Kate Middleton Is 'More Relevant Than Ever,' Says Designer: 'She Is Not a Movie Star...One of a Kind'

Mar. 15, 2025

Kate Middleton visits the National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 4, 2025.Photo:Karwai Tang/WireImage

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Kate Middleton’s style choices are a reflection of her priorities, in more ways than one.

Whenthe Princess of Wales wore a minimalist outfit to visit an art galleryon Feb. 4, the look seemed to underscore a recent report that the palace would be focusing less on what she wears and more on her charitable causes.

However, the designer of thechocolate brown wool-blend blazershe wore tohang out with kindergarten kids at the National Portrait Galleryrecently says that her style directive is so appealing because of its simplicity, not in spite of it.

“I think she looks much more modern in the way she dresses now,”Petar Petrovthe Austrian-based designer tells PEOPLE. “She looks relaxed, and I think she can win the hearts of people even more because she feels like a real person that people can connect with, likePrincess Diana. That’s special and makes her even more relevant than ever.”

The designer, whose celebrity clients includeNicole KidmanandZoe Saldana, says he had no idea that Princess Kate was going to wear the blazer until he saw pictures of her getting off the minibus outside the museum in London.

“We were so surprised when this happened! We don’t know which retailer she bought it from but we are so happy to see she bought it independently and wears it so well,” he says.

Neil Mockford/GC Images

The $1,530 jacket sold out within 24 hours. The designer says, “We have had a lot of requests! We are continually trying to restock the blazer. She definitely has an impact, and we have experienced the ‘Kate Effect’ — and we are enjoying it!”

On how the impact differs from his other clients, the designer says, “We are used to working with Hollywood celebrities, but she is not that sort of celebrity, Kate is a very different thing entirely, she is truly one of a kind. She is not a movie star or a top model, she is an amazing addition for us.”

Having stepped back from public duties for most of 2024 due to hercancer treatment— which she finished in September last year,announcing in January that she is in remissionfrom the disease — Princess Kate has been gradually returning to work but with new priorities and seemingly a new look.

Kate Middleton engaging with kindergarten children at The National Portrait gallery on February 4, 2025.Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty

Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty

“Her clothing looks much less uptight; she looks modern and fresh. I think after fighting cancer, she became even more relevant now than she was, she is such an inspiration to other women and that’s important to us,” explains Petrov, 47 who was born in Ukraine, grew up in Bulgaria and came to Vienna at the end of the 1990s when he launched his eponymous label.

“It’s not about what rules that were created 100 years ago, she is leaning into what her values are now, what the reality of being a working royal is now and that’s very interesting to me,” says the designer, adding: “I really think it’s great that this is the person who will be the future Queen of England, she is modern, she is reflective and she sees the world around her, rather than living in a royal bubble which makes her even more special.”

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source: people.com