Commonwealth’s role in bringing nations together:
“In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship”
The King further marked the day by releasing a playlist of 17 songs from artists from Commonwealth countries, including US-born Beyonce, Jamaican legend Bob Marley and Canadian singer Michael Buble. Charles said the songs had all brought him joy, were significant to him, or just made him want to dance.
The 2,000 attendees included High Commissioners, senior UK and Commonwealth politicians, faith leaders, and home nation athletes, along with schoolchildren and young people from across the UK.
You can watch the full Commonwealth service on the BBC’s Youtube channel, here.
Let’s look at Kate’s oufit now.
Kate Middleton’s Commonwealth Day Outfit
The Princess made a striking return to the Commonwealth Day service with a polished, monochromatic ensemble.
She wore a vibrant, scarlet Catherine Walker coatdress featuring an elegant bow at the neck. It’s known as the ‘Beau Tie’ coatdress (a playful name alluding to its bow detail).
The silhouette is tailored through the bodice and flares gently over the hips, with a hem that falls at knee length.
The garment comes from Catherine Walker’s Autumn/Winter 2020 collection.
Kate first wore the Beau Tie design in black for Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021. A few months later, she debuted the scarlet red version during the Together At Christmas carol service in December 2021 (below). She wore it again in November 2023 for the South Korean President’s State Visit.
The Beau Tie coatdress by Catherine Walker & Co. is not available off-the-rack; it is made-to-order. To acquire this specific coatdress, you would need to contact Catherine Walker & Co. directly to arrange a bespoke order. The original price has not been publicly disclosed. The company offers both in-person and virtual appointments.
Kate accessorised with several familiar pieces. Let’s first look at her red hat by Gina Foster.
It’s the ‘Seaford’ hat, debuted by the Princess during a visit to Wellington, New Zealand, in 2022. This is the second time the Princess has worn the item to date.
The gorgeous pillbox design features a felt flower trim on the back. It originally retailed for £450.
Sadly, the milliner no longer creates hats, she established an interior design consultancy in 2017.
Kate accessorised with suede heels and a clutch in the same red hue – specifically, the Gianvito Rossi ‘Gianvito 105’ pumps in red suede and a Miu Miu bow-embellished suede bag.
Let’s start with the 105 pumps, a classic pointy-toe stiletto heel made of supple suede leather. Kate wears them in a striking bright cherry red suede.
The design features a low-cut vamp (which elongates the look of the leg) and a 105 mm (4.1 inch) covered heel. The shoes are lined in leather with lightly cushioned insoles for added comfort.
The overall effect is a sleek silhouette that adds a pop of color to her outfits.
Kate first stepped out in the red suede Gianvito 105 pumps in June 2016, pairing them with a monochromatic outfit at the Order of the Garter ceremony. (I can’t say if the Princess still wears that same pair to this day or if she switched them for a new pair at some point over the last eight years.)
Since then, they’ve become a reliable go-to for the Princess, worn in public over nine times, and on at least one private occasion, for her mother’s birthday (spotted in a photograph captured by paparazzi).
Gianvito Rossi is an Italian luxury shoe designer (son of famed shoemaker Sergio Rossi) known for creating refined, understated heels.
The ‘Gianvito 105’ pump is one of his signature designs and a staple in Kate’s wardrobe. In fact, this pointed-toe 105mm pump is arguably Kate’s favourite shoe style – she owns it in 9 other colors, including beige, black, burgundy, and silver.
The Princess often turns to the Gianvito 105 shoe whenever she wants a polished look with a comfortable, height-boosting heel.
These pumps are a signature of Rossi’s line – the style is known for balancing elegance with walkable comfort, explaining why Kate returns to them so often.
If you’d like to buy a pair, you’re in luck. Gianvito Rossi’s 105 pumps are an ongoing product in the designer’s collection. The red suede version (and other colors) are available through high-end retailer FarFetch and on Gianvito Rossi’s own website. They have a RRPof £650 GBP / $795 USD.
Let’s look at the Miu Miu clutch now.
