Princess Kate’s unexpected fashion moment goes viral

The moment Princess Kate surprised fashion fans with a style statement on the green carpet of Prince William‘s eco-prize in 2022 has gone viral online, as footage of the royals arriving at the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Boston has resurfaced on social media site, TikTok.

Kate attended the second annual prize giving with her husband as part of a multiday visit to Boston in December 2022.

The Earthshot Prize was founded by William in 2020 to provide five grants of $1 million each to scale up eco-initiatives working to restore, preserve and protect the planet.

Named “Earthshot” in honor of President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 “Moonshot” speech, William took the prize to Boston where events were held in connection with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

A highly anticipated factor surrounding the event was Princess Kate and what she would wear for the high profile awards ceremony itself.

When the royal couple stepped out of their car and onto the “green carpet” Kate made a striking impression.

Uploaded to TikTok by user, thewalesfamilyuk, footage shows William and Kate’s arrival, which was met with a frenzy of camera flashes and cheers from the waiting crowds.

While the prince was dressed conservatively in a velvet jacket and black tie, Kate wore a vibrant green off-the-shoulder floor-length gown with a daring split in the skirt.

The dress was designed by a brand called Solace London and came with the unexpected twist of being rented for the evening, rather than purchased for Kate’s sole use.

It was borrowed from the online fashion rental platform, Hurr, where a one month rental for an identical model costs £144 ($192).

This was the first (and to date believed to be the only) occasion where Kate has used a commercially rented gown for an official engagement, and sent a strong statement in-line with the eco-conscious ethos of the evening.

The TikTok video has received over 200,000 views and 5,500 likes in just 48 hours, with social media content of Kate becoming more prevalent in the months since the princess stepped out of the public eye while undergoing treatment for cancer.

Earlier this month Kate issued a new health update saying that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment and hoped to begin undertaking more appearances as the year continues.

At the 2022 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, it was not just Kate’s dress that caused a stir among royal fans, but also her jewelry.

For the occasion Kate debuted an heirloom royal necklace that hadn’t been seen worn since Princess Diana‘s death in 1997.

Kate wore the emerald and diamond art deco choker necklace that was first commissioned by Queen Mary in the 1920s, and was later given to Diana as a wedding present by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.

Kate paired the necklace with a pair of her own diamond and emerald earrings to match.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.

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