How Kate mastered ‘combat chic’: Princess of Wales wows in functional yet glamorous outfit including £150 khaki leggings and a practical turtleneck as she carried out military drills in Salisbury
- Kate sported a functional yet glamorous look as she carried out military drills
- Read more: Princess of Wales dons camouflage for battlefield injuries training with 1st Battalion Irish Guards on her first visit as new colonel
As the Princess of Wales visited the Salisbury Plain Training Area this morning to take part in a battlefield casualty drill during her first official duty as the new Colonel of the Irish Guards, she mastered her look of ‘combat chic’.
Kate, 41, looked elegant-yet-practical as she appeared in an entirely khaki outfit and sensible walking shoes, with her hair pulled back into a French braid.
The mother-of-three needed a sensible outfit as she got stuck into the drill which included attending to a ‘wounded’ soldier and inspecting some of the machinery.
And, as if the drill wasn’t challenging enough, the elements were against her as she completed the practise in freezing temperatures while snow fell on the ground.
Luckily, the Princess of Wales came prepared in her outfit, which was comprised of upmarket high-street brands and recycled items.
The Princess of Wales, 41, dressed sensibly but with a touch of glamour as she arrived at the Salisbury Plain Training Area to undertake training drills as the new Colonel of the Irish Guards
Underneath her camouflage jacket Kate was sensibly wrapped up in a £149 turtleneck jumper with a cable knit detail and buttoned sleeves from Holland Cooper.
Her Khaki trousers were a £150 pair of now-sold-out favourites from G-Star Raw, and her trusty walking boots were a pair she has worn several times before from outdoor brand Berghaus, costing around £175.
While her hair was neatly braided away from her face, the Princess also donned a woolly beanie hat to protect from the cold, and opted for thick gloves as well.
During her visit, Kate enthusiastically asked questions about the different first aid methods used by medics in the Army as she tended to the fake injury during the casualty simulation. She then applied a second tourniquet and Celox gauze – also used to stop bleeding – to the soldier with the fake leg injury and chest gunshot wound.
Kate wore a camouflage jacket and paired it with khaki trousers from the high street. She also wore a sensible turtleneck jumper to protect herself in the face of freezing temperatures and had her hair braided away from her face
Lance Corporal Jodie Newell, 25, who was in charge of teaching the Princess first aid, said: ‘I was so nervous – I’m teaching the Princess of Wales med [medicine] – it was an honour.
‘We were just showing her what we medics do in the Army. She was actually really good, really eager to take part.’ L/Cpl Newell added that Kate took it ‘all in her stride, like she has done it before’ and that it was ‘amazing’ to have her visit the training area, particularly on International Women’s Day.
Afterwards the Princess said that taking part in military first aid exercises brought the realities of their training ‘to life’.
She said that the battlefield casualty drills, complete with fake gun fire and explosions, ‘just brought it all to life’.
The Princess also learnt about anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mine clearance and viewed the weapons systems used by the Irish Guards. As part of the visit, she met guardsmen of No 1 and No 2 companies, who told her about their recent experiences training park rangers in East Africa in methods to counter poaching.
The royal, who wore a green combat uniform with the rank of colonel, also received a briefing on counter-explosive ordnance – the de-mining training being delivered by the Irish Guards to Ukrainian armed forces.
Finally, she viewed several of the different types of weapons used by the Irish Guards.
Lieutenant Colonel Aldridge said his battalion was delighted to welcome Kate to Salisbury Plain for her first visit as Royal Colonel.
He said: ‘It is particularly fitting on International Women’s Day that a few of our female soldiers met such an inspiring female role model.
‘It is a real honour for all the guardsmen to meet their Royal Colonel in the field here on Salisbury Plain and demonstrate a few of our basic operational skills.’
Buckingham Palace announced Kate’s new role in December, ahead of this year’s Trooping the Colour, which has marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign for more than 250 years.
The King’s Birthday Parade – Charles’s first – will take place on the slightly later date of June 17. The King’s actual birthday is November 14.
Source: Read Full Article
