Kate Middleton has had a busy December, balancing the German president’s state visit with her annual Together at Christmas carol service. Now, as Christmas nears, the Princess of Wales is shifting from public duties to private family time. On Tuesday afternoon, she joined her family for a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.

For the occasion, Kate revisited a red polka-dot Alessandra Rich dress, first worn for a BBC Christmas special in 2019. She added festive touches with a black velvet Miu Miu hair bow and Van Cleef & Arpels Magic Alhambra earrings, which she had previously worn during a 2022 state visit to the Bahamas.

She was accompanied by Prince William and their children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—for the lunch. While Kate has recently embraced more formal, regal styles, like the Jenny Packham gown she wore at this month’s Windsor Castle state banquet, she still enjoys returning to wardrobe favorites. Just last weekend, she wore a plaid Holland Cooper coat during a private visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital’s Ever After Garden in London.

At Tuesday’s lunch, Princess Charlotte coordinated with her mother in a burgundy velvet dress. Expect more matching—and possibly recycled—outfits when the Wales family joins King Charles and Queen Camilla at Sandringham on Christmas Day.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Kate Middleton reviving a classic look for a festive lunch at Buckingham Palace designed to sound like questions from real people

General Beginner Questions

1 What is this event everyone is talking about
It was a festive preChristmas lunch hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace for members of the Diplomatic Corps

2 What exactly did Kate Middleton wear
She wore a stunning bright red longsleeved Catherine Walker coat dress with a matching widebrimmed hat by Philip Treacy

3 Why is her outfit called a revived classic look
Because the coat dress is a very similar styleelegant tailored and modestto the iconic looks often worn by the late Princess Diana and other senior royals in the 1980s and 90s for formal daytime events

4 What jewelry did she wear with it
She accessorized with the late Queen Elizabeth IIs iconic Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings which added a deeply sentimental and regal touch

Style Fashion Analysis

5 What makes this a classic royal outfit
Key elements include a solid bold color a structured silhouette a hat as a mandatory formal accessory and elegant meaningful jewelry Its timeless rather than trendy

6 Is there a specific meaning behind the color red
In a royal context red is a powerful color symbolizing confidence celebration and visibility Its a perfect choice for a festive event and ensures she stands out in group photos

7 Why did she choose that specific hat style
The widebrimmed picture hat is a classic formal royal protocol for women at major daytime events It frames the face completes the elegant silhouette and is a traditional part of dress code for such occasions

8 How does this look compare to her usual style
While always polished Kate often wears more contemporary pieces or separates This outfit was a deliberate and full embrace of a very traditional almost ceremonial royal wardrobe formula

Protocol Significance

9 What was Kates role at this event
As the Princess of Wales she was there to support the King and Queen in hosting foreign diplomatsa key duty for senior working royals to foster international goodwill