Kate Middleton Has a New Favorite Outfit, and You Probably Haven’t Noticed

It is a truth universally acknowledged among fashion enthusiasts that, when she isn't busy playing sports or spending some time in nature, Kate Middleton generally likes to turn to romantic knee-length dresses and colorful coats, of which she has a pretty impressive collection. Sure, she often wears jeans when she visits centers where she is expected to interact with the public, and she has curated a sneaker collection that would give anyone major shoe envy. But wearing smart trousers on an official outing that doesn't necessarily include any kind of outdoorsy or sporty activity? This used to be quite a rare sight — until recently.

Perhaps influenced by her sister-in-law Meghan, who's more than once worn chic pants during official royal appearances, the Duchess of Cambridge has, over the past few months, started to introduce more variety to her royal ensembles. From tailored high-waisted trousers to sleek flared pants and ankle-revealing culottes, Kate has been throwing us a few stylish curveballs, and we're already excited to see more. Ahead, get a closer look at all the times the mother of three chose to swap her dresses for sophisticated trousers. We don't know if they're Queen Elizabeth-approved, but we're certainly loving them.

December 2018
Getty | Karwai Tang

December 2018

Back in December 2018, Kate joined Prince William for an official visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. For the occasion, she wore black wide leg trousers and the appropriately named Smythe Duchess blazer, which she paired with a white t-shirt and an L.K.Bennett clutch.

March 2019
Getty | Neil Mockford

March 2019

When she visited a children's center in London back in May, the duchess gave a chic pair of high-waisted, wide-leg pants a spin. She wore them with a lavender pussy-bow blouse by Gucci, and finished her ensemble with black heels and a beige Aspinal of London top handle bag.

May 2019
Getty | Samir Hussein

May 2019

For the launch of the King's Cup regatta in London, the Duchess of Cambridge stunned in a black-and-white striped sweater, which she paired with navy high-waisted pants by L.K. Bennett, a red clutch, and navy suede pumps.

May 2019
Getty | Pool/Samir Hussein

May 2019

When she and Prince William paid a visit to the Caernarfon Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter Base in Wales, Kate wore a double-breasted Philosophy di Lorenzo blazer, a black turtleneck sweater, a pair of black skinny jeans, and matching suede boots. She finished her look with a top handle bag by Aspinal.

May 2019
Getty | Karwai Tang

May 2019

To explore the garden that she had co-designed for the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, Kate wore a chic pair of Massimo Dutti culotte trousers with a MiH Jeans shirt, and finished her look with her trusty white Superga sneakers.