Last year, it was reported that the Duchess of Cambridge spent over £174,170 ($214,788.19) on clothing. The number seemed astronomical and many people jumped at the chance to criticise not only Kate and her clothing choices, but how the Daily Mail pulled together the sums of her wardrobe. The popular blog, What Would Kate Do? decided that this was something they could perhaps help with, and have shared their findings with Royal Central. Since January of this year, they have started to keep a tab on all of the new items Kate has added to her wardrobe and worn on public engagements so that they would be able to provide a really good sense of how much she actually spent, the breakdown of items as well as the types of garments she was adding to her collection.
Kate spent £57,347.50 (rounded up for sake of argument) on clothes in the first three months of 2017. This is the equivalent of approximately $71,200 USD – and if she keeps up this “pace”, we will see her surpass last year’s numbers. They anticipate that the spending does continue seeing how she will be taking on additional royal duties this year now that the Cambridge family are relocating to London. Here are all of the items we noted that Kate was wearing new during the first three months of the year, broken down to make that total.
JANUARY 8, 2017: SANDRINGHAM CHURCH VISIT
LK Bennett Sammi Scarf (Retail price £110.00)
Lock & Co. Alpaca Fur Hat (Retail price £320.00)
JANUARY 11, 2017 : ANNA FREUD CENTRE VISIT
Eponine London Blue Belted Coat Dress (Retail price £1,650.00)
JANUARY 17, 2017 : HEADS TOGETHER EVENT
Erdem Evita Dress (Retail price $1876)
JANUARY 24, 2017 : EACH HOSPICES EVENT
Gerard Darel Josephine Blouse (Retail price €185.00)
Hobbs Sinead Jacket (Retail price £189.00)
Hobbs Sinead Skirt (Retail price $136.00)
FEBRUARY 5, 2017: LONDON MARATHON TRAINING
Perfect Moment Mini Duvet II (Retail price $505)
New Balance Vazee Rush (Retail price £90)
Zara Body Curve Jeggings Black (Retail price $35.90)
Unknown Black turtleneck (Retail price $200 *Assumption* We assume that the piece is similar in price range to Iris & Ink pieces Kate has worn in the past)
Asprey 167 Earrings (Retail price $4800)
FEBRUARY 6, 2017: UK GUILD OF HEALTH WRITERS CONFERENCE
Oscar de la Renta Purple Suit (Retail price $2190 *Assumption* This may have been worn to the Queen’s Christmas Luncheon in December 2016. Because it was not confirmed and there were no photos, we are assuming this to be new for the purposes of these calculations)
FEBRUARY 12, 2017 : BAFTA AWARDS
Bespoke Alexander McQueen (Retail price $7765)
Alexander McQueen Heart Clasp Clutch (Retail price $2075)
FEBRUARY 14, 2017 : AIR CADETS ENGAGEMENT
Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini Red Twill Jacket (Retail price $1515)
FEBRUARY 27, 2017 : UK INDIA CULTURAL RECEPTION
Oscar de la Renta Cabrina Pumps (Retail price $690)
Erdem Rhona Dress (Retail price $1191)
Anita Dongre Pink City Earrings (Retail price $1350)
FEBRUARY 28, 2017 : EVANGELINA LONDON ENGAGEMENT
Rebecca Taylor Cropped Tweed Jacket (Retail price $495)
Rebecca Taylor Tweed Dress (Retail price $800 *Assumption* There was no matching dress ever located. Best guesses are that this piece is a skirt that was cut from a dress, or that it was custom made. We are assuming the price of a dress which would need alterations.)
