NEED TO KNOW

  • Kate Middleton wore a pair of heels at the new V&A East Storehouse in East London despite the museum’s recommendation that guests wear “flat shoes” while visiting
  • Known for her signature style, Kate has never shied away from stilettos
  • “She is a pro! She dealt with that!” V&A director Tristram Hunt told PEOPLE with a laugh when asked about Kate’s footwear choice

Kate Middleton preferred to keep it chic with her go-to stilettos on her latest royal outing.

The Princess of Wales, 43, visited the new V&A East Storehouse in East London on Tuesday, June 10, where she arrived dressed in a royal blue suit and a pair of sleek black heels. While Kate looked elegant in her outfit, her footwear didn’t technically fit the dress code at the storehouse, which is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

“We recommend wearing practical clothing and flat shoes,” the V&A East Storehouse’s website reads. “The metal grid flooring is not suitable for stilettos or kitten heels.”

Kate confidently navigated the visit in her sleek heels, which marked her first public royal engagement since returning from a half-term break with children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.  

Speaking to PEOPLE following Kate’s outing, Tristram Hunt, the director of the V&A, said with a laugh when asked about Kate’s chosen footwear, “She is a pro! She dealt with that!”

Kate Middleton at the V&A East Storehouse on June 10, 2025.

EDDIE MULHOLLAND/POOL/AFP via Getty

The visit also aligned with Kate’s personal interest in art; she graduated from the University of St Andrews with a degree in art history in 2005.

“It went really well. She was really focused on the objects — it is impressive,” Hunt continued.

“She had a super energy. She was very energetic and focused. We last saw her about two years ago,” he added.” She retains this great passion and interest in creativity and making and design. It was wonderful to be able to host her.”

While Kate’s trip to the V&A East Storehouse went off without a hitch on Tuesday, she wasn’t so lucky while wearing heels during a visit to a new addiction treatment center in Wickford back in 2018.

At the time, the princess — who was seven months pregnant — got one of her black heels stuck in a metal drain.

Kate Middleton in Wickford, England on February 7, 2018.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Kate kept her sense of humor despite the snafu, and laughed as she pulled her foot out of the grate and greeted staff from the Action on Addiction Community Treatment center.

Heels are a staple of Kate’s wardrobe. She’s bravely worn them while walking on grass at one of Prince William‘s polo matches, and took workout style to new heights when she wore heels to the gym while visiting the Coach Core program in Essex.

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As much as the princess loves a good heel, she admitted she was relieved to take a brief break from her go-to shoe style while attending an outing with the Scouts at their headquarters outside of London in 2019.

While she planted a sapling oak at Gilwell Park during her visit, she remarked, “Normally I have to do this in high heels, this is much easier!”