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Kate Middleton fashion policy sparks backlash, forces Kensington Palace to clarify

11 February 2025 at 14:42

Kensington Palace clarified there has been "no change" in the approach to Kate Middleton's fashion policy after sparking backlash.

The palace has been known to sometimes share details of the Princess of Wales' outfits, and will continue to do so.

"Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told People magazine.

"To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not The Princess of Wales," the statement continued. "The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to The Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing." 

KATE MIDDLETON'S FRUSTRATION WITH BEING FASHION TRENDSETTER LEADS TO NEW PALACE POLICY

Fox News Digital reached out for comment.

The Sunday Times initially reported that Kensington Palace will cut back on naming the clothing designers Princess Kate chooses to wear while participating in royal duties.

A spokesperson for the palace told the outlet, "There is an absolute feeling that [the public work] is not about what the princess is wearing."

"She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting," the story continued. "There will always be an appreciation of what the princess is wearing from some of the public and she gets that. But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it’s about the substance."

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However, Kensington Palace clarified the statement nearly a week later after the move sparked controversy.

The palace's decision not to release details was criticized, as Princess Kate's outfit choices tend to shine a light on British fashion designers and the fashion industry itself.

At the time, British broadcaster and photographer, Helena Chard, wondered if the reported new palace policy would cause more harm than good. She pointed out that the "Kate Effect" has led to over $1 billion in sales in British fashion, boosting the country’s economy.

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"There has to be a happy medium here," Chard told Fox News Digital at the time. "Her work is super, but the world also enjoys and needs a regular fix of glamour… The ‘Kate Effect’ is also an important part of her work… It’s a great pity that the Princess of Wales views the public’s interest in the context of ‘style versus substance.’… [But] I’m sure this filters into the constant commentary about her looks, a never-ending intrusion into her life."

In foreshadowing the new approach, the palace did not release details of the Princess of Wales' clothing during a recent visit to Wales. The princess, who recently announced she was in remission for an undisclosed cancer, met children at a hospice charity she’s a patron of on that trip.

Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.

Prince William, Kate Middleton prioritize 'duty' as Meghan Markle focuses on Hollywood image: expert

21 January 2025 at 03:00

Prince William and Kate Middleton are taking the high road as Meghan Markle continues to make headlines in ritzy Montecito.

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales are putting duty first as the Duchess of Sussex gears up to launch her lifestyle series in March.

"Prince William and Catherine are known to be glad to retain a distance from Meghan Markle, thereby avoiding any potential entanglement in future controversies," Fordwich explained. "Stability and service are paramount to the couple as they anticipate their lives being dedicated to both. There isn’t anything furthering either of those values in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s deal with Netflix."

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE SLAMMED BY JUSTINE BATEMAN FOR BEING 'DISASTER TOURISTS' AMID CALIFORNIA FIRES

Fordwich’s comments came shortly after palace insiders claimed to the U.K.’s Daily Mail that Meghan’s decision to postpone her series was "a final blow" to Queen Elizabeth II.

They claimed that the 43-year-old "didn’t think twice" about delaying the launch of "With Love, Meghan" due to the Los Angeles fires. Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex allowed their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey to air in 2021 as Prince Philip was ill. Harry’s grandfather died four weeks later.

While Fordwich called the Sussexes "a huge liability" for "what the monarchy stands for," other experts felt Meghan’s decision to delay her series was justifiable.

"What utter nonsense — and just one more indication of how the U.K. tabloid press grasps at straws to crucify Meghan and Harry," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital about the Daily Mail's report.

"There may be plenty of things to criticize about the Sussexes, but this isn't one of them," he said. "Trying to compare the Oprah interview, the release of which the Sussexes had no control over, to their decision to postpone Meghan's lifestyle show because of the LA fires is drawing an egregiously false equivalence. Prince Philip had been frequently hospitalized over the final years of his life; at 99 years of age, going in and out of the hospital had become fairly routine."

"Giving lifestyle and cooking tips while thousands of their neighbors' homes were burning to the ground wouldn't have gone over well, to say the least," Andersen pointed out. "Postponing the roll-out of their new Netflix series was not only the right decision, but it was also the only decision Meghan could make."

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Still, Fordwich claimed that the Prince and Princess of Wales are choosing not to give Meghan’s latest project any oxygen. Instead, they’ll be focusing on raising their three young children and supporting King Charles III, who is still seeking treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

"For the royal family, this further reinforces Prince William’s instincts to retain the distance from the couple," Fordwich claimed.

It is believed that William’s relationship with his younger brother is nonexistent.

Kinsey Schofield, host of the "To Di For Daily" podcast, claimed to Fox News Digital that it was the streaming giant, not the duchess, who chose to hit the pause button on her series. "With Love, Meghan" was originally scheduled to premiere on Jan. 15.

"My sources tell me that it was Netflix that was eager to postpone Meghan's show to try to avoid harsh criticism," she claimed. "I would not be surprised if they used the entire month and a half… to make some much-needed edits to the final product."

