Kate is every inch the people's princess as she steps out in High Street frock for first day as a Royal

By Deborah Arthurs for MailOnline
Updated:

She entered Westminster Abbey a commoner and walked out a Duchess. But as Catherine Mountbatten-Windsor, Duchess of Cambridge left Buckingham Palace with her Prince yesterday morning, she proved that her feet remain firmly on the ground.

The outfit chosen by Kate for her first day as a member of the royal family cemented her status as the new people's princess.

Eschewing designer labels, Kate stepped out in a cornflower blue £49.99 Zara dress with £129.99 black patent pumps from LK Bennett (the same pair she wore on the eve of her wedding as she arrived at The Goring hotel), paired with a simple black jacket.

People's princess: The Duchess of Cambridge chose a £49.99 Zara dress and £129.99 LK Bennett pumps for her first appearance following the wedding

People's princess: The Duchess of Cambridge chose a £49.99 Zara dress and £129.99 LK Bennett pumps for her first appearance following the wedding. Pippa Middleton was also spotted wearing Zara on the same day

Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace in London, before departing for their honeymoon
Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace in London, before departing for their honeymoon

Relaxed: Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge walked hand in hand from Buckingham Palace in London before departing in a helicopter for a weekend away in an undisclosed location, possibly Scotland

Of course, her glossy brunette mane was perfectly coiffured, her make up - which she applies expertly herself - was subtle but impeccable, and the hemline revealed just enough of those 'killer pins' - a reference to which Harry was said to have struck out of his best man's speech at the last minute for fear of embarrassing his new sister-in-law.

It has been widely commented that Kate has handled her courtship and wedding to William with typically understated aplomb, never losing the relaxed girl-next-door charm that William found so attractive.

She champions the High Street, and ahead of her wedding was seen visiting various mid-market stores to pick up summer pieces, said to be for her honeymoon trousseau.

At Warehouse Kate picked up summer dresses and a simple embroidered blouse, spending £255. At Whistles, one of her favourite shops, she picked up a duplicate of the cream blouse she wore for her Mario Testino engagement pictures (re-released and christened 'Kate'), a pair of blue and white spotty, high-waisted trousers and a lemon T-shirt.


PS PIPPA WEARS ZARA TOO...

Sister Pippa, who received almost as many accolades as Kate following her faultless performance at the wedding, also chose Zara for her outfit the day after the wedding.

Proving that she has fashion nous to equal her sister, Pippa stepped out of The Goring hotel wearing a £69.99 royal blue doublebreasted blazer from the High Street store, which she paired with figure-hugging white jeans and accessorised with the Bristol bag, £149 from Modalu, and £120  leather Riva cream ballet pumps by Tory Burch.


Pippa Middleton
Centre of attention: The 27-year-old will have pleased her many new-found fans, who have set up countless Facebook fan sites in tribute to her derriere

High Street girl: Just like sister Kate, Pippa Middleton chose Zara for her morning-after outfit, wearing a £69.99 Zara blazer paired with white jeans, a £149.99 Modalu bag and £120 Tory Burch pumps


Most watched News videos

Comments 69

Share what you think

  View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

  View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.