Kate Middleton has always been a fashion icon, from famously wooing Prince William with her daring see-through dress on the university catwalk at university, to blowing everyone away with her stunning Alexander McQueen wedding gown. When it comes to shoes, the Princess of Wales also does not disappoint.
It’s tough to catch her making a public engagement without a pair of killer heels even though she can be on her feet for hours at a time. That’s why the Princess has a couple of secrets to help her feet not hurt while standing up for hours.
Royal etiquette expert Myka Meier has said that Kate is a fan of two products. She reportedly wears John Lewis non-slip tights so her feet don’t slip from her heels.
The £6 sheer stockings have gel strips on the bottom to help your feet grip the shoe. The description says: “Achieve a flattering smooth silhouette and a natural bare leg look with our seven denier barely there tights.
“These tights have been designed with a non-slip texture on the sole for enhanced fit and wear whatever the choice of shoes. Completed with a flat seam, a hygienic cotton gusset and an open-toe styling perfect for those warm days when you need discreet yet seasonal coverage.”
READ MORE: Kate and William’s new home is ‘such a downsize’ compared to Frogmore
Royal fans spotted a photo of the Princess wearing tights with gel cushions similar on a royal tour of Canada in July 2011.
The photo shows clear, gel-like strips peeking out over the side of the Princess’ pointy-toe Tabitha Simmons heels.
Ms Meier said Kate has also worn Alice Bow insoles, created by British designer Rachel Bowditch.
The slip-in leather soles, which sell for £18.95, are designed to “cushion” your feet so you can wear heels for hours pain-free.
DON’T MISS:
In 2015, a source told Vanity Fair Kate had “ordered a couple of packets” of the Alice Bow insoles. “She thinks they are great,” the source said.
At the time, a spokesperson for Alice Bow told Vanity Fair that the company could not comment on “talk of the Duchess wearing [its] insoles.”
“We have seen a massive surge in site visits, however,” the spokesperson added.
Though there’s no official guidance on footwear, the late Queen set a convention about stockings in public, according to royal expert Victoria Arbiter.
“You never see a royal without their nude stockings,” Ms Arbiter previously said. “I would say that’s really the only hard, steadfast rule in terms of what the Queen requires.”
Royal women normally wear tights on royal duty but can be a bit more flexible with the shoe by choosing the right one for the engagement.
Fans might have seen Kate in trainers and flats at more casual events, or open-toe and strappy heels for evening wear.
One type of shoe the late Queen could reportedly not bear was wedges. “The Queen isn’t a fan of wedged shoes. She really doesn’t like them and it’s well known among the women in the family,” a source told Vanity Fair in 2015.
Daena Borrowman, the Marketing Manager at jewellerybox previously told Express.co.uk: “There are dozens of protocols in place that stylists and dressers of the royals have to familiarise themselves with to prevent working royals from landing into embarrassing fashion faux pas.
“It is customary for senior royals to dress modestly during public appearances, in order to preserve the sanctity of the Royal Family. Royal women are expected to wear tights whenever their legs are exposed in public.
“The Princess of Wales, who favours nude tights and has worn them with many iconic outfits, has often triggered the sellout of nude tights. Pennies or small weights are sewn into the hemlines of dresses to avoid them being blown up by a strong gust of British wind.
“Royal women are also discouraged from showing off their cleavage. In order to still wear bespoke dresses with daring necklines, the Princess has her evening gowns altered ever so slightly to keep with the rules, while her later mother-in-law, Princess Diana used to hold her clutch to her chest while exiting vehicles.”
