This princess isn’t letting “The Crown” get her down.
Kate Middleton has been switching up her style in recent months, swapping items like traditional coat dresses for a more modern, casual wardrobe including plenty of power suits — and while some fans have lamented about her sartorial shift, a source told Us Weekly it’s part of a plan to “get ahead of” potential backlash from Netflix’s final season of “The Crown.”
The royal drama — which will stream in two parts, with the first dropping November 16 — includes previously unknown actress Meg Bellamy playing the role of a young Princess of Wales, and according to a royal insider, the real-life royal fears she won’t get a good edit.
The source explained the princess believes Netflix will make herself seem like a “very privileged, lovesick young woman,” and is taking steps to boost her public image in the meantime … including changing her wardrobe.
“Kate’s switching up her style in an effort to win people over, and also to get ahead of the beating how she feels her image will take when ‘The Crown’s’ new season debuts,” the royal source told the magazine.
The insider also shared that, in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the Princess of Wales “wants people to see her as a strong leader, someone who’s capable of taking the title of queen into a new generation” and has met with stylists and other team members in an effort to revamp her image.
Part of the plan entails wearing items like “pants, more casual shirts and less high-priced clothing” along with “more accessible pieces,” the source explained.
While the mom of three has certainly been wearing trousers on repeat in recent months, many of her power suits — like the pinstriped Holland Cooper blazer ($669) and coordinating pants ($364) she wore twice in less than a week — retail for more than $1,000.
However, royal expert Kinsey Schofield tells Pvnew Style that “when Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wears one of her sharp blazers or suits I do think that it gives her a sense of authority,” comparing her recent looks to the royal’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
“After Diana cut her hair short (inspired by Sharon Stone) we saw a lot of blazers too,” the To Di for Daily creator says. “The fashion magazines all fawned over Diana’s boss wardrobe and admired her professionalism.”
Although some seem to think the potential public backlash from “The Crown” has inspired the princess to up her fashion game, Schofield tells us she disagrees.
“Realistically, I think the evolution in her style is directly associated with her position in the royal family changing. Her family is one step closer to the crown,” the “To Di for Daily” podcast host shares. “She is expected to look more mature and regal.”
However, Schofield adds that “one way that Catherine might be trying to combat the idea of being portrayed as a ‘privileged woman’ in ‘The Crown’ is her high street fashion.”
The royal — who often wears more accessible pieces like her favorite Veja Esplar sneakers ($150) and under-$10 Accessorize earrings — has proven that being a royal doesn’t mean you need to wear gowns and tiaras (at least not all the time).
“She is a princess but a princess that shops at Zara,” the royal expert continues. “Seeing Kate in Superga or J. Crew — affordable fashion — makes her much more relatable to royal watchers and could dismantle the idea of a ‘privileged woman.'”
As for the royal drama to come, tune in on November 16 and December 14 when parts one and two of “The Crown” Season 6 air on Netflix.