MARCH 9, 2017: IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN MEMORIAL UNVEILING
Lock & Co. Tiffany Drop Pin (Retail price £325.00)
MARCH 17, 2017: ST. PATRICKS DAY
Catherine Walker Bespoke Coatdress (Retail price $2500 *Assumption* Taking price of similar styles from Catherine Walker)
Emmy London Pointed Court Shoes (Retail price $545.00)
Etui Dark Green Clutch Bag (€130)
MARCH 17, 2017: ROYAL VISIT PARIS DAY ONE – RECEPTION
Gianvito Rossi Black Heels (Retail price $800)
Alexander McQueen Black Dress (Retail price £4,000 *Assumption* Taking price of similar styles/bespoke options)
MARCH 17, 2017: ROYAL VISIT PARIS DAY ONE – GALA
Jenny Packham Blue Embellished Dress (Retail price $5,170)
MARCH 18, 2017: ROYAL VISIT PARIS DAY TWO – MORNING
Chanel Coat (Retail price £8,350)
Chanel Calfskin Bag with Enamel Handle (Retail price £3,762)
Cartier Trinity de Cartier Earrings (Retail price £1,640)
March 18, 2017: Royal Visit Paris Day Two – Rugby
Unknown Black Heeled Boots (Retail price $975.00 *Assumption* Assuming similar price/style to Gianvito Rossi and priced accordingly)
MARCH 28, 2017: NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY GALA
Kiki McDonough Candy Pink Tourmaline and Green Amethyst Drop Earrings (£8,900)
OF NOTE…
WWKD did not include the Chanel belt separately (it was figured into the cost of the Chanel coat), the pearl necklace set worn in France (we assumed it was part of the set with the earrings Kate has previously worn in other years) or the green lace dress from the NPG Gala (Kate had previously worn it to a private event in previous year which we had peeks at).
Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Should the Duchess of Cambridge cut back on her spending or is the overall affect good for the British economy?
How much does the Queen’s wardrobe cost? The Duchess of Cornwall? Sophie? How much do the men’s suits cost??? The excessive focus on the monetary value of Kate’s clothes is simply ridiculous. Please stay away from such articles.
I totally agree. These are assumptions. You don’t really know when she bought what. Or what she has worn when you don’t have a photo.
I think this is a very valid question. This cost of $71,000 covers 17 days of work (not 17/8 hours days) at this rate each day’s clothing cost $4176.
This is nitpicking. Take any 17 days of work from the Queen or Camilla. Dissect on their bespoke clothes, jewellery, handbags and accessories and put a price tag on every single one. I guarantee you you’ll get higher figures.
Wow, this is quite a bit for 17 days/26 engagements especially considering most engagements last less than an hour.
Who cares! The taxpayers didn’t pay for it anyhow.
If she wasn’t dressed nice people would complain about that too!
I am sure all of her clothing is very discounted. I doubt she would be paying full-price for anything. Give her a break. These type of articles are just lame.
Totally lame. And only happens with Catherine. Why she’s branded as a clothes horse is because of write ups like this one. Shame.
Exactly. Do a cost breakdown of Sophie’s wardrobe.
Yes, please let’s have a full cost accounting of the monarchy, including security spent protecting the royals when they are on vacation or visiting family.
Since the Duchess’ clothing costs are defrayed by the Prince of Wales from Duchy of Cornwall income and NOT from the Taxpayer it is NONE of my business, nor yours. Please stop ‘rabble rousing’ or I [and many others] will cease to follow you…
Come on now. We all know there is a high probability that she did not pay full price for these outfits. Any designer would love for her to wear their clothing.
royals can’t accept freebies but she might get a discount.
Not relevant, as Prince Charles pays with the profits from his companies in the Duchy of Cornwall. No taxpayer money involved. If Kate wore the same outfits over and over again, she would be picked on for that. Look up the Crown Estates, incidentally, and you will find that that is where the supposed “Taxpayer money “comes from. They belong to the Royals and are administered by the Government, who collect multi million in taxes from them and dole out a pittance of that to the Royals. Learn your own history, before you start nit picking.
The Crown Estates used to belong to the royal family, in the days when the king paid for the defense, etc. of the realm. Mismanagement of these estates led to said king turning over the estates to parliment (who use the funds to pay for such extravagances as health care and education), keeping only a portion for his more limited monarchial duties.
The Duchy of Cornwall is an estate similarly earmarked for the next-in-line to the throne, but is arguably on loan from the government. The Duchy of Lancaster, however, is arguably the monarch’s own property since it entered the family as part of a royal bride’s dowry.
I agree with other posts. Leave the Lady alone. She can do as she wants. Why does eveyone picks on her….
