“He knew that he would be the center of the ceremony.” Kate Middleton and the strategic choice of a white dress

In the London rain, sunshine. On Saturday, June 15, for the first time in almost six months, Kate Middleton made a remarkable appearance on Buckingham Palace, surrounded by her family, for Trooping the Color, King Charles III’s military birthday. The Princess of Wales, who announced last March that she was suffering from cancer, has been in seclusion at her Adelaide Cottage home to continue her chemotherapy. It was in an all-white look that she introduced herself to the Brits, consisting of a black and white Phillip Treacy tipped hat, a Jenny Packham long-sleeved bodycon dress and flawless pumps. “He knew he would be the focal point of the ceremony,” explains Jamil Dakhlia, a media sociologist at Sorbonne Nouvel University. And continue. “It stands out because it is white, a symbol of purity, spirituality. It may mean that he has reached a personal level of ascension above this world.’

Social and spiritual upliftment

For an expert, two things can be read in the form of the Princess of Wales. “White is the color of calmness, and here it gives the feeling that he has moved to a higher spiritual plane. It seems that the disease was a test that matured him.” The expert then mentions another, more cinematic point. “It’s a personal comment, but her outfit reminded me of Audrey Hepburn’s outfit in the movie. My beautiful lady. It’s the story of a girl from the people who becomes an extremely luxurious lady, like the reaction to the journey of Kate Middleton, this ordinary person who became a role model in the royal family.

Back to basics

Wearing white in an event literally called Trooping the Color is symbolic. Like a bias toward sobriety in a color-focused ceremony. Or just a way to slowly reintegrate into the daily routine of the British royal family and bond with its traditions? Probably, Jamil Dakhlia assures. “It’s really a very British thing, this way of dressing. Kate Middleton uses codes in a similar way and expresses a form of solemnity. Especially since this outfit is similar to the outfit she wore to the same event two years ago, which drew comparisons to the outfit Lady Diana wore to a military parade in 1991.

No copy here, but rather an allusion to the British monarchy and its history. “I wouldn’t say she’s copying Lady Diana. She accepts the codes of British chic, which she translates very easily,” says the expert. And to conclude. “The British are grateful to him. For foreigners, this may bring to mind Diana and her typically English tilted hats. But in my opinion, it is more of an English elegance adopted to appease. His clothes are a landmark, a common place.” Kate Middleton’s outfit thus offers a warm side, a kind of pleasant feeling of “being at home”, just as the Princess of Wales returns home after a long absence.