Kate Middleton, 41, stepped out in an elegant green Burberry suit during a recent visit to AW Hainsworth on September 26. The Princess of Wales rocked the pantsuit while she stopped by the family-owned heritage textile mill located outside Leeds. Kate’s suit was notably recycled, as reported by PEOPLE, and matched her green suede heels.
The brunette beauty added a white blouse underneath the suit, which was strategically tucked into her high-waisted green slacks. Kate’s accessories included a gold chain-link necklace, gold hoop earrings, and her stylish wedding ring. She opted to style her tresses in elegant waves with a slightly off-center part for her visit to the textile mill.
The mother-of-three‘s visit to the company was extra meaningful, as Kate has family ties to the former mill. Kate’s paternal ancestors owned William Lupton and Co., which was later sold to AW Hainsworth in 1958, per the mag. Rachel Taylor, a family member of the company spoke to PEOPLE about the 41-year-old’s visit to AW Hainsworth on Tuesday. “She had had a chat with her parents, and they had been filling her in,” she said in regards to Kate. “They had obviously done some research. She spoke to a lot of people today. We were able to put a bit of bells and whistles onto that.”
Most significantly, AW Hainsworth holds a Royal Warrant and is often a supplier to the Royal Family. Some of their fabrics were even used in the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023. Kate was also able to feel the fabric used for the ceremonial uniform of the palace’s guards. “She loved it. It was great that she saw the scarlet tunic which is the iconic red fabric that everyone associates with Buckingham Palace and the guards,” Zena Al Mausawe, operational excellence director, said to PEOPLE. “It was great how she was trying to feel everything and get the tactile experience as well.”
Kate’s visit to the textile company comes nearly three weeks after the first anniversary of Elizabeth II’s death. Earlier this month, a royal author told PEOPLE how Kate and her husband, Prince William, honor his late grandmother following her passing. The source revealed that the couple “are maintaining a good balance between carrying out their duties and raising their children as privately as possible.” They noted that keeping that “balance” is “something they think about every day,” and honors the late monarch. William, 41, and his wife share three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
