Princess Kate Debuts Powerful Red Suit With Subtle Message in First Solo Royal Engagement of 2026

Kate Middleton marked her first solo royal engagement of 2026 by hosting a celebratory reception at Windsor Castle.

On January 15, the Princess of Wales, 44, welcomed England’s women’s rugby team to the historic royal residence to honour their World Cup victory in September 2025.

As patron of the Rugby Football Union, Kate has closely supported the squad and was present at their Pool A clash against Australia during the tournament.

For the occasion, she chose a striking red trouser suit — widely seen as a subtle tribute to the team’s famous Red Roses nickname.

The look appeared to be a familiar one from Kate’s wardrobe. She had previously worn the red suit — distinguished by its asymmetric blazer and wide-leg trousers — during the launch of her Shaping Us campaign in 2023.

The statement outfit was designed by Alexander McQueen, the same fashion house responsible for Kate Middleton’s iconic royal wedding dress in 2011.

During the reception, Kate was also photographed accepting gifts from the team, including a rugby jersey signed by the players.

The players proudly presented the Rugby World Cup trophy to Kate Middleton, before gathering for a group photograph. The Princess was seated front and centre, alongside the team member holding the trophy, as they posed together to mark the occasion.

Members of the Red Roses squad and their support staff were given a guided tour of Windsor Castle—the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world—before joining Kate Middleton for the celebratory reception.

The sporty gathering also marked the Princess of Wales’ first solo royal engagement of the year. She officially resumed public duties the previous week, on January 8, when she appeared alongside Prince William during a visit to Charing Cross Hospital in west London.

Kate Middleton’s appearance at the engagement came as an unexpected addition, with the visit made alongside her husband to spotlight the efforts of NHS staff and volunteers coping with heightened pressure on services during the winter period.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are joint patrons of NHS Charities Together, an organisation dedicated to supporting staff wellbeing and enhancing patient care. During the visit, Kate also shared a rare and emotional insight into her own cancer treatment.

She spoke candidly with a volunteer who works with chemotherapy patients, after the volunteer explained that patients and their loved ones often remain at the hospital for hours.

“I know,” the Princess responded, according to Hello! magazine, before adding “We know,” as she gently touched Prince William’s arm.

In January 2025, the Princess of Wales confirmed that she was in remission. The announcement followed her disclosure in March 2024 that she was undergoing cancer treatment, and a further update in September 2024 when she revealed she had completed chemotherapy.

The Princess of Wales has since returned to a steadier rhythm of royal duties in 2025, and royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith recently told People that she is expected to keep up that momentum this year.

Now that she has begun to turn a corner, they will be deploying her as much as they can, Bedell Smith said.

She added that it is important for both William and Kate to remain at the very heart of events.

While Kate Middleton was hosting the rugby team at Windsor Castle, Prince William, 43, carried out a solo engagement of his own on the same day.

In his capacity as patron of We Are Farming Minds, an organisation dedicated to supporting farmers’ mental wellbeing, William visited a farm in western England, where he got hands-on with tasks including pruning apple trees and feeding sheep.

Source