Princess Kate rarely puts a sartorial foot wrong, as was evident at the BAFTA Film Awards at the weekend when she wowed in a flowing Gucci gown. Her favourite jeans designer has now shared the truth about whether the Princess of Wales and the rest of the royal family accept clothing "freebies" for their palace wardrobes.
Australian-born Donna Ida Thornton opened a boutique in Chelsea in 2006, before launching her denim label IDA in 2013, and has come to be known as the 'queen of jeans' - with customers including Cat Deeley, Trinny Woodall and Amanda Holden. The Princess, 44, has been wearing her denim looks for years.
Speaking to the Daily Mail at her pop-up shop at Chandos House in London, in collaboration with Dr Sebagh, Donna opened up about why she is grateful that the royal mother-of-three is adamant about paying out of pocket for her pieces. She said: "It's more beneficial for designers when the royals buy clothes and not receive freebies."
Donna continued: "It shows that they want it and support your brand and it's not just product being chucked around." She added: "The royals are very conscious like that, and they would always want to pay for things and support brands. The royals are great."
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© Dave Benett/Getty ImagesRoyal wardrobe
As is royal custom, the family are not meant to accept clothes - or other items - for free, even those from Royal Warrant holders. However, according to Vogue, they will sometimes be loaned items by designers, which they will then return, and this is often arranged through their stylists.
The Princess has had styling help from her personal assistant Natasha Archer for years, although it was announced in October that she is leaving. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice has long been styled by Olivia Buckingham.
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© Dave Benett/Getty Images for AscIn 2023, Prince Harry inadvertently revealed that his wife Meghan Markle - who was initially styled by her friend Jessica Mulroney during her time as a working royal - had broken protocol by accepting gifts. In his memoir Spare, he wrote: "She shared all the freebies she received, clothes and perfumes and make-up, with all the women in the office."
Speculation has been mounting about the styling successor to Natasha, who is understood to be leaving her palace role to set up her own private consultancy. It has been suggested that Virginia Chadwyck-Healey - who was at the University of St Andrews with the Princess, and attended her 2011 wedding - could be about to step up.
