Princess Kate and Prince William Stand United in Matching Mulled Wine Outfits for a Rare Public Appearance

Princess Kate and Prince William were a united front at the former's first public engagement since completing chemotherapy, down to their color-coordinating outfits.

The surprise appearance on World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, was a somber occasion for Princess Kate and Prince William, who spent Thursday meeting with the families of three young girls who were murdered in a tragic knife attack during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England over the summer. In addition to speaking with the parents of victims Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, Bebe King, 6, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, they also sat with emergency responders and the girls’ dance teacher, Leanne Lucas, who was injured during the July incident.

Catherine, Princess of Wales layered a merlot polka dot pussy bow dress from Whistles beneath a bespoke Alexander McQueen double-breasted coat that fell to her calves for the meeting. Her exact dress is several years old and no longer available for purchase, but the brand still offers a similar style in the same print. She accessorized the look with a brown suede clutch from Emmy London, brown pumps, and dangling gold leaf earrings from Catherine Zoraida. Of course, it's not the first time we've seen the mother of three embrace fall 2024's wine-red trend. Earlier this month, she reprised a maroon single-breasted suit from Roland Mouret—previously worn on her December 2022 trip to Boston—for a meeting with 16-year-old photographer Liz Hatton.

Prince William complemented Kate's seasonal color palette in a deep cherry red sweater and tie layered beneath a charcoal gray blazer, navy blue pants, and brown suede shoes.

Oxblood saw a long-awaited revival last month on the Fall 2024 runways, where it featured heavily in the collections of Saint Laurent, Khaite, Ferragamo, and Victoria Beckham, among others. The juicy black cherry hue also received nods at Gucci and Bottega Veneta on the Spring 2024 runways, officially dethroning bright red as designers' favorite hyper-fixation. The fall color trend's impact is already being felt on the streets, too, with celebrities like Lily Collins and Quinta Brunson sporting mulled wine matching sets on their press tours for Emily in Paris and Abbott Elementary, respectively.

Exact credits for Princess Kate's take on the look were not available at press time. Even without knowing the name on the tags, their polished nature matches the tone of her rare appearances throughout 2024, from Trooping the Colour in June to last week's private meeting. The royal is still favoring tailoring, seasonal colors, and an occasional pull from her personal archives. No matter what she's wearing, it's good to have her back.