Princess Kate rewears sentimental accessory from Prince George's very first holiday

The Princess of Wales made no secret of her presence at the Commonwealth Day service on Monday, stepping into Westminster Abbey wearing a spectacular scarlet ensemble.

The Princess' style was a masterclass in monochromatic dressing as she chose to recycle her vibrant bow-adorned coat dress by one of her most-loved designers, Catherine Walker.

Kate typically chooses to wear the statement piece at Christmas, having previously worn it to the carol service at Westminster Abbey in December 2021.

It wasn't just her outerwear that she chose to repeat, but her red pillbox hat, too. The wife of Prince William donned a striking accessory, made by former milliner, Gina Foster.

Gina created hats for royals, fashion shows, magazines, and films for more than a decade before closing her eponymous boutique in Kensington and her studio on Portobello Road.

Today, she is a successful interior designer, but made a rare return to Instagram via her now-defunct millinery account to address the Princess of Wales' unexpected fashion moment.

"Throwback to almost exactly six years ago, 6 April 2014 when HRH The Duchess of Cambridge [of which she was formerly known] arrived in New Zealand at the start of the Royal Tour wearing a Gina Foster hat. You may not know it but before interior design I was a milliner," she penned on social media.

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The Princess of Wales' sentimental accessory

The Prince and Princess of Wales' royal tour of Australia and New Zealand ten years ago was extra special, because it marked the first time their son Prince George, who was just eight months old at the time, had flown on an overseas trip.

Emerging from the Royal Australian Air Force jet at Wellington Military Terminal in July 2014, Kate memorably held onto the scarlet-hued hat with one hand. She held her son, George, on her hip with the other.

Battling the Wellington winds, the royal narrowly avoided a fashion faux pas, clinging onto the hat as she stepped out of the aircraft.

Prince William made the same long-haul trip when he was just nine months old, brought by his parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana.