The royal watchers are eagle-eyed, always looking for clues in the wardrobe of Kate Middleton, trying to see if she’s sending us a message through her outfits. Over time, royals have indeed been thought to send subtle messages through what they wear. Fashion is, after all, a means of telegraphing—of constructing an image that one wants to project to the world.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is known for wearing primarily British designers such as Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham, and Emilia Wickstead, along with British clothing brands like Barbour, Reiss, LK Bennett, Boden, Jigsaw (where she once worked), and more.
But lately, the princess has surprised onlookers by wearing a handful of pieces by American designers. On June 2, she wore a Rodarte red polka-dot dress to a reception to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cancer Research UK. It was a surprising move because Rodarte is a new-to-her label, and one originally founded by American sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy in Los Angeles. In May, the princess debuted a new Jenni Kayne pleated ivory skirt, marking another American designer (and another California moment!). So the internet is abuzz: Is Kate trying to tell us that she will visit the United States this summer?
While no visit has been confirmed, there are quite a few reasons the princess and her husband, Prince William, might be coming to the U.S. this summer. America will celebrate its 250th anniversary on July 4, and the royals may have been invited to official events. There is also the World Cup, of course.
And last—but certainly not least!—some outlets have reported that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding is on July 3 (though this has not been confirmed) in New York City. Prince William is a known fan of the superstar, and was asked in a recent radio interview about whether he would attend the wedding. The future king remained mum, but he did say he hoped to be invited.
Whether all of this is intertwined with Kate’s fashion choices, we don’t know. But there are plenty of reasons the royals could be coming to the U.S. very soon. We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.
