Kate Middleton Pays Homage to Princess Diana's Style in Skirt Previously Worn by Meghan Markle

Stephanie PetitFri, May 15, 2026 at 3:05 PM UTC

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Kate Middleton; Princess Diana; Meghan Markle
Credit: Ian Vogler via Samir Hussein/WireImage; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Craig Barritt/Getty -

Kate Middleton wore a blazer and pleated skirt in Italy, replicating a favorite look of Princess Diana's

The Princess of Wales' skirt is also in Meghan Markle's closet

Princess Kate's choice of blazer also had a deeper meaning tied to her cancer journey

Kate Middleton's outfit for the second day of her Italy visit looked like something out of Princess Diana's closet.

For a busy day learning about early childhood development on May 14, the Princess of Wales, 44, sported her beige Blazé Milano pinstriped blazer paired with a pleated midi skirt by Jenni Kayne.

The ensemble was reminiscent of a fashion formula often followed by Princess Diana in the 1980s and 1990s. The previous Princess of Wales, who died in 1997 at age 36, sported the combination of a pleated skirt and a blazer on numerous occasions, from royal tours to casual moments, including a 1992 visit to Cairo and at the start of the London Marathon in April 1988.

Princess Diana at London Marathon in April 1988; Kate Middleton in Italy on May 14, 2026
Credit: Princess Diana Archive/Getty; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

Princess Kate's outfit also had a tie to another family member. Meghan Markle, 44, is also a fan of Jenni Kayne, and the Duchess of Sussex has even worn the same pleated skirt as her sister-in-law. During her 2025 appearance on "The Circuit" with Emily Chang, Meghan wore a yellow version of the skirt, pairing it with a sweater in the same hue.

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Kate has experimented with the blazer and skirt combination before, but her outfit choice for her second day in Italy had extra meaning. The Princess of Wales wore the same pinstriped blazer in a photo released in June 2024 with an update about her cancer treatment. (In January 2025, she announced with "relief" that she was in remission.)

The trip to Italy marked Princess Kate's first time traveling abroad for work since her cancer diagnosis, and aides described the visit as an "important step" in her health journey.

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"[This visit] is an important step in the princess’s recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work,” an aide said ahead of the trip. "I think it is only right that her first international trip since her illness is one that is focused on an issue that is committed to championing for decades to come and is a real issue that she wants to shine a spotlight on."

Kate Middleton in Italy on May 14, 2026
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage

After two days in Italy learning about an internationally recognized philosophy about early childhood learning and development, Princess Kate reflected on the trip in a personal message.

"Over the past two days in Reggio Emilia, I have seen firsthand the power of nature and creativity that put human connection at the centre of a child’s world," she said.

"I have had such a deeply moving and unforgettable time here. Thank you to the people of Reggio Emilia for welcoming me into a culture of care with such warmth and generosity," she continued.

Kate Middleton in Italy on May 14, 2026
Credit: Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty

"Our collective work in early childhood must be to protect and nurture the connections that form the foundations of lifelong well-being," she continued.

Princess Kate signed the message, "Grazie di cuore, C." The Italian phrase means "Thank you from the heart," and she used "C" as shorthand for her first name, Catherine, to indicate that the message came directly from her.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”