It seems that the Princess of Wales is already in the Christmas spirit. Last night, the princess took to Instagram to share a series of photos from a surprise holiday tea party held earlier this month as part of her “Shaping Us” initiative, a charitable project that highlights the importance of providing suitable support to children throughout the first five years of their lives.
For the tea party itself—which was shown as part of her third annual televised concert Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, and released by the British broadcaster ITV on Christmas Eve—Princess Kate spent time with a music therapist from East Anglia, a retired mental health nurse from Sussex, and a youth soccer coach from Manchester. (She also shared details about the Wales children’s love of music with the former, noting that Prince George loves the guitar, Princess Charlotte is a keen singer, and Prince Louis is happiest when playing the drums.)
Eagle-eyed royal watchers will have noticed something familiar about the look she sported for her festive tea party: a jacquard cashmere cardigan decorated with roses and pearl bobbled buttons. The princess first wore the piece for the 2021 carol service, leading it to quickly sell out—never underestimate the power of the “Kate effect”—and it seems she’s determined not to let her favorite holiday knit gather dust. If there’s one thing Kate knows, after all, it’s how to do a royal re-wear in style. It also speaks to the more casual approach to style the Waleses have been taking recently, with both Kate and Princess Charlotte wearing denim in their 2023 Christmas card.
The TV special was filmed earlier this month at Westminster Abbey, in what has now become a Christmas tradition for Kate and the Wales family. At the carol service itself on December 8, Kate hosted a number of starry musicians—including Adam Lambert and Beverly Knight, who performed a rendition of “The Christmas Song”—and made sure to dress up for the occasion, wearing a sleek tailored Catherine Walker coat in a light cream, paired with wide-leg trousers, a matching Strathberry handbag, and Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry. Princess Kate may be loving her more casual pieces, but she still knows how to dress up when the occasion calls.
