What Kate Wore

The Princess in Suzannah London for Ship-Naming Ceremony – What Kate Wore

The Princess wore Suzannah London and Philip Treacy for today's HMS Glasgow naming ceremony in Scotland. The royals were welcomed with flowers.  Another angle shows the darling youngsters chosen to give the Princess her posy. Today's ceremony was at the BAE Systems' shipyard in Glasgow, on the banks of the River Clyde. Naval officers greeted the couple. As you can see, the weather was more-than-cooperative today with abundant sunshine; temps were reported to be in the mid-60s. In June 2021, the Princess was appointed as the Sponsor of Glasgow, a state-of-the-art Type 26 anti-submarine frigate, designed to provide protection to the UK's nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers, per a news release. Upon seeing the vessel today, the Princess said, It's so great to see her, she's fantastic. Prince William announced the Princess's sponsorship of the Glasgow when he visited the ship in June 2021, while it was under construction at the BAE Systems' shipyard. During his visit, he announced, Her Majesty The Queen has approved the appointment of my wife Catherine as Sponsor of the superb ship we see taking shape outside – HMS Glasgow. I know that Catherine will be delighted to join you here in Glasgow for the naming ceremony in due course. The Princess met with sailors from Glasgow's crew at Windsor Castle in September 2022.  This image shows Glasgow shortly after it was successfully floated on the Clyde in 2022. The Times notes, HMS Glasgow features advanced systems such as the Sea Ceptor anti-missile system and a five-inch naval gun. It can carry both Wildcat and Merlin helicopters. The construction of the eight frigates has sustained 4,000 jobs in Scotland and the wider British supply chain. Returning to today's activities, a Pipe Major in No.1 Full Highland Dress led guests to the ceremony.  More from this Sky News piece.  The ceremony began with a royal salute from the ship's company for William and Kate, also known by their Scottish titles the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell thanked the royal couple for their support and all those involved in the Type 26 endeavour. The Princess with officials.  Then it was time for the naming of the ship. The Princess spoke the time-honored words, I have the pleasure to name this ship HMS Glasgow, may God bless her and all who sail on her. She then pushed a red 'launch' button to activate the release of a bottle of single malt whisky. Kate Mansey of The Times shared a video. NEW: The Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, has officially named HMS Glasgow by launching a bottle of whisky against the hull pic.twitter.com/euif954SpR — Kate Mansey (@KateMansey) May 22, 2025 It wasn't just any old whisky used in today's ceremony; it was made at nearby Clydeside Distillery in Glasgow. We learn more from this Rebecca English piece in The Daily Mail.  The ceremonial act is said to bring good luck and fortune to the vessel and its crew. The distillery opened its doors in 2017, the same year that the HMS Glasgow build began, marking what is considered the start of two modern icons of Glasgow's maritime heritage. Each bottle of the whisky sold will include a donation to HMS Glasgow's chosen charity, Place2Be, of which the Princess is patron, and which supports children's mental health in the city. Prince William as he watched the festivities. This Times piece by Kate Mansey has more on his thoughts.  The Prince of Wales said that the new warship was a “hell of a piece of kit — screams UK power”. He described Glasgow as “impressive”, adding: “It’s massive, I can see that’s where the future is going.” The couple met crew members. And some of the crew's family members. More from The Times story. Meeting a BAE employee, the princess said: “It’s a really proud moment for the UK, but particularly Glasgow, because there’s such international interest.” However, Kate admitted that she was still getting to grips with the shorthand used by sailors. “I’m still learning all my naval lingo,” she told one woman. “There are a lot of abbreviations that I don’t fully understand. I’ve got a lot to learn.” The Princess with another youngster.  The couple also spent time speaking with BAE Systems employees who worked on the ship. The Prince and Princess then visited the BAE Systems' Shipbuilding Academy located near the naming ceremony site. They spoke with apprentices and graduates about the training they received.  The couple also participated in some training and skill exercises themselves, including a pipe-building exercise. We learn more from this Hello piece.  Aided by second year pipe apprentices Natalie Black and Rory Hamilton, the couple got to work building their pipes while chatting. As the Princess swiftly began screwing her pipes together, Ms Black told her: You look like you’ve done this before, prompting Kate to tell her it was her experience playing with the children's toys. Prince William, who spent more time chatting than building, later claimed he had not realised it was a race. Deborah Lynch, an early careers and skills practitioner at BAE, declared the Princess the winner, only for her pipe construction to collapse, prompting much laughter. Rhiannon Mills of Sky News shared a video.   William and Kate take on a challenge with #HMSGlasgow apprentices…the result announcement is brilliant 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Czbh3nkVAf — Rhiannon Mills (@SkyRhiannon) May 22, 2025 The Princess enjoyed quite a laugh after the exercise. More from The Independent's coverage.  