Kate Middleton subtly paid tribute to Prince Philip at her carol concert

Kate Middleton was supported by her friends as she hosted a special festive carol event at Westminster Abbey this week, during which she shared a very important Christmas message.

Within the programme for the concert, Kate shared a heartfelt festive message, writing about the “importance of simply being together” and “how loving and feeling a sense of belonging to one another can provide comfort in tough times.”

So it's perhaps of no small significance that her outfit choice was a subtle nod to her late grandfather-in-law, Prince Philip.

The Duchess looked suitably festive in a red Catherine Walker coat, which featured an oversized bow at the collar. If it looked familiar to you, it's because she also owns a black version of it.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

She last wore it, as you might have guessed, for Prince Philip's funeral on 17th April 2021. Of course, it could well be that she simply loves the design of the coat, but since her message was all about family and being together, it's nice to think she did it on purpose.

You can't buy the coat online, since Catherine Walker doesn't have an e-store, however I have found some alternative coats with bows for you, if you would like to emulate Catherine's style.

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REDVALENTINO Bow-detailed double-breasted wool-blend coat, £625 at Net-A-Porter
REDValentino's coat is ultra feminine thanks to its pretty blush hue and the oversized bow incorporated into the lapels. Made from warming wool-blend with a little cashmere, it has dropped shoulder seams to enhance the slouchy, loose fit.

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BLACK SILK BOW COAT, £997 at WOLF & BADGER
Available in a chic black silk, this padded coat features a removable shawl for different styling options.

Kate accessorised her coat with a pair of stunning sapphire and diamond fringe earrings, which she borrowed from the Queen.

The art deco style gems used to belong to the Queen Mother, who passed away at the age of 101 in 2002, so in these small ways, the Duchess paid tribute to several members of the royal family.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.