When the Duchess of Cambridge turned around to kiss her mother Carole Middleton at Wimbledon last week, it summed up how wonderfully affectionate their relationship is.
Seeing their matching smiles light up over the Royal Box also underlined how strikingly similar they are, both in style and appearance.
With their long auburn hair worn shiny, straight and behind the ears, with earrings peeking down, the pair were clearly channeling the same look.
But where it was once Kate who copied her mother’s impeccable style, it seems that at age 67, Carole is pulling a leaf out of her oldest child’s fashion book.
Ladies in Red: Kate wore her Boden coat to visit Great Ormond Street (left). Carole (right) jumped out to M&S in hers
From her freshly straightened hair—clearly impressed with the treatment Kate received before her Caribbean tour—to the matching jewelry and dresses, Carole’s had less of a makeover than a ‘Kateover’.
And why not? After all the makeup and fashion tips Kate has gotten from her mom over the years, it’s only fair that Carole is reaping the benefits of her daughter’s sophistication.
They both call on Richard Ward’s hair salon, so why not share a wardrobe – especially if it’s as full as Kate’s?
Pastel couple: Kate’s Alexander McQueen number (left) inspired the dress coat Carole wore to Pippa’s wedding (right)
Take Royal Ascot a few weeks ago when Carole looked fabulous in a breezy hot pink pleated shirt dress from British label Me+Em. The dress was remarkably famous – it was identical to a dress her daughter wore on a visit to Edinburgh last May.
Did Carole borrow it from Kate’s extensive wardrobe? Could be. Although Carole is not as tall as the Duchess, she certainly has the slim figure to wear her daughter’s clothes. Not only that, but she put her own spin on the look with a black fascinator and matching clutch.
There was even more inspiration for daughter-mother style at Wimbledon, when Carole arrived on the third day of the tournament wearing a beautiful blue topaz necklace from one of Kate’s favorite gemstone designers, Kiki McDonough.
Me + Mum: Did Carole borrow Kate’s hot pink Me + Em dress for Ascot’s first day last month?
It may even have been borrowed from Kate’s jewelry box, as Kate herself has worn the same piece several times.
For me, just a few years older than Carole and with a 32-year-old daughter, Emma, I just love the relationship between Kate and her mother.
There’s something unique about the moment you realize you can dive into your daughter’s wardrobe. Though I’m not entirely sure Emma would always agree with that.
It feels a bit daring to be roaming around in your daughter’s clothes – and quite fantastic that they fit!
Striking Resemblance: Kate wore it first, but Carole wasn’t far behind in a navy blue version of this Alexander McQueen tiered dress
It’s also good to be shaken out of your fashion rut every now and then – and who better than a daughter to provide the inspiration?
I can certainly agree that as a mother you sometimes think that your daughter looks so beautiful that you want to imitate her style. Sometimes a few concessions have to be made with age, although Carole’s legs are so shapely that she can still lift a hem and look elegant. Good for her!
She was a British Airways flight attendant in her twenties, at a time when cabin crew was one of the most glamorous jobs out there.
From the same stripe: Breton tops are a mother and daughter staple
Family Jewelry: Kate and Carole both love Kiki McDonough’s designs. But it’s not often a mother loots her daughter’s jewelry box!
So it wouldn’t come as a surprise if, as the seeds of Kate’s royal romance with William began to bloom, Kate might have given her daughter some style advice.
And during the early years of her romance with the prince, Kate’s safe fashion choices often mirrored – unsurprisingly – those of her beloved mother.
But with time, now a confident mother of three herself and poised for her future role as queen, Kate has really come into her own.
It is truly wonderful to see this confidence reflected in the woman who shaped her.
Image research by Claire Cisotti.
Thanks mom! Matching down to the belt and shoes, Carole wore this to Ascot in 2010. Kate copied her for a visit to a hospice in 2012