Apprentice Natalie Black guided Kate through the test and said afterwards: “We had a little discussion about what her kids get up to and I complimented her on how well she was doing up the bolts and she said it was just like playing with the kids’ toys.” Kate was given another task – to complete a traditional ship’s clinometer, which measures the lean angle of a vessel – and tightened a wing nut on the simple tool which will go on display on HMS Glasgow’s bridge. Below, the Princess is seen working on the clinometer. And the finished product, which carries a plaque stating, Made in part by HRH The Princess of Wales on the occasion of naming HMS Glasgow. More on the Princess's reaction to the ship comes via this Independent story.  Talking to the ship’s company and their families, she said: “It’s so exciting to see it all come together, all the technology is so impressive,” she said. “What’s really interesting as well is seeing the international interest.” One more photo from today's event. Here is a brief video released by Kensington Palace after the engagement.  To HMS Glasgow, go well, fair winds and following seas ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/cyHibssRKs — The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 22, 2025 Of course, this is not the first ship-naming ceremony the Princess has taken part in. Her first was in November 2010 at the Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station in Anglesey, Wales. Prince William and Kate Middleton were part of a naming ceremony and dedication of the RNLI lifeboat, the Hereford Endeavour. The soon-to-be-Duchess wore a Katherine Hooker coat, the designer's 'contrast coat' style. It was first noted five years earlier at the Cheltenham Gold Cup (below left). The garment was re-engineered for the Anglesey engagement. In June 2013, the Duchess of Cambridge officially named the Princess Cruises Royal Princess in Southampton. She wore the Dalmatian Print Mac by Hobbs and a hat by Sylvia Fletcher for Lock and Company on that occasion. We saw the Duchess at another naming ceremony in September 2019, this one for the RRS Sir David Attenborough, a polar research vessel. When the time came, the Duchess pushed an oversized button on the podium, releasing a bottle of champagne that smashed into the hull to memorialize the christening. She wore her Alexander McQueen utility coat for the event. Now, for our look at what Kate wore for this afternoon's ceremony, a look with a nautical feel done in the colors of the Scottish flag. She chose a tailored piece by Suzannah London, the brand's Simple Coat Dress in Navy ($2495). It is made of lightweight 100% Italian Wool Crepe and lined in 100% silk. It is described this way: 'Clean, elongated lines create this timeless, beautifully made classic, which was inspired by vintage couture fashion. Soft navy Italian wool crepe is trimmed with bright ivory wool crepe to highlight the sophisticated, clean lines... This garment can be worn alone as a coat-dress. Style with heels for the boardroom or elevate with elegant Jackie O-inspired millinery for special events. Thank you to UFO No More for such a quick ID on this garment. The Princess is fond of the Suzannah brand, wearing several designs by the label over the years. Here is a quick sampling of several styles (moving from l to r): on the far left, the Flippy Wiggle Dress in emerald green worn in May 2023; the white Flippy Wiggle Dress worn on multiple occasions, the green Valerie Polka Squares dress seen in March 2020 at engagements in Galway, and the Cotton Shirt Dress in a pattern called 'Blue Polka,' worn for a July 2020 meeting at Sandringham. Not seen in this montage, the Budding Hearts Tea Dress by Suzannah that was worn in some of Prince George's first birthday photos. The Princess repeated another Philip Treacy hat today, the Saturn Dome Hat in Navy & White. The dramatic hat showcases contrasting navy and white sinamay overlayed on a domed silhouette. The chapeau was first noted at Trooping the Colour during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. It is style Number OC 915.  We saw the return of the Princess's Gianvito 105 Pumps in Bisque suede ($597, on sale, limited sizes). She carried her Natasha Clutch ($525) in navy suede by Emmy London. The most intriguing item worn by the Princess today has to be her new brooch. It was designed by local jeweler Simon Porter of James Porter and Son, a fifth-generation family-run firm. You can see the Naval crown at the top, and thistles, Scotland's national flower. You can also see the word Glasgow near the top of the piece, and a figure depicted in the center. My guess is that it is St. Kentigern (also known as St. Mungo), patron saint of Glasgow. We learn more about the brooch from Danielle Stacey's Hello story.  Simon Porter said they had been asked to design a brooch based on HMS Glasgow's crest.  It was an absolute honour to see her wearing it, he said. Against a plain navy background it really stood out. The brooch was funded by two London livery companies, the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers and the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. Today's other jewelry: the cabochon sapphire and diamond earrings that initially belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. VIDEOS:  The Royal Family Channel offers coverage of today's naming ceremony.    Here is a quick TikTok video by Suzannah London about the coatdress.  @suzannahlondon Chic, polished, and utterly refined, our Simple Coat Dress radiates elegance with its vintage couture inspirations: soft navy Italian wool crepe and ivory silk crepe clean lines. Watch our founder introduce you to one of our most timeless additions to our AW24 collection. #suzannah #suzannahlondon  original sound - Suzannah London