Catherine always looks nice and is appropriately attired for the occasion. It would appear she is stepping up her wardrobe in anticipation of more events once she and William relocate to London. Why you are picking on her wardrobe costs is beyond me… the Duchy of Cornwall pays for all this. She recycles her dresses. There are pictures of her wearing the same evening gown with different jewels from her first formal engagement as Duchess of Cambridge shortly after her wedding to an event last year. Same dress, different jewels and hairstyle. We’ve seen her wear outfits more than once. She didn’t have these clothes before her marriage but she will wear them again and again. As I recall, Diana, Princess of Wales did a lot of clothes purchasing the first few years of her marriage to Charles as well. She was also criticized but she wore her outfits more than once and she had several of them redone to fit with current styles. By the way, how much does the Queen and/or the Duchess of Cornwall spend on outfits, how many are repeated and how many are revamped to fit current styles?
This is very tasteless, juvenile and unnecessary. Calculating her clothing and accessories for every outing and putting a price on everything when this is not even taypayer money? Shall we do the same with every Angela Kelly and Anna Valentine outfit then? Don’t forget all of the Queen’s jewellery! This is beneath you, RC!
Yes, yes, yes – bury you heads in the sand with the Leave her alone crap.
The vapid, clothes horse spends hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of tax payers money – the Duchy of Cornwall sells products – TO THE DAMN STUPID PUBLIC which then goes to foot the bill of someone who has not worked a real day in her pampered life. Never had to worry about where the next morsel of food is coming from, never had to worry about who is going to look after her precious little photo ops (the kids), never had to worry about who was going to pay the mortgage, insurance, security, dentist, medical bills – NOTHING.
A new day, another dress. All full price – as the the Royal Family cannot accept gifts – well known fact.
As for even comparing to the Lamebridge Leech is an insult. Her Majesty – that Lady is 91 years old, has been on the throne since 1952 when her father passed. Years of service, and you lot DARE to compare the lazy middleton stalker with the Queen who has worked into her 10th decade while her useless grandson weak willy and his equally obnoxious mrs have used every excuse under the sun to get out of work.
Now the articles are middleton is doing more she needs more well NO she does not. What the hell is the point of wearing thousands of pounds worth of clothing on her back to raise awareness of a charity when if she PAID THE MONEY to the CHARITY and wore one of the other thousand pound dresses she flaunts herself in would be of more use.
Pander to this vapid, cold, calculating madam all you like. All this sucking up will get you nowhere except bankrupt. Middleton and her husband are morally bankrupt anyway.
You can scream at me, call me jealous, envious etc – ALL WRONG.
I just see through the crap that they are trying to peddle to make a woman who strutted up a runway, in her underwear to bag herself a gormless twit and then hung around long enough so he had to marry her.
Believe in the fairytale if you want, hope it makes you sleep well at night when there are thousands of Brits struggling every day of the week to put food on their tables, clothe and house their children and all you can do is defend the indefensible.
No doubt there will be plenty of people yelling at me – go for it. Just remember that many people believe that after Her Majesty passes then no more.
I promise that if the U.K. devolved into a republic the day of the beloved Queen’s funeral, the poor and needy would not see one bit of improvement in their daily lives. There is no way the “costs” of the monarchy will automatically go into social services. Besides, with your social system of cradle to grave care, the dole is already huge! Your hatred of the monarchy is not based on logical financial facts; rather, it is based on a personal resentment you harbor against them. They are not the problem, trust me. Furthermore, your imagined republican government will spend more on their expenses than you ever have seen devoted to the monarchy. And that will be without the taxes they pay, the tourism they attract AND the way they raise funds for charitable causes simply by being a patron who supports these invaluable causes. Think about it…and try to rein in your vitriol if it’s possible.
Strange as it may seem I actually was born in, and live in a Commonwealth Country. Her Majesty is my Sovereign. So I will say exactly as I please.
I have supported the Queen for as long as I have lived – that will end when Her Majesty passes of whom we will NEVER see the like of her WORK ETHIC again.
If her gormless grandson bill middleton and his equally arrogant and pampered mrs spent a fraction of the money they spend and cost the ordinary citizen as well as give value for money (which they do not) except when it suits them to be seen especially after they have both been caught out skivving off on Commonwealth Day then there would be no issues.
