London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Kate's Pakistan outfits draw Diana comparisons

Kate's Pakistan outfits draw Diana comparisons

Is the Duchess of Cambridge putting a modern twist on garments the Princess of Wales wore years ago?

The Duchess of Cambridge's outfits on the royal tour of Pakistan have drawn comparisons with those worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.

Some say Kate's putting a modern twist on clothes worn by her husband William's mother during trips to Pakistan in the 1990s. On day two of the visit Kate's dress bore a striking resemblance to the blue floral pattern outfit Diana wore when she met young cancer patients in a Lahore hospital in May 1997.

On social media many have praised the Duchess for her style choices - and women have been sharing photos of their blue dresses.

But the designer behind some of the outfits says any similarity with what Diana wore is just a coincidence.

"As far as my designs for the Duchess are concerned, I didn't have any particular idea or colour in mind," Maheen Khan told BBC Urdu.

"I understood that she needed something simple, classical because she's fond of elegance."

She said she thought blue would "blend" with Kate's fair complexion.

"I chose periwinkle blue - it's a beautiful blue. And I thought the Duchess's dress should reflect our Pakistani culture."

So Ms Khan kept that in mind, and retained "the Pakistani silhouette like kurta, trousers and dupatta", which didn't go unnoticed.

The royal couple arrived in Pakistan on Monday evening, with Kate wearing a light blue tunic and trousers, apparently inspired by the loose shalwar kameez traditional to the region.

It reminded people of what Diana had worn on her visits to Pakistan.

On Tuesday the dark blue kurta and scarf courtesy of Maheen Khan was on display during a visit to an Islamabad school.

"It's a matter of pride and pleasure for me that Kate wore a dress that I designed," said Ms Khan, adding that she had had no direct communication with her.

Later in the day, the royal couple met Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"The Duchess wore a green coat shirt by Catherine Walker, white trousers designed by me and a green dupatta [scarf] by Satrangi. This is how Kate put together her ensemble. That's why everyone calls her a stylish woman," Ms Khan told the BBC.

Catherine Walker was one of Diana's favourite designers.

"It is a matter of pride and pleasure for me that Kate wore a dress that I designed. I usually add two colours to my designed sketches, so I had in my mind that Kate would love this attire too.

"I used different types of fabrics in Kate's costumes, including chiffon and raw silk. I thought Kate liked to wear simple, classic and elegant dresses."

The duchess also won praise for wearing earrings by Pakistani designer Zeen. And high street "nude heels" are currently reported to be sold out in the UK in her choice of colour, beige, after she wore them on Tuesday morning.

Not everyone's focused on the outfits, though.

The royal couple's engagements on Tuesday evening caused traffic chaos and left many in Islamabad less than impressed - not least because auto rickshaws are banned in the capital, but a special exception was made.

Those who weren't inconvenienced, however, pointed out the prince deserved praise, too, for his fashion choice, because he was wearing a local black sherwani, a knee-length jacket with matching trousers.

Maheen Khan has won many awards for her designs and work in the TV and film industry. She's made clothes for many celebrities, among them Pakistan's first female prime minister, who was an icon for women around the world.

"I designed a green shirt and a white dupatta for Benazir Bhutto, which still adorns her wax statute at Madame Tussauds in London," Ms Khan said.

So it's perhaps no surprise royal staff got in touch before the trip.

"There is a shop in London where clothes designed by me are on display. Representatives from the British royal family went there and picked up my clothes and then contacted me," Ms Khan said.

"Now people are crazily asking for the dark blue dress worn by Kate. So far I have received many orders for that dress and my team is working on new orders."

Others who've worn her designs include Jemima Khan, the former wife of Imran Khan. Mr Khan, a former international cricketing star and now prime minister, was a friend of Diana.

But any parallel between the clothes worn by Kate and Diana is unintended.

"I didn't even see the clothes Princess Diana wore on her visit to Pakistan. This is all just a coincidence," says Ms Khan. I just thought about what would suit Kate."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×