Princess Kate has long embraced British countryside dressing, weaving heritage patterns and fabrics into her working wardrobe. For a secret appearance on October 15, the Princess of Wales debuted a Fair Isle sweater by one of her favorite brands, Me+Em, and it’s an editor-approved style that’s also been seen all over the runways this season.
On the same day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to public life with their first joint appearance in the U.K., Prince William and Princess Kate made an under-the-radar appearance in Cornwall, England to announce a new initiative. Kensington Palace released a video and new portraits of the future Queen on Friday, October 16, with Kate sporting an autumnal outfit that embraces this fall’s Fair Isle resurgence.
The Princess of Wales paired Me+Em's alpaca wool blend Fair Isle sweater with another countryside classic, wearing her old favorite Barbour Defence jacket. Underneath her new sweater, you can see a pop of a white floral shirt with a pie crust collar, and Kate accented the look with the pink Missoma charm hoop earrings she's worn for years.
In a video shared on social media, Kate can be seen wearing a long skirt and a pair of riding boots with the outfit.
Even though Kate's countryside chic sweater feels very on brand for the princess, it's also surprisingly trendy. "The Fair Isle sweater suddenly feels essential again," says Marie Claire's fashion director, Sara Holzman. She points to the design all over the runways for autumn/winter, writing, "the heritage pattern is simply everywhere."
In a video from Kate's October 15 appearance, filmed in Cornwall, the future Queen spoke about the importance of getting children into nature and how it impacts childhood development. The Princess of Wales is launching a new initiative that will use research to determine how nature-based activities can impact lifelong outcomes.
"Nature is such an extraordinary environment for us all and, in this tech-driven, digital age, spending quality time outdoors has never been more important," she said, adding, "My hope is that through this practical, nature-based research, we can build supportive environments that help make nature more accessible, benefiting babies, young children and their families across the U.K."
As for Kate's sweater, it's already sold out in multiple sizes as I'm writing this, but you'll find some equally cozy alternatives below.
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