The Princess of Wales “looked glowing and radiant” at the tennis tournament, says fashion director and author Bethan Holt.
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Kate Middleton debuted a new look full of positive symbolism for her first solo appearance of the year at Wimbledon.
The Princess of Wales, 42, stepped out at the tennis tournament on July 14, making her second outing since sharing her cancer diagnosis with the world in March. For the rare appearance, she wore a bespoke purple dress from London-based luxury brand Safiyaa. The vibrant shade was a nod to the official colors of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, of which she is patron, and one often associated with the crown (and a popular choice of the late Queen Elizabeth, who was known for sporting bold colors).
“Kate has a history of choosing clever, whimsical themes for her Wimbledon looks, and this was a new one,” Bethan Holt, Fashion Director at the Daily Telegraph tells PEOPLE. “Wearing purple underlines how important that role is to her and why she chose this event to make her second public appearance of the year.”
She adds, “It’s also the color of courage, which could be a nod to what she is going through.”
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“I think she looked glowing and radiant, and it was lovely to see her looking so relaxed,” says the author of The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style. “I’m sure lots of people will have seen how happy she looked and taken reassurance from that. She really is a kind of beacon of hope for many but that also comes with a lot of pressure.”
“On the flip side, she has a whole team of people helping her, and most people don’t have the resources she has, but I do think just her presence can really lift people’s mood,” she continues.
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Princess Kate accessorized the classic A-line midi dress with a beige bag from LK Bennett, new gold hoop Sabine hoop earrings from By Pariah and kitten-heeled slingbacks with pearl-encrusted buckles by British shoe designer Camilla Elphick.
Elphick tells PEOPLE, “It was very much Kate’s princess uniform in a shape that really works for her, and it all felt very familiar. Although the earrings were a little edgier than usual, it was a really beautiful look.”
Kate arrived for the finals at Wimbledon to a chorus of cheers from the public, and behind the scenes, the designers who dressed her were equally cheering her on, including Elphick who was taken aback to see Kate wearing her Lucia heels.
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“It was very nice to see her wearing the shoes and looking so elegant,” she tells PEOPLE. “It was a total surprise, and it was very nice as a much smaller brand for her to choose us.”
Watching the tennis match as she contacted the brand’s factory in Portugal, Elphick said the whole team was thrilled — and that feeling of cheer and positivity spread to her customers too.
“Lots of people got in touch yesterday to order the shoes and also to share some particularly lovely messages about how great it is that she supports small British brands and how special it was that was wearing them for that occasion,” she says.
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The engagement, likely the last before the Prince and Princess of Wales’ family spend some private time together over the summer holidays, was a family affair as Kate attended the occasion with her sister and daughter, both keen tennis players.
“It was lovely to see her with Princess Charlotte and her sister, Pippa Middleton,” Elphick says. “The people supporting her behind the scenes by her side in public, that was really nice.”
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