WATCH: MEGHAN MARKLE ‘MOVED ON’ FROM ROYAL FAMILY DRAMA, AUTHOR CLAIMS

"The royal family recognized that Meghan wasn't out for anyone but herself a long time ago," Schofield claimed. "They set boundaries to protect their emotional wellbeing well before Megxit. Meghan constantly prioritizes herself at their expense and the only solution is to keep her at a distance. It's not about being cruel, it's about recognizing that the relationship is toxic and one-sided."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. Since then, they’ve made headlines for airing their grievances. 

After detailing their struggles with royal life to Winfrey, they unveiled their controversial Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," in late 2022. Then, in early 2023, Harry’s memoir, "Spare," was published. 

Each launch highlighted new allegations about their time as royals.

"With Love, Meghan," promises to take a different approach. It will showcase the mother of two’s love for cooking and gardening alongside her celebrity pals. However, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams claimed to Fox News Digital that the royal family "has not forgotten" the couple’s past tell-alls.

"The decision to postpone was taken by Netflix," claimed Fitzwilliams. "To show it at this time… was simply impossible. She had no option other than to request that they postpone it. The online reaction to it has been so negative that there’s always the chance it might be postponed again… It is saccharine and contrived."

"… When it comes to timing, the royal family will not have forgotten the shameful fact that the interview on Oprah went ahead when Prince Philip was in the hospital," he claimed. "The couple didn’t know this when it was originally planned, but it went ahead nonetheless… This was an utterly ruthless and shameful episode. The royal family has not forgotten. The royal family obviously has other concerns [today]."

"Their despicable timing of the Oprah interview, which caused Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip untold anguish, was totally and utterly unforgivable," Fordwich claimed.

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Andersen previously told Fox News Digital that Kate and Meghan were "never close." Following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s exit, the Princess of Wales has kept her distance as she serves the crown.

"From the very beginning, Kate and Meghan were hardly what I would call a love match," Andersen explained. "Even before they had their famous, tearful row over the flower girls’ dresses at Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the relationship between the two princesses was frosty. 

"After Megxit, Kate did what she could do to bring brothers Prince Harry and Prince William back together, but that proved impossible once the Sussexes let loose on the royal family during the Oprah interview and then in Harry’s blistering memoir ‘Spare.’

"Kate threw her hands up and essentially walked away, leaving it up to William and Harry to decide when — or even if — they will patch things up," Andersen continued. "All the while, Meghan has sailed above the fray, pursuing her projects in California and showing little interest in repairing relations with her royal in-laws."

Andersen also claimed that the Sussexes have "zero intention of apologizing for anything."

"Zero," he stressed. "They still firmly believe they are the wronged party in this royal saga. And while Kate might be capable of burying the hatchet and moving on, King Charles… and Prince William are not in a forgiving mood. Things have gone too far. The wounds are simply too deep." 

Earlier this month, Kate announced she is in "remission" from cancer and is focused on her future.

"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," she wrote. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to."

Kate Middleton makes rare cancer comment while speaking with public on Christmas Day

29 December 2024 at 16:02

Kate Middleton remarked this week about how relatable going through cancer is for so many people while making a rare comment about her battle with the disease over the last year. 

"The amount of people who have written this year is extraordinary and I think cancer just really does resonate with so many families," the Princess of Wales told a health care worker. She was speaking to the public in Sandringham after the royal family left their Christmas Day church service

The royals always spend Christmas at their Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England. 

PRINCE HARRY, MEGHAN MARKLE'S ‘IMPORTANT’ REASON FOR SPENDING CHRISTMAS AT HOME IN CALIFORNIA REVEALED

The health care worker who spoke to the princess, who was identified as Rachel Anvil of Cambridge’s Royal Papworth Hospital, according to the New York Post, called Kate an "inspiration" to cancer patients for the way she handled her own cancer battle. 

Anvil noted that she had started her career in a cancer unit, and added that having someone "so influential" be open about her own struggle was helpful to others dealing with the disease. 

"People like you are doing all the hard work out there," Kate demurred in a video posted to Instagram of the exchange by Anvil’s mother, according to the Post. 

The princess added that she was "hugely grateful" for the work people like Anvil do for patients. 

"We’re all behind you, never forget that," another person, identified by the Post as Anvil’s mother, told the princess — who thanked her. 

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The 42-year-old royal announced she had been diagnosed with cancer in March, two months after she underwent planned abdominal surgery in January. 

She returned for her first public engagement since Christmas Day 2023 in June for the Trooping the Colour parade. 

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In September, Kate announced she had finished her round of preventative chemotherapy, although she said her path to full recovery would be long, and that she would take it day by day. 

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She added that she would undertake some limited engagements through the end of the year, which included her second annual "Together at Christmas" concert at Westminster Abbey earlier this month. 

The princess was accompanied on Christmas Day by her husband Prince William, their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, and her in-laws King Charles III and Queen Camilla. 

Charles announced earlier this year that he was also diagnosed with cancer and has been undergoing treatments. 

Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report. 

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