The small rectangular clutch is crafted from plush crimson suede with a front flap adorned with a prominent suede bow.
On the center of the bow lies a tiny gold metal logo plaque reading “Miu Miu,” subtly marking the brand.
Net-a-Porter, which once sold the bag, described it as a “ladylike” clutch due to its classic shape and bow embellishment
Kate debuted the red Miu Miu bow clutch during the Royal Tour of Canada in September 2016. While visiting Vancouver, she paired this small red bag with a red-and-white outfit, introducing the piece to her rotation. The choice of a red accessory was a savvy nod to Canada’s flag colours.
She’s carried it five times in total (including its debut) over the years. Interestingly, she’s worn it with the Catherine Walker Beau Tie coatdress on three of those occasions.
This red bow clutch was released in 2016 and is now a past-season item, so it’s no longer available for purchase, unfortunately.
Originally, it retailed for about £640 GBP (≈$895 USD) when it was sold through outlets like Net-a-Porter.
Since it’s discontinued, one would have to search the second-hand market or resale sites to find the exact Miu Miu bag.
Miu Miu is the high-fashion sister brand of Prada, headed by Miuccia Prada. It’s known for youthful, playful designs – often with quirky or feminine twists. Interestingly, Kate doesn’t frequently use Miu Miu products. Aside from this bag, she has two other noted Miu Miu pieces: a festive tartan coat she wore on Christmas Day 2017 and a Miu Miu cardigan that she debuted during her 2021 ‘Together For Christmas’ carol concert. The Princess has worn plenty of pieces by Prada though, I count that the Princess has worn at least six pairs of shoes from the label, three clutch bags, one bowler bag and a dress.
Let’s move on to Kate’s beautiful pearl jewellery next.
She wore Diana’s Collingwood Pearl Earrings. These exquisite pearl and diamond earrings were a wedding gift to Diana in 1981 from Collingwood, a high-end London jeweler that was a favorite of the Spencer family.
The design is a classic: each earring features a large pear-shaped pearl drop suspended from a cluster of diamonds. At the top is a stud consisting of two round diamonds; from it hangs a diamond-encrusted bell cap that secures the pearl. The pearls themselves are lustrous white and of significant size, giving the earrings an elegant dangle.
Diana famously wore these Collingwood pearl drop earrings on numerous occasions during her time as Princess of Wales, pairing them with everything from tiaras at banquets to suits at daytime events.
After Diana’s passing, Prince William inherited the earrings and clearly gifted them to his wife. The Princess publicly wore them in July 2017 during the Spanish Royals’ state visit.
Kate has turned to the Collingwood pearl earrings time and time again, making them one of her most frequently worn styles. She has sported them to more than 20 engagements to date, many of them high-profile events, ranging from formal banquets to somber memorials.
As you’d expect, the original Collingwood pearl earrings are one-of-a-kind heirlooms that are not available for purchase.
However, replicas are easy to come by. Several Etsy artisans create repliKate versions of these earrings, using faux pearls and crystals – often for under £40 GBP – so fans can imitate the look.
Let’s finish with the striking four-strand pearl choker necklace. The striking piece formed the centerpiece of her outfit.
The necklace was part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal collection. Its origin traces back to the 1970s, when the Japanese government gifted the Queen a set of fine cultured pearls on her wedding day.
Her Majesty commissioned the royal jeweler Garrard to create a formal choker necklace from those pearls. The resulting piece consists of four rows of perfectly matched pearls and a distinctive central clasp made of diamonds. The clasp is a curved, rectangular motif: it features three horizontal rows of small diamonds on each side, meeting in the middle at a larger, marquise-cut diamond (shaped like a vertical oval). This ornate clasp both secures the choker and serves as a glittering focal point.
Kate first publicly wore the choker in November 2017, for a family dinner celebrating the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary.
Kate has since worn the four-strand pearl choker at several high-profile and solemn events. Notably, she wore for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
In total, Kate has worn this choker seven times between 2017 and 2025.