What Kate wore to go back to uni – and all of her best outfits in Scotland so far

26 May 2021

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are back in their old stomping ground: the University of St Andrews.

The couple are on a tour of Scotland, and have squeezed in a visit to the place they met back in 2001. For the occasion, Kate artfully toed the line between casual and formal in a striped breton top, a black double-breasted trouser suit and chic white trainers.

William and Kate in St Andrews

The top – made in Scotland – is by London-based brand Erdem (Lotus Jumper Stripe Knit, £650). Kate rarely wears trainers, and it’s great to see her in sustainable brand Veja – loved by everyone from the Duchess of Sussex to Emma Watson.

The then-Kate Middleton at her graduation ceremony in 2005

William and Kate visited St Salvator’s, the halls of residence where they met, and spoke to students about how they’ve been supporting each other throughout the pandemic.

This is the second to last day of their tour in Scotland, and Kate has been pulling out all the sartorial stops.

The Duke and Duchess visit a social care centre in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire

For a visit to a social care centre in North Lanarkshire, the Duchess chose an outfit with a distinctly Eighties vibe: a structured double-breasted blazer with a matching pleated skirt.

The jacket costs £59.99 from Zara (the cobalt colour Kate wears is now sold out, but you can buy it in a similar ‘bluish’ shade), and was paired with The Contrast Hem Pleated Skirt in Cobalt, £95, from Hope.

Prince and Princess of Wales during a visit to South Korea in 1992

The blue blazer and midi skirt is almost identical to an outfit worn by Diana during a visit to South Korea in 1992. It wouldn’t be the first time Kate has paid tribute to her late mother-in-law with her fashion choices, and it certainly won’t be the last.

The Duchess of Cambridge in Orkney

The Duchess wore multiple shades of camel for her first ever visit to Orkney, an archipelago off the north-eastern coast of Scotland. The tailored coat by Massimo Dutti is an old favourite of Kate’s, and the high-waisted flared trousers made her legs look a million miles long. She topped off the look with a chic nod to the country: a yellow and red tartan scarf.

The Duchess of Cambridge meets local nursery school children at Kirkwall Marina

For a more relaxed outfit, Kate kept things simple with blue skinny jeans, a classic hunting coat from Seeland (the Woodcock Advanced Jacket, £189.99), and well-loved ankle boots from Chloe (now sold out).

The Duchess of Cambridge goes land yachting on the beach at St Andrews

She wore a similar look to go land yachting on the beach at St Andrews – the same trusty jeans and boots, paired with a pink jumper and quilted jacket. In case you were wondering what on earth land yachting is, here’s the Duchess in action:

Kate tries land yachting

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