London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 04, 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
UK Inquiry Finds Putin ‘Morally Responsible’ for 2018 Novichok Death — London Imposes Broad Sanctions on GRU
India backs down on plan to mandate government “Sanchar Saathi” app on all smartphones
King Charles Welcomes German President Steinmeier to UK in First State Visit by Berlin in 27 Years
UK Plans Major Cutback to Jury Trials as Crown Court Backlog Nears 80,000
UK Government to Significantly Limit Jury Trials in England and Wales
U.S. and U.K. Seal Drug-Pricing Deal: Britain Agrees to Pay More, U.S. Lifts Tariffs
UK Postpones Decision Yet Again on China’s Proposed Mega-Embassy in London
Head of UK Budget Watchdog Resigns After Premature Leak of Reeves’ Budget Report
Car-sharing giant Zipcar to exit UK market by end of 2025
Reports of Widespread Drone Deployment Raise Privacy and Security Questions in the UK
UK Signals Security Concerns Over China While Pursuing Stronger Trade Links
Google warns of AI “irrationality” just as Gemini 3 launch rattles markets
Top Consultancies Freeze Starting Salaries as AI Threatens ‘Pyramid’ Model
Macron Says Washington Pressuring EU to Delay Enforcement of Digital-Regulation Probes Against Meta, TikTok and X
UK’s DragonFire Laser Downs High-Speed Drones as £316m Deal Speeds Naval Deployment
UK Chancellor Rejects Claims She Misled Public on Fiscal Outlook Ahead of Budget
Starmer Defends Autumn Budget as Finance Chief Faces Accusations of Misleading Public Finances
EU Firms Struggle with 3,000-Hour Paperwork Load — While Automakers Fear De Facto 2030 Petrol Car Ban
White House launches ‘Hall of Shame’ site to publicly condemn media outlets for alleged bias
UK Budget’s New EV Mileage Tax Undercuts Case for Plug-In Hybrids
UK Government Launches National Inquiry into ‘Grooming Gangs’ After US Warning and Rising Public Outcry
Taylor Swift Extends U.K. Chart Reign as ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ Hits Six Weeks at No. 1
250 Still Missing in the Massive Fire, 94 Killed. One Day After the Disaster: Survivor Rescued on the 16th Floor
Trump: National Guard Soldier Who Was Shot in Washington Has Died; Second Soldier Fighting for His Life
UK Chancellor Reeves Defends Tax Rises as Essential to Reduce Child Poverty and Stabilise Public Finances
No Evidence Found for Claim That UK Schools Are Shifting to Teaching American English
European Powers Urge Israel to Halt West Bank Settler Violence Amid Surge in Attacks
"I Would Have Given Her a Kidney": She Lent Bezos’s Ex-Wife $1,000 — and Received Millions in Return
European States Approve First-ever Military-Grade Surveillance Network via ESA
UK to Slash Key Pension Tax Perk, Targeting High Earners Under New Budget
UK Government Announces £150 Annual Cut to Household Energy Bills Through Levy Reforms
UK Court Hears Challenge to Ban on Palestine Action as Critics Decry Heavy-Handed Measures
Investors Rush Into UK Gilts and Sterling After Budget Eases Fiscal Concerns
UK to Raise Online Betting Taxes by £1.1 Billion Under New Budget — Firms Warn of Fallout
Lamine Yamal? The ‘Heir to Messi’ Lost to Barcelona — and the Kingdom Is in a Frenzy
Warner Music Group Drops Suit Against Suno, Launches Licensed AI-Music Deal
HP to Cut up to 6,000 Jobs Globally as It Ramps Up AI Integration
MediaWorld Sold iPad Air for €15 — Then Asked Customers to Return Them or Pay More
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Promises ‘Full-Time’ Education for All Children as School Attendance Slips
UK Extends Sugar Tax to Sweetened Milkshakes and Lattes in 2028 Health Push
UK Government Backs £49 Billion Plan for Heathrow Third Runway and Expansion
UK Gambling Firms Report £1bn Surge in Annual Profits as Pressure Mounts for Higher Betting Taxes
UK Shares Advance Ahead of Budget as Financials and Consumer Staples Lead Gains
Domino’s UK CEO Andrew Rennie Steps Down Amid Strategic Reset
UK Economy Stalls as Reeves Faces First Budget Test
UK Economy’s Weak Start Adds Pressure on Prime Minister Starmer
UK Government Acknowledges Billionaire Exodus Amid Tax Rise Concerns
UK Budget 2025: Markets Brace as Chancellor Faces Fiscal Tightrope
UK Unveils Strategic Plan to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains
UK Taskforce Calls for Radical Reset of Nuclear Regulation to Cut Costs and Accelerate Build
×