The Princess of Wales made a rare political blunder on Wednesday as she attended an official engagement wearing a sweater-vest from a fashion brand founded by the wife of a former Conservative prime minister, as the final day of the Conservative Party Conference was taking place.
Kate—who is well known for sending messages through her choices of fashion—wore the piece from designer label Cefinn, founded by Samantha Cameron (wife of David Cameron, prime minister from 2010 to 2016) to visit a community center in England linked with sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Kate has worn Cefinn pieces before, but opting to showcase the brand on the final day of the Conservative conference—where Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave a keynote address—combined with her history of paying tributes through fashion, could lead members of the public to interpret it as a sign of support, going against the royal prerogative of remaining politically neutral.
While very likely a coincidence and so far meeting little public resistance, the mishap signals a rare occasion where Kate could be accused of drawing a political association.
To date, Kate has not spoken in support of a political party or partisan policy since entering public life.
The Princess of Wales photographed at the Vsi Razom Community Hub in Bracknell, England, wearing a sweater vest by the Cefinn fashion label, October 4, 2023.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
In the past, the princess has been criticized for being overly cautious when it comes to her wardrobe and for sidestepping issues connected with social politics.
In 2018 Kate faced criticism for not wearing black to the BAFTA film awards in solidarity with actresses donning the color as a form of protest connected with the #MeToo movement.
As the most prominent female attendee of the awards show, the princess disappointed some social media users and critics by appearing in a green gown, though notably featuring a black velvet sash.
This nod to the black theme of the evening did not go far enough for some, who wished the royal had taken more of a stance in support of those coming out as victims of sexual assault in the movie industry.
As the British monarch is the nation’s head of state, there is a public expectation that they and members of the royal family remain politically neutral and not exert influence over the democratic process.
There are no laws preventing the royals from voting, but it is understood that most don’t under the belief that they should not act on political bias.
The royals’ connections with the U.K. government have been pulled into focus over the past 12-months with the change in reign from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III.
Two days before her death, Queen Elizabeth appointed Conservative leader Liz Truss as her fifteenth and final prime minister. Truss resigned just 49 days later and King Charles appointed new Conservative leader, Rishi Sunak, as prime minister.
The Princess of Wales photographed wearing a Cefinn sweater vest in Bracknell, England (L) October 4, 2023. And photographed wearing a Jenny Packham gown for the BAFTAs (R) February 18, 2018. Kate faced criticism over the choice to wear green during the BAFTAs when other attendees wore black in support of the MeeToo movement.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images/Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
The Conservative party has been in power in Britain for 13 years with a general election due to be called by January 2025, however, this could be brought forward to 2024 at the request of the prime minister, with approval from the king.
As the prospect of the election draws near, political tensions in Britain rise, with the Conservative and Labour party conferences this month seen as an opportunity for political grandstanding before the nation heads to the polls.
This important moment in British politics makes the Princess of Wales’ inadvertent show of public support to a Conservative party-affiliated fashion brand, potentially divisive among the public.
Newsweek approached representatives for Cefinn and Kensington Palace via email for comment.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek’s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.
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