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On Oct. 2, Kate Middleton stepped out in a chic gray suit, designed by Bella Freud, for an appearance at the Royal Air Force Coningsby in Lincolnshire, England. While the silhouette looks stunning on her, it’s the color that is sparking conversation.

Apparently, some royal fans believe the Princess of Wales is sending Prince Harry a message by wearing a gray suit. That might sound odd, but let’s dial it back to the Princess Diana era. When she was married to the then-Prince Charles, she referred to the royal staffers who always sided with her husband as the “men in gray suits.”

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

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There was mistrust at the palace while Diana and Charles were married, and she believed they were complicit in covering up his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. Andrew Morton wrote about Diana’s dilemma in the 1992 biography, Diana, Her True Story.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire during her first official engagement at the station, on October 2, 2025 in Coningsby, England. During the visit, Her Royal Highness learned about the station's operational role, met Quick Reaction Alert personnel, viewed a Typhoon aircraft, and toured the new Typhoon Future Synthetic Training facility, and also met families of personnel serving at the base.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire during her first official engagement at the station, on October 2, 2025 in Coningsby, England.

James Glossop – WPA Pool/Getty Images.

“The enemy was my husband’s department, because I always got more publicity,” Diana told Morton.

The author wrote, “Not only did she consider herself to be a prisoner trapped inside a bitterly unfulfilled marriage, she also felt shackled to a wholly unrealistic public image of her royal life to an unsympathetic royal system which was ruled, in her phrase, by the ‘men in grey suits.’ She felt disempowered both as a woman and as a human being.”

With Harry battling against the royal staffers, who leaked the details of his reunion with King Charles, there seems to be another round of “men in gray suits” at work.

“The relationship between the Duke and His Majesty The King is a matter for the two of them and the two of them only. The men in gray suits should stay out of it,” a source told The Mail on Sunday on Sept. 27.

Now, royal fans are noticing that Kate and even the monarch have been seen in gray suits this week. Is it a secret message to Harry that his plans to reconcile with his dad are being foiled? The royalists think so.

“I particularly loved Princess Catherine in a grey suit. It is not her usual choice, but dayamn she did look fabulous,” wrote one account on X. “The message was loud and clear.”

“The BRF [British Royal Family], the longest reigning monarchy in history, understands the power of clothing and color,” added another social media user.

The subtle signal might not be picked up by Harry, though. He’s too busy living his best life in California, away from the politics of the palace.

Before you go, click here to see more of Kate Middleton’s best royal fashion moments.