Kate Middleton Looks Absolutely Gorgeous In Gray Without Prince William

Kate Middleton has proven to be a very bright spot within the royal family. Although her husband, Prince William, is set to become the future king, Kate will be at his side and have important duties of her own. Recently, it was revealed that both William and Kate were being given more responsibilities within the firm as Queen Elizabeth II, 95, steps back a bit and allows her oldest son Prince Charles to take on a heavier workload. For their part, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are reportedly stepping in to take over some of Charles and his wife Duchess Camilla's responsibilities.

"William and Kate, who seem to be very popular, are stepping into the position that Charles and Camilla had. Because they are, I would say almost more popular than Charles and Camilla, they've probably been given a higher role," royal author Andrew Lownie previously told Express. In January 2022, royal expert Patrick Jephson revealed that Kate's role is critical to the royal family. "Catherine is just what these troubled royal times need — it's no exaggeration that the Windsors' future lies in her hands," said Patrick Jephson, former chief of staff for the late Princess Diana (via Page Six).

This week, Kate stepped out for a royal engagement with Charles and Camilla sans William, and she looked every bit the picture of a future queen.

Kate Middleton joined her father-in-law Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, for a visit to the Prince's Foundation in London. This marked the first time that Kate joined Charles and Camilla for an outing since 2020 when they visited a military rehab center. However, Prince William was in attendance for that event. Kate was without her husband this time around as she stunned onlookers in a gray coatdress by designer Catherine Walker.

The dress may be familiar to royal enthusiasts, as the Duchess of Cambridge has been spotted wearing the ensemble — which includes a black belt buckle and a pleated skirt — in the past. Kate also carried a black handbag and wore matching black tights and heels. She sported her gorgeous sapphire engagement ring, which once belonged to Princess Diana, as well as matching sapphire earrings to complete her look.

During their outing, Kate, Charles, and Camilla met with students who are taking courses at the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts. They dropped in on students working with wax figures, and visited a life drawing class. Designer Nicole Christie revealed that the royals were delightful during their visit and that Kate was genuinely interested in her work. "They were really humble and interested in what I was talking about," she told People.