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Why the Duchess of Cambridge chose this £1,295 dress to meet Sir David Attenborough

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with Sir David Attenborough - Kensington Palace
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with Sir David Attenborough - Kensington Palace

When the Duchess of Cambridge was asked by a primary school pupil earlier this year who the best famous person she’d met was, she would have had dozens of world-renowned names to chose from. But there was a clear winner. Explaining that Prince George had been watching Blue Planet, she said that it had to be Sir David Attenborough.

So when the nonagenarian naturalist came to visit Kensington Palace this week, the Duchess - and her family - dressed to impress, coordinating with one another, and Sir David, in shades of blue. Alongside Kate, in a chambray midi dress, was Princess Charlotte in a ditsy floral frock, Prince Louis in navy shorts and a cerulean knit and Prince George in a checked shirt and navy trousers. Prince William wore a navy jumper and chinos while Sir David layered a marine blue blazer over his on-trend cream sweater vest.

But Kate’s fashion choice went beyond the literal 'blue for Blue Planet'. Her dress is the £1,295 ‘Marley’ design by Gabriela Hearst, the Uruguay-born designer who creates eco-conscious clothing for the super-rich. Sir David might have brought climate change awareness to the masses, but Hearst’s mission has been to convince those who can afford it to shop for luxe designs with impeccable environmental credentials.

The Duchess of Cambridge wears Gabriela Hearst's 'Marley' dress - Kensington Palace
The Duchess of Cambridge wears Gabriela Hearst's 'Marley' dress - Kensington Palace

Last year, Hearst, who is married to John Augustine Hearst of the eponymous American publishing dynasty, put on the first carbon neutral fashion show at New York Fashion Week, making charitable donations on behalf of attendees and gifting them with a scarf depicting recently extinct insect species - a fashion item which Sir David might be interested to inspect.

Having inherited a ranch in Uruguay from her father in 2011, she uses wool from her own sheep in her collections and has partnered with Manos del Uruguay, a collective which works with rural women and provides them with job opportunities. From using deadstock fabrics to going plastic-free and aiming to stop using virgin materials by 2022, Hearst’s ambition to create a climate-friendly fashion label is multifaceted. She counts the Duchess of Sussex, Melania Trump and Amal Clooney among her famous fans.

"You’re really hit by the out-of-control nature of our over consumption. It’s not making us happy, it’s numbing us," Hearst told The Telegraph last year.

Meghan carrying a Gabriela Hearst bag on her final engagement as a senior royal - AP
Meghan carrying a Gabriela Hearst bag on her final engagement as a senior royal - AP

Just as Sir David and Prince William have become faces of the fight to save the environment, so Hearst herself is a posterwoman for a kind of sustainable dressing which is aspirational and elegant; she is often photographed looking louchely sophisticated in pared-back tailoring or on horseback in sumptuous knitwear.

This year, the Duchess of Cambridge has subtly pivoted her wardrobe to send more sustainable style messages. During a visit to Ireland in March, Kate wore a vintage Oscar de la Renta dress, lending her support to the idea that you don’t always have to buy new to look of-the-moment. She also re-wore a coat which had been in her wardrobe for more than a decade, emphasising the merits of purchasing classic pieces with staying power.

Kate wearing vintage Oscar de la Renta in Ireland in March - Wireimage
Kate wearing vintage Oscar de la Renta in Ireland in March - Wireimage

The duchess will likely have more opportunities to showcase the possibilities of sustainable fashion in the coming months as Prince William and Sir David Attenborough announce more details of the Earthshot Prize, a project launched by the future king ‘to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet’.

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