Kate Middleton Put a Polished Spin on the Y2K Statement Belt During Her Latest Royal Outing

Kate Middleton's latest outfit is bringing back one of the most (or shall we say biggest) controversial Y2K trends ever to exist: the statement belt. 

Like it or not, big belts have slowly been making their return onto the style scene — from Vanessa Hudgens spicing up her LBD with a flashy Fendi belt to Dua Lipa's plaid skirt and chunky belt combo — but the Princess of Wales is one person we didn't expect to test-drive the over-the-top trend. Though, her take is a lot more polished and sleek.

On Thursday morning, Kate stepped out for back-to-back engagements in London to promote her early childhood work while wearing a pastel pink pantsuit that consisted of a fitted blazer with asymmetrical pockets and a matching pink blouse underneath, as well as a pair of straight-leg pants in the same shade. She accessorized with stark white pointed-toe heels, drop earrings, and her sapphire engagement ring. Finishing off her outfit with the pièce de résistance — a thick white belt that featured a bling-y buckle covered in pearls — Kate looked equal parts fashion-forward and fun. 

She styled her chestnut hair in brushed-out waves with a side part, and finished off her glam with petal-pink lipstick and a light dusting of blush on her cheeks. 

Kate’s first stop of the day was at the Foundling Museum, where she's been a patron since 2019. There, she met with participants of the award-winning Tracing Our Tales program for creative writing for young people, as well as adoptive and foster parents to learn about their experience with the U.K. foster care system. The duchess then attended a support group session for kinship carers involved with the charity Kinship, which offers free training, support, and a resource hub for those who are raising the next generation.