The Princess of Wales wants to move the public’s focus away from what she is wearing – and more towards her campaign work, Sky News understands.
A Kensington Palace source told The Sunday Times it will no longer release details of Kate’s outfits.
The source told the paper: “There is an absolute feeling that it 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.”
The princess, 43, acknowledges that “there will always be an appreciation” of what she is wearing “from some of the public”, the source added.
“She gets that,” they said. “But do we need to be officially always saying what she is wearing? No. The style is there but it’s about the substance.”
The change in approach comes after the princess announced she was in remission from cancer on a visit last month to the hospital that treated her, having finished chemotherapy last year.
As she returned to public duties, she said her health difficulties have given her “a new perspective on everything” and an appreciation for the “simple yet important things in life”.
Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman, said it came as no surprise, having worked with the princess before.
“You have to look at this in the context of the experience she’s been through,” she said, describing the move as a “reassessment of her priorities for the time being”.
“It’s about re-examining your life,” she added. “When people have gone through what she’s gone through, they should be entitled to be seen how they want to be seen… with a serious mission – not where the focus is on her clothes.”
She added that the designers the princess wears will still alert the media – it just won’t feature in royal communications.
Kate’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has recently launched a new initiative focused on developing people’s “social and emotional skills” to promote mental health, counter addiction and abuse.
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She said: “Modern society is complex. At times, it can feel like the world is filled with mistrust and misunderstanding, leaving many people feeling isolated and vulnerable during difficult times.
“If we are to address this properly, if we are to find real, lasting solutions to these deep-rooted challenges and create a physically and mentally healthier society, we must reset, restore, and rebalance. We must invest in humankind.”
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The new scheme is part of her Shaping Us campaign launched last year to promote the importance of early development up until the age of five.
End to fashion briefings
Members of the media have been briefed on the specific designers the princess has chosen for her public appearances since she married Prince William in 2011.
Her style became a focal point soon after she became a public figure – with stores quickly selling out of the dresses in what was known as the ‘Kate Effect’.
She has often championed British designers, including Sarah Burton who was responsible for her wedding dress.
The princess also became known for recycling her wardrobe – wearing the same outfit on multiple public outings.
