Kate Middleton Cuts A Casual Figure In William's Birthday Post & It's Giving Meghan Markle

To celebrate his beloved wife Kate Middleton on her 43rd birthday, Prince William shared a heartfelt social media post expressing the pride and love he feels for her, especially given the events of the past year. "To the most incredible wife and mother," he wrote on Instagram on January 9, 2024. "The strength you've shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W." While knowledge of the Princess of Wales' birthday might have followers of the royal family reminiscing about her life and recalling their favorite memories of her, others who saw the post might have been reminded of another royal instead.

Some observers may notice that rather than her usual preppy attire, Kate instead chose to wear a humbler number, which included a cozy-looking checkered scarf, a simple collared white shirt, a black blazer, and blue jeans. Though it's nice to see Kate, who's reportedly staying lowkey in 2025, shedding the formal wear for a more comfortable, down-to-earth outfit, her clothing seems somewhat uncharacteristic for the Princess of Wales, given she's often depicted on her and Williams's official Instagram in a more professional manner. Her casual garb also called back to another, albeit less favorable, member of the royal family with whom she's feuded: Her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.

Compared to her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle is better known for waltzing around in public wearing casual clothes. Some of these looks included the perhaps inappropriate ripped jeans and white, button-down shirt she wore while accompanying Prince Harry to the 2017 Invictus Games, her choice to wear black leggings and a black zip-up sweatshirt while she was pregnant with her son Archie in February 2019, and when she sported blue jeans along with a denim shirt to plant flowers at a Los Angeles preschool in September 2020. Given Markle's greater tendency to publicly showcase her comfy looks, one can't help but think of her whenever Kate does the same.

That doesn't mean Kate is always seen in formal clothes, despite her more professional reputation. In her family's 2023 Christmas card, which was posted on her and William's official Instagram page on December 9, 2023, for example, she donned a more blue-collar outfit, including blue jeans and a belt, and a white, button-down shirt that matched the coordinated look also worn by William and their kids. While this could be a rare view of Kate we may not see again anytime soon, her casual look could be one some fans would clamor to see more often, given the glowing confidence and sheer joy she exuded in the picture while wearing it.