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    Kate Middleton Apologized to Young Fans Who Wore Their Best Princess Dresses to Meet Her for Not Wearing a Gown to Her RAF Base Visit

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    CONINGSBY, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 2: 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. (Photo by James Glossop - WPA Pool/Getty Images).

    Credit: Getty Images

    Earlier this week, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, visited RAF Coningsby Air Base for the first time since being named Royal Honorary Air Commodore in 2023. Kate wore (actually rewore—but more on that later) one of her favorite gray pantsuits for the occasion, only to realize that at least some of the people she met during her visit made her feel a little underdressed.

    It made sense that Kate opted for the suit, considering her schedule for the day of her visit included performing a “lap of death” in a flight simulator in the training center, according to Vanity Fair.

    CONINGSBY, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 2: 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. (Photo by James Glossop - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Credit: Getty Images

    That was far from the only task on the to-do list during Kate’s visit to the base. Her schedule for the day was jam-packed and also included being briefed on the station’s recent operations (including deployments in Poland to support NATO), meeting personnel from the RAF’s reaction alert team protecting U.K. airspace, viewing a typhoon aircraft used in response to potential threats, touring training facilities using real-world mission software to prepare pilots, and meeting with junior aviators and the families of personnel stationed at Coningsby, according to Town & Country.

    Clearly, with a day that busy, comfort had to be a priority. While the none of the personnel Kate met with on the base took issue with her ensemble for the day, an unexpected meeting with a group of young fans who got decked out in their most princess-worthy dresses in their excited left her wondering if maybe a gown would have been a better choice.

    CONINGSBY, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 2: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Royal Honorary Air Commodore, meets families based at 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. (Photo by James Glossop - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Kate meeting with young fans whose parents work on and around the base during her visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. | Credit: Getty Images

    Kate crouched down to meet with the adorable group of young royal fans, whose parents work on and around the base, and made it clear that she was in awe of their princess-worthy wardrobes.

    “Where is my dress? If I had known…” she exclaimed during her chat with the group of young girls, according to Vanity Fair. “I’m sorry I didn’t wear my dress today. Thank you for coming to see me.”

    Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales meets children during a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, eastern England, on October 2, 2025. (Photo by James Glossop / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JAMES GLOSSOP/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

    “Where is my dress? If I had known…” Kate said when meeting with young royal fans who got dressed up to meet her during a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. | Credit: Getty Images

    The outfit Kate did wear for the revisit was an old favorite—her gray Prince of Wales check (the fabric’s pattern, which is also known as Glen Plaid) Bella Freud suit. If it looks familiar, it’s because not only is it an outfit Kate has worn before; it’s one she’s worn quite recently.

    Specifically, Kate wore the suit last month, during a visit to Sudbury Silk Mills on Sept. 11.

    SUDBURY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Catherine, Princess of Wales visits Sudbury Silk Mills on September 11, 2025 in Sudbury, England. The Princess of Wales is visiting mills in Sudbury and Cuxton today as she celebrates British creativity and craftmanship. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

    Kate Middleton visiting Sudbury Silk Mills on September 11, 2025 in Sudbury, England. | Credit: Getty Images

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