The pattern has a rather storied history. Also known as ‘Glen plaid’, it is said to take its name from the Glenurquhart Estate in Inverness-shire, where the Countess of Seafield would kit out her gamekeepers in the pattern back in the 1840s. King Edward VII’s love of the design when he was Prince of Wales saw it become known as Prince of Wales check. Across Europe, the pattern bears the title: the French call it ‘Prince de Galles’; the Italian, ‘Principe di Galles; the Spanish, príncipe de Gales.
A Scottish origin, then, but a style choice that’s comfortably close to home for Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales. It’s not the first time that the Princess has worn the dress, either. In 2023, she donned it for another trip to Wales, as she and Prince William made a poignant outing to the Aberfan Memorial Garden.
On Thursday, Catherine combined the dress with some earrings from the Welsh craftsmen Spells of Love, in another fitting tribute to local industries. Those earrings in particular are another part staple for the Princess’s ‘Welsh Ensemble’, having made a previous outing during Catherine’s visit to St Thomas Church in Swansea three years ago.
