Two trenches, 10 years apart - Kate Middleton's go-to spring coat style is still a timeless essential

Catherine, Princess of Wales’s go-to spring coat style is so timeless and two of her trenches - worn ten years apart - still stick in our minds.

If we had to sum up the Princess of Wales’s style in one word, it would be a close-run thing between timeless and elegant and both of these apply to her go-to spring coat style. Many of us will have dreamt of owning a Burberry trench coat or adding a more affordable alternative to our collection as they come into their own in transitional times of year. When it’s no longer cold enough for your warm puffers but too chilly for a jacket, the trench coat is that perfect in-between item and Kate’s love for them hasn’t wavered.

She was a fan of trenches before she married Prince William and they’ve remained part of her wardrobe ever since. Two of her most iconic ones are the Burberry short trench she wore in Belfast in 2011 and the Holland Cooper tartan one she styled in Scotland in 2021 and they show how versatile trenches really are.

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Her Burberry Littleton trench was a pale beige tone and although it had all the classic details we admire about this style of coat, it also had a few more unique features too. The Princess of Wales’s coat was belted, with buckled cuffs, epaulettes and a double-breasted silhouette.

Running along the bottom hem was a feminine ruffle and this worked so well with her shorter dress underneath. The most important thing when you’re wondering how to style a trench coat is reaching for outfits that make you feel confident and chic, but as a more general approach we tend to prefer wearing shorter trench coats with trousers, jeans or shorter skirts or dresses.

Longline trenches look beautiful with midi skirts and dresses as they fall to a similar length and have a lovely elongating effect on your outfit’s silhouette. In 2011 Kate often stepped out in knee length dresses which looked stunning with her shorter trench. The beige colour makes it even more versatile and if you’re going to invest in a timeless trench, we would always recommend choosing a neutral hue that will work with so many of your existing staples.

However, the future Queen loves a splash of colour and she especially likes wearing blue, so it’s no surprise that her 2021 tartan trench coat blended royal blue with green and purple with its checked pattern. This was the full length £849 Marlborough trench coat in heather tartan that Holland Cooper still makes now.

It’s crafted from wool and has the double-breasted design and belt that Kate clearly favours when it comes to trenches, as these were also features of her Burberry coat. The collar is secured with a hook-and-eye fastening and the belt accentuates your waist. Gold-toned buttons running down the front bring a touch of glamour and in Scotland in 2021 the senior royal wore her tartan trench with a camel midi skirt or dress and green court shoes.

She likely chose the longer trench to go with this outfit because the length complemented her outfit underneath. These two appearances were ten years apart but both trenches could easily be re-worn today and they would be just as gorgeous and timeless. As spring draws nearer, we’ll be reaching for our trenches so often and they look wonderful worn casually with jeans and a shirt as well as over a shirt dress or trouser co-ord.