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Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton's office has issued a statement clarifying its policy on sharing details about her wardrobe following recent controversy over new palace guidelines.
Kensington Palace's rare statement comes after a week of debate over potential changes to the formal policy on disclosing information about the Princess’s fashion choices.
Earlier on February 11, a Kensington Palace spokesperson told the PEOPLE: "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."
"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," it added.
This statement comes following a February 1, Sunday Times article titled "Princess of Wales: Focus on my work, not my wardrobe," which included official quote from a royal source stating that: "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. 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," it added.
Also read: Prince William’s ‘savage’ comment on Kate’s wardrobe before she became a royal
In response to the report, several op-eds pushed back against the idea of downplaying Kate Middleton's fashion choices, contributing to the promotion of British fashion while reinforcing her connection with the public.
Critics argued that her style not only pays tribute to the legacies of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth but also serves as a powerful tool for public engagement and should not be minimized.
For years, the palace has maintained a policy of not always revealing details about what the Princess is wearing. As a result, online fashion sleuths, particularly the website "What Kate Wore", identified and shared details about her outfits.
Following her cancer treatment throughout most of 2024, completing treatment in September and announcing remission in January, Princess Kate has gradually resumed her royal duties, making several public appearances in the past ten days.
The Sunday Times report was published soon after the Princess's visit to South Wales'
Ty Hafan children's hospice
, where she was announced as its new patron, following in Princess Diana's footsteps. Her visit also included a tour of a family-run textile manufacturer, reflecting her ongoing interest in the industry.
