Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Elizabeth Make First Joint Outing

The Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Elizabeth II made their first ever joint outing on Tuesday, March 19th, at King's College in London.

As usual, the Queen opted for a bright pink cashmere coat by Stuart Parvin, while the Duchess chose a grey fit and flare coat dress by Catherine Walker, one of her go-to labels.

This is not the first time that the Duchess has recycled her favourite outfits, as she wore a very similar design from the same label back in 2012 when she visited Leicester with the Queen during her Diamond Jubilee tour of the UK.

However, this new design was missing the buttons and added an added belt and black collar.

She also put on a Sylvia Fletcher hat, which was the same one she wore during her last royal engagement with the Queen.

William Hansen, a ticket expert, explained to Mail Online that formal day dress always requires a hat and the Queen is rarely seen in public during daytime events without one.

Hansen added that the Duchess completely understands her role and her current place in the royal pecking order, and followed the royal rule book to the letter during the engagement.

In addition to wearing a hat, the Duchess also wore black tights instead of her normal sheer tights, perhaps as a way of showing her more traditional side.

Hansen revealed that her choice of dress was also a sign of respect to the Queen, as it was more muted and blended into the surroundings, allowing the Queen to stand out and take the main focus.

Even when it came to exiting the car, the Duchess kept up tradition by allowing the Queen to exit first, even though she was sat in the closest position to the door.

According to Hansen, it is standard practice that the Queen exits the car first, although strict protocol actually dictates that the most important person arrives last.

As they arrived at the event, the royals also shared a blue blanket over their laps, something the Queen is known to do and the Duchess seemed happy to follow suit with the tradition.

The Queen, who is patron of King's College, toured the facilities with Kate and met supporters of the development.

They also viewed a robotics demonstration, including robotic surgery, and a demo showing how sensors made from textiles can measure useful information about the body.

Hansen said that although some rules can be adapted on occasion, when appropriate, working alongside the monarch is not one of these occasions and he was glad to see that Catherine chose to play it safe.

Later in the day, the Duchess of Cambridge visited the Foundling Museum without the Queen and removed her hat.

The joint outing with the Queen was a significant event for the Duchess, who is expected to become Queen Consort when Prince William ascends to the throne.

Her impeccable adherence to royal protocol during the engagement has further cemented her reputation as a future queen who understands her role and responsibilities.