When Donald Trump touched down at Windsor Castle for his second state visit to the UK, the stage was set for pomp and politics. Horse-drawn carriages, full military regalia, a fancy Windsor banquet. But the true spectacle was Catherine, Princess of Wales – or, as the internet still insists, Kate Middleton. From her crimson coat dress at the welcome ceremony to the gold lace gown at the banquet, and finally her pared-back country chic for a walkabout with Melania Trump, Catherine orchestrated the ultimate fashion masterclass in soft power.
Look One: Burgundy Authority
The first image of the visit was Catherine stepping forward to greet the Trumps on the Windsor lawns, hand outstretched in a deep burgundy coat dress by Emilia Wickstead, topped with a Jane Taylor hat. The monochrome palette was both striking and serious. A diplomatic red softened into a regal shade, giving authority without aggression.
Pinned to her lapel was the Prince of Wales Feathers brooch – a heirloom that silently asserted her role within the institution. The brooch’s history stretches back to Queen Alexandra in 1863 and was later worn by Diana. By fastening it to her coat at this precise moment, Catherine placed herself firmly in a lineage of royal women who have shouldered the symbolism of the title.
The effect was immediate. Where Trump’s body language was characteristically bombastic, Catherine’s poise – burgundy against the English lawn – was elegant and controlled.
Look Two: The Fairy-Tale Banquet
Windsor’s banquet hall revealed Catherine’s pièce de résistance: a custom Phillipa Lepley gown in shimmering gold lace. The dress was a study in power dressing – glamorous enough to dominate headlines, refined enough to convey gravitas. Her jewels elevated the message. The Lover’s Knot tiara, heavy with Diana’s legacy, sparkled under chandeliers, while Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond drop earrings added another generational anchor. Taken together, the ensemble invoked Elizabeth, Diana, and Catherine herself – three women whose images define the modern monarchy.
Look Three: Country Calm
Catherine shifted gears touring the grounds of Frogmore Cottage with Melania Trump, appearing in wide-legged tweed trousers, knee-high boots, and an olive-green blouse tied with a bow beneath a cropped jacket. It was a masterclass in “off-duty Windsor” – practical, approachable, but still impeccably tailored.
This was not about diamonds or tiaras. Where the banquet had been about grandeur, this look was about relatability – the future queen as outdoorsy, grounded, able to talk Scouts’ programming without intimidating formality. In contrast to Melania’s caramel suede jacket and pale trousers, Catherine’s ensemble spoke of heritage and substance.
Fashion As Vocabulary
Across three looks, Catherine told a story: authority, grandeur, approachability. Each outfit was a paragraph in a broader essay about the monarchy’s adaptability – continuity without rigidity, glamour without frivolity, warmth without loss of status.
Critics might dismiss this as over-interpretation, but Catherine herself has proved time and again that clothing is her most effective tool of communication. She rarely makes speeches at these occasions. Instead, she dresses in codes. Red for power, gold for heritage, tweed for relatability.
It’s a strategy inherited from the late Queen Elizabeth II, who once said she wore bright coats so she could be “seen to be believed.” Catherine has evolved the practice for the social media age. Where Elizabeth relied on visibility, Catherine relies on virality. She knows the internet will decode every choice, and she dresses accordingly.
The Internet Reacts
And decode it did. “Kate Middleton” trended for hours on X, with TikTok edits likening her banquet gown to Anastasia’s ball dress. Instagram filled with side-by-side comparisons of Diana in the Lover’s Knot tiara. Commentators pointed out the symbolism of the brooch, the continuity of the earrings, the political theatre of seating Catherine next to Trump. One viral caption put it plainly: “Kate said diplomacy, but make it couture.”
State visits are designed to showcase political unity, but in the 21st century, the battle for influence is as much about images as treaties. And in this case, the message was clear: presidents may come and go, but the monarchy – with Catherine as its modern face – is here to stay.
