- After a seven-week summer break, Kate Middleton is back to public duty, taking part in a joint engagement with husband Prince William on September 4.
- In addition to officially debuting her blondest hair yet, the Princess of Wales also re-wore a Daniella Draper necklace that kept kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis close to her heart.
- The alphabet necklace featured G, C, and L charms, paying subtle homage to her kids, who returned to school just yesterday on September 3.
With the kids’ first day of school on September 3 past them, Prince William and Kate Middleton returned to royal duty on September 4 for a joint engagement at the Natural History Museum. Though the summer break of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis has officially ended, the Princess of Wales kept her three kids close to her heart, rewearing a G-C-L necklace that poignantly represents the first initials of her three kids.
Kate Middleton and Prince William on September 4, 2025.
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The Wales family of five enjoyed a lengthy summer break, with Kate not undertaking any public royal duties from Wimbledon on July 13—which she attended with William, George, and Charlotte—until Thursday’s engagement alongside William. That said, on August 24 the family was photographed driving to church at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Kate debuting what appeared to be her boldest hair transformation yet. That transformation was confirmed on Thursday, as Kate’s normally brunette hair has never appeared blonder than it does at present.
Kate Middleton.
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For the visit to the museum, Kate wore a crisp white button-down under a fitted tweed Ralph Lauren blazer, paired with tailored slacks, tassel loafers from Pretty Ballerinas, and her sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Her aforementioned Daniella Draper alphabet necklace with G, C, and L charms was also accompanied by a pair of Kiki McDonough pair drop earrings.
Kate Middleton at the Natural History Museum.
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In addition to working with kids, at one point William and Kate got caught in a downpour, using umbrellas to shield themselves from the deluge. Long before her visit today to the Natural History Museum, Kate has spoken openly about how nature has been a source of comfort for her, calling it her “sanctuary” in a video released this past May to mark the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week.
“Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary,” she said at the time. “The natural world’s capacity to inspire us, to nurture us, and help us heal and grow is boundless and has been understood for generations. It is through nature that we can fully understand the true interconnectedness of all things, the importance of balance, and the importance of renewal and resilience. Connecting to nature helps us experience a deeper sense of ourselves, the world around us, and each other.”
Kate Middleton.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton on September 4, 2025.
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In addition to promoting the work of the museum—which Kate is patron of—all eyes are on the Princess of Wales’s long, blonder tresses, styled in a signature blowout with soft curls. Hairstylist Jennifer Korab told Marie Claire of Kate’s new color that “This blend of brunette and blonde tones is one of the biggest trends right now, because it adds soft dimension, a sunlit glow, and natural brightness, perfect for the warmer months,” adding that Kate looked “polished, sophisticated, and effortlessly modern.”
Kate Middleton on September 4, 2025.
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Now that George, Charlotte, and Louis are back to school, Kate (and William, too) are back on public duty. Recently, Panthea Parker—whose children attend a school that plays sports against Lambrook, where George, Charlotte, and Louis attend, and who is a star of The Real Housewives of London—told Hello! of Kate, “I see her quite a few times, because my son’s school plays against her son’s school. I do see her a lot, but not to talk to, just from afar. So classy, so lovely, and she never misses any of her children’s matches, so really amazing.”