Kate Middleton has returned to royal duties with aplomb since sharing her joyous health update in September. For her latest public outing, however, the Princess of Wales has reminded us that she’s her children’s number one supporter by making a rare appearance at Prince Louis’ soccer match.
Cutting an anonymous figure, the former Duchess of Cambridge reportedly caught onlookers off guard while watching the six-year-old heir to the throne run around the field. As shared by one local parent on TikTok, Kate’s appearance caused quite a stir.
“As I arrived, there [were] a lot of people chit-chattering—it was a weird atmosphere, not the usual atmosphere,” a user by the handle @royalteaandtarot shared. “I was chatting with one of my friends who I see there every week. I was. Like, ‘What’s going on? What’s the excitement? It’s just a football match.’ … She said, ‘If you turn around, Kate Middleton is over there with Louis. He’s playing in a team over there.’ … My mouth dropped.”
Yet, it wasn’t merely her presence that piqued our interest. Indeed, the user also happened to snap a photo of Kate while on the sidelines, delivering a must-needed glimpse at the mother-of-three’s regal interpretation of spectator style. In the picture, which you can see here, Kate appears to be the epitome of English countryside style in a barn jacket and newsboy cap à la Keira Knightley in Love Actually. Trust the Princess of Wales to wear this season’s ‘It’ jacket in the most unexpected location.
Often designed in muted colourways like khaki and tan, the barn jacket is a utilitarian longline style that features plenty of pockets and a contrasting collar. Long adored by quintessential British style aficionados like Alexa Chung, Dua Lipa and even Queen Elizabeth II, the silhouette has since become reclaimed as a high-fashion staple, appearing in the recent collections of Prada, The Row and Loewe.
Kate herself had previously worn the same jacket—which comes courtesy of Chung’s collaboration with Barbour —in April of 2023 to deliver pizzas to the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team while in Wales. Fashion e-commerce platform, Lyst, has also confirmed that searches for barn jackets have increased by 225%.
As we head into a period of summer festivals and long days spent outdoors, there’s no better time to invest in this practical staple. From quilted varieties from Burberry to Scandi-chic renderings by Toteme, embrace your inner Kate Middleton with GRAZIA’s guide to the best pieces available on the market. All you’re missing now is Khaite’s studded belt and a pair of suede Miu Miu New Balances…
The Best Barn Jackets To Shop
