Over the past few weeks, the royal family has been swept up in a sea of speculation and conspiracy theories amid Princess Kate Middleton’s extended absence from the public eye. When the 42-year-old royal was spotted on Saturday, March 16, at Windsor Farm Shop, our minds went straight to dissecting her outfit.
Despite mounting pressure from the public, Kate looked relaxed and happy in leggings, Adidas sneakers and a black hoodie as she walked alongside Prince William, 41, in the viral video that has the internet divided. Her hoodie, which featured orange detailing and a quarter-length zip, was a Mens England Rugby Icon Hoodie from Umbro. It retails for $72.
She teamed the paired-down outfit with the most relatable accessory of all; plastic shopping bags.
Kate is used to living inside of a fish bowl, with her every move — and outfit choice — carefully analyzed. Whether she knew that she would be photographed on Saturday or not, her casual attire reminded royal watchers that she is “just like us”; a human being in need of some much-needed privacy post-surgery.
Kate has remained out of the public eye since Christmas after undergoing “planned abdominal surgery” in January. The sparse details surrounding her surgery and subsequent absence have sparked a flurry of speculation globally. The recent photoshopped image of Kate with her children — George, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5 — only added fuel to the fire.
“Nobody at the palace knows what the exact medical condition Kate has been suffering with. But Kate is a very transparent person,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. “She’s not really capable of lying but at this stage and just wants her privacy.”
The source continued to explain that Kate plans to reveal more details about her health soon. “When she goes back to work after Easter, she will likely be ready to talk about it,” they said, adding that the public can expect her to discuss it “ “when she’s doing a royal walkabout and meeting and greeting members of the public.”
