On one hand, the Princess of Wales did her job during the Trump state visit, charming Donald Trump during the banquet and doing an event with Melania Trump the next day. On the other hand, Kate seemed to be polishing her “the white supremacists like me the best” medals, and she absolutely enjoyed the attention given to her by the Trumps and by the media. Because Kate is mostly a cypher, we can’t really pin down her politics beyond “she seemed super-smiley around the Trumps.” But we can talk about her fashion for the state visit: an Emilia Wickstead coatdress, a Phillipa Lepley gown, and mix-and-match Ralph Lauren skirt with a ME EM jacket. People praised the Lepley gown and while it was nice to see Kate in something different, I also thought it was funny that she wore something “gold-plated” for the man who loves gold everything and everywhere. Well, the NY Post had more analysis of Kate’s clothing and the style messages she was sending.
Someone at the palace very smartly put future Queen Kate Middleton next to Trump for Thursday’s state dinner.
“Kate delivered that fairy tale princess moment again, which I think everyone needs and craves and Donald Trump wanted,” said Bethan Holt, author of “The Duchess of Cambridge: A Decade of Modern Royal Style.” “She was seated next to Trump. And when he gave his speech, he kept talking about the queen — and kept looking at Kate … For Donald Trump, Kate is already queen!”
Indeed, after praising King Charles as “a very, very special man” and then referencing “a very, very special queen,” the president turned to look at Kate before spotting the actual queen, Camilla. It was also interesting, Holt pointed out, that Kate wore a regal, burgundy-hued suit to greet the president, followed by a stunning gold opera coat by Brit designer Phillipa Lepley — teamed with her favorite diamond-and-pearl crown, the Lover’s Knot Tiara — for the dinner.
“Trump usually wears a red tie,” Holt, fashion director at the UK Daily Telegraph, said. “Red is obviously the big MAGA color, and he loves gold. It felt like a very calculated decision to wear gold.”
Even though Kate and Melania Trump were dubbed “The First Ladies” on the front of the UK’s The Sun — leaving Camilla in the shade — the princess is careful to attempt not to overshadow the senior royal, Holt said. In one very public moment on Wednesday, Camilla appeared to shoo Kate away as she spoke to Melania.
“Kate’s gold dress was a real moment on social media,” said Holt, “But in the room [St George’s Hall], it almost blended into the walls, it was very clever in terms of toeing the line and not taking attention away from Camila.”
The two women were, however, “synchronized in that very traditional way” when they wore the colors of the British flag — with Kate in her red-hued outfit and Camila in blue, when they greeted their American guests.
“Kate wants to be respectful while, the reality is, her look and fashion choices are going to garner more attention than Camila,” said Holt. Historically, Camilla has never tried to be a fashion plate, so there is always that slight imbalance of optics.
“Kate will always steal the limelight. She looks the part in the way the world really expects a royal woman to look.”
Hugo Vickers, author and friend of the royal family, told The Post that the visit came off exactly as the palace hoped: showing that the royal family, which has been besieged by health setbacks over the past year and a half, still knows how to “pull out all the stops” — and also securing William and Kate’s future in the world order.
“I think there is absolutely no question the whole thing was a tremendous success, certainly on the royal side. It all worked seamlessly,” Vickers said.
“Kate will always steal the limelight. She looks the part in the way the world really expects a royal woman to look.” LOL. How dare you suggest that we don’t expect royal women to look like Camilla! And no, I don’t think Camilla was happy about Kate whatsoever during the state visit. Camilla shooed Kate away during the welcome ceremony, had Kate and William thrown off the dais and then placed Kate right beside a sundowning fascist who probably reeked like manure. I love how the Kate-stans keep trying to convince everyone that this was all such a great honor – please, Kate cuddling up to white supremacist authoritarians is a bad look. It’s also a bad look that the Windsors are perfectly willing to use Kate in this way – if anything, it shows that they think very little of protecting her image in the long-run.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- NMA POOL President Trump arrival Windsor Castle on his second state visit to the UK , the first time a president has been granted a second state visit .,Image: 1038093243, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ian Vogler/Avalon
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17/09/2025. Windsor , United Kingdom. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton , the Prince and Princess of Wales, at Windsor Castle for the start of their State Visit to the United Kingdom.,Image: 1038113527, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images.
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Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Stephen Lock / i-Images/Avalon
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- Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump as they attend the State Banquet during U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit, at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189142, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Phil Noble/Avalon
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- The Princess of Wales, US President Donald Trump and King Charles III at the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189596, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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President of the United States Donald Trump and the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump visit Windsor Castle as they make a second State Visit to the UK
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 17 Sep 2025
Credit: Cover Images
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The Prince and Princess of Wales walk to attend the state banquet for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 17 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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The Prince and Princess of Wales walk to attend the state banquet for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 17 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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he Princess of Wales at the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s second state visit to the UK
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 17 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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The Princess of Wales (left) and First Lady Melania Trump in Frogmore Gardens in Windsor, Berkshire, on day two of US President Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK.
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Melania Trump
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 18 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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The Princess of Wales meets members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme in Frogmore Gardens in Windsor, Berkshire, on day two of US President Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK. The princess and the US first lady joined 20 Squirrel Scouts taking part in nature activities on the Windsor Castle estate to earn their Go Wild badges.
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 18 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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The Princess of Wales (left) and First Lady Melania Trump meet members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme in Frogmore Gardens in Windsor, Berkshire, on day two of US President Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK. The princess and the US first lady joined 20 Squirrel Scouts taking part in nature activities on the Windsor Castle estate to earn their Go Wild badges.
Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Melania Trump
Where: Windsor, United Kingdom
When: 18 Sep 2025
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**