However, like many – stick your heads in the sand. Go for it. You want light hearted joing the Sugar Set, go to a site where everything is wonderful in fairy land and ignore the reality that these two leeches are taking the mickey out of everyone and laughing all the way to their Anmer Hall Bunker. Then when the Brits have to refurbish Kensington Palace again because the kitchen has dust on it for lack of use, barbed wire fences have to go up as well as trees to block the “peasants” possibly catching a glimpse of these two vapid 35 year old grifters then you might think twice.
If you want Royalty – have it, pay for it. Do not send them to Commonwealth Countries and let us foot the bill for their/your gravy train. They are niether use nor ornament.
Reality for many is not the “Sugar site or the let’s keep it light hearted” – it is being able to say and be honest about what we think.
So you are wrong. Very wrong. I along with many have supported Her Majesty however once she passes – you are welcome to what the bill and kate middleton puppet show will do for you. That will be nothing… except more expense and discontent among those who work hard then have screeds of articles shoved down our throats about how middleton’s hair is done that week or if her dress suited her.
Omg! Lolz! You are a very jealous bitter angry person….aren’t you!??
You should put ALL that energy into preventing more So-called Refugees/Migrants/So-called Asylum Seekers/Illegal Aliens/Boat People and etc. from coming into England!
Those Leeches get ALL kinds of Welfare and freebies!
They ALL should be Deported! ASAP! If not they will out breed everyone throughout Europe and ruin Europe! That’s what YOU should be Mad about! That’s what YOU and everyone should Worry about!
Don’t you think!?
Great to see that another migrant bashing person/supporter has been unleashed on the world.
As if the World needs that mentality right now.
Calling me jealous, angry, bitter, envious and anything else that makes you feel good about your own thoughts – just you remember this….
I called out a seriously out of control couple of babied 35 year old people, with outrageous spending habits, arrogant attitudes, and have been hammered for it.
There are plenty of sugar sites that you can go to – for the fluff and pretty pictures. There are plenty of sites you can go to so you can spew about the immigrants/migrants – feel free to do it.
We all came from somewhere else, whether born in Britain, Spain, Italy, France, Australia (Britain sent their convicts there..), New Zealand, America (and most of them left to escape Britain in the first place…) so maybe read a little bit of history before yelling at me over immigrants/migrants.
As I said in the beginning – the money spent clothing and housing these two, especially a woman who flashed her underwear on a runway, stalked a man for 10 years until nailing him at the abbey and then producing a couple of kids (their little photo ops when they are in trouble).. along with the fact that middleton never had a job in her life apart from waiting for bill to call.
On overseas jollies apart from the outrageous costs of clothing, security and the like – her constant “flashing” on 4 occasions (the extremely offensive one was at the India Gate while meant to be laying a wreath at the Commonwealth Cemetery).
It is not from a place of the jealousy, envy, immigrant, migrant, bitter rant you have just unleashed – that I commented from.
Mine was one from having been a supporter of Her Majesty for years and to see her good work go down the toilet for bill and kate middleton is something many are ashamed to see.
Actually – just so you are really well informed. I actually wrote (hand wrote) a letter to her Majesty after that disgraceful incident at the India Gate and raised my deep concern.
The Queen is my Sovereign – so I wrote to her, one of the 6 times I have in my life and I received a reply as I always do.
At least I have the courage of my convictions. Do you?
I had hoped this blog would not descend into the realm of controversy/judgment. The Duchess has been known for a long time for recycling items and for also trying to rise to the level of her position as a representative of the U.K. and a salesperson of sorts for British goods. And yes, the taxpayers do NOT pay for her clothing. So let’s keep the blog light and non controversial. Save the conflict aspects for whatever issues really deserve such discussions.
Oh the green eye of envy or is it pure jealousy? As a public figure whose clothes are paid for by her wealthy husband it’s nobody’s business but theirs.
$7700 for a gown that looks like someone spilled paint all over it? Nothing indulgent about this anachronistic anorexic stick model. Stop chawing about how the money comes from Charles’ Duchy. Keep in mind that he is off the Civil List because of the Duchy but also absolved of tax. In any event, the Windsors ought really stop preaching to others wherever they go.
Who cares!
Get over it!
I bet she gets many things for free too.