•Duchess recycles coat but swaps usual nude heels for sensible navy courts
•Joins the Queen and her husband to meet crowd of 35,000
•Royals explore city on East Midlands part of Diamond Jubilee tour
•Witty William jokes with crowd, many of whom arrived at 5am to join

By Emma Reynolds


At least the shoes aren't nude: Kate's blue tweed M Missoni dress had its second outing in two months, paired with a navy cocktail hat and court shoes and a quilted black clutch

Thrifty Kate recycled an outfit again today as she stepped out in a powder blue tweed coat dress that she wore just two months ago.

The Duchess of Cambridge freshened up the look by pairing the dress with a navy cocktail hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan and navy court shoes in place of her usual nude heels.

Kate has begun to develop a reputation for reusing her clothes, appearing in an entire outfit she had worn on previous occasions to a wedding last weekend.

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Kate's girls: The Duchess accepts a posy from eight-year-old Isabelle Weall (centre) outside Nottingham Town Hall

The dress had been around for a while even before Kate wore it to Fortnum and Mason with the Queen and Camilla in March, as it comes from the designer's 2010 collection.

High Street fan Kate has a reputation for being a bargain-hunter, and has reused outfits on several recent occasions, as few royals of her fellow royals tend to do.

The cost-conscious Duchess sourced the blue M Missoni coat dress from a favourite second-hand store near her family home in Berkshire called The Stock Exchange.

The shop describes itself as 'the premiere venue for the fashion conscious bargain hunter' and stocks 'nearly new' designer clothes by Miu Miu, Issa and Gucci.

Same dress, different occasion: Kate wore the tweed dress in March to Fortnum & Mason with dove grey stilettos, left, before recycling it with darker chunky courts for today's outing, right

Just this weekend, thrifty Kate wore an almost entirely recycled outfit to the wedding of Prince William's cousin.

She chose a £795 raw silk Katherine Hooker coat-dress, which she was seen in at last June’s Order of the Garter service.

She teamed it with a £99 Whiteley hat with curled trim that she wore to last year’s Epsom Derby, and of course, her ever-present £180 LK Bennett nude heels.

Kate's restrained look, completed with sparkling earrings and a quilted black clutch bag, echoed the Queen's turquoise and silver outfit.

Her Majesty wore a double-breasted coat and matching hat, which Prince William was heard to compliment as he and his wife welcomed the monarch off the Royal Train at the station.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived by car and chatted with dignitaries on platform 6 ahead of the Queen's arrival, while a handful of passengers gathered on the opposite side of the tracks and waved flags.

In a rare cheeky moment, William shouted to them: 'Are you waiting for the same train we are?'

The Queen was greeted by William and Kate as she got off her train and the royal party made their way into the main station concourse, where there were cheers from the hundreds of well-wishers who had gathered behind barriers.

The Queen beamed as she chatted to schoolchildren and accepted bouquet after bouquet of flowers.

Kate and William - wearing a navy suit - talked to the masses who had gathered behind the opposite barrier before the royal party assembled to travel into the city centre.

The Queen was wearing a silk tweed double breasted Stewart Parvin coat and shift dress with shades of turquoise, grey and ivory. Her hat, in the same colour, was, like Kate's, by Rachel Trevor-Morgan.


Two peas in a pod: Kate and the Queen sit with their hands clasped in their laps as they smile at the celebrations in Vernon Park


Music to their ears: The throng sang God Save the Queen while the cheerful group enjoyed the moment


Energetic example: Her Majesty wore flat black shoes to meet a throng of 35,000 on the latest stage of her epic Diamond Jubilee tour

Captive audience: Crowds gathered from 5am in the city's Market Square to catch a glimpse of the royals on the balcony of the Council House

The royals then smiled and waved from between the pillars of the imposing Council House balcony as the around 35,000 people - some of whom arrived at 5am - joined in a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen.

The monarch waved a glove happily as the throng confirmed that the Jubilee spirit is still very much in evidence following the end of the Bank Holiday celebrations.

Excited onlookers cheered and waved Union flags and hundreds of thousands lined their route through the East Midlands city.

The royal party are to meet civic dignitaries in the Council House later today, before attending a ballroom reception and visiting Vernon Park in Basford to mark a Fields in Trust project for the Diamond Jubilee.

Luckily the rain stayed away as the royals made their arrival for the latest Diamond Jubilee celebration.

The Duke of Edinburgh was originally scheduled to join the group on the trip but had to cancel as he continues to recover from a bladder infection.

Philip left hospital on Saturday, the day before his 91st birthday, after falling ill following the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant.

The Duke spent the pageant last week on board the Spirit Of Chartwell royal barge in a flotilla of 1,000 boats along the Thames in extremely wet and cold conditions.

He is continuing his convalescence at home, Buckingham Palace said.
Maureen Cottee, 66, from Leicester, shook Kate's hand before telling her: 'Oh, you're fantastic.'

Mrs Cottee said of the encounter: 'I said "I think you're beautiful, you look gorgeous" and she asked me what time I got here.

'I told her I arrived at around 5am and she laughed before asking "Have you got your blanket?".'

Brandon Morris, four, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was wearing a plastic crown as he waited in the crowd with his family and met William and Kate.

He said he had a 'really good time' and enjoyed meeting them.

Julie Willmott, 54, from Arnold, Nottinghamshire, arrived at 7am to catch a glimpse of the Queen.

She said: 'I said to the Queen "Congratulations on the Jubilee".
'She was gorgeous, she had a lovely smile. She was radiant and looked very youthful.'

Margaret Handley, mayor of Broxtowe, described William as witty and charming.

She said: 'Somebody said to him "You look taller in person" and he said "I'm not wearing my high heels today".'

As patron of the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge - a project supported by The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry - the Duke of Cambridge will speak at Vernon Park today.


Posh enough? Kate's frayed dress drew comment the last time she wore it for the unfinished edges and high hemlin


Blasts from the past: Kate in her nude LK Bennett Sledge heels during the Royal Tour of Canada last June, left, and at a Guildhall reception for the Diamond Jubilee, right


Tried and tested: Kate in a £99 Whiteley hat at the Epsom Derby last summer, left, and wearing it again for a wedding this weekend - and the shoes are the same too

...and the coat isn't new either: Kate in a Katherine Hooker coat-dress at last June’s Order of the Garter service, left, and at this weekend's wedding, right

The royal party was greeted by the Robin Hood Rifles band as they arrived to cheers from the crowds at Vernon Park in Basford, around three-and-a-half miles from the city centre.

The Queen unveiled a plaque at the park, which has been granted Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust status.

William and Kate remained at Vernon Park after the Queen left, to watch sport and meet people involved in the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge.

The park is one of 1,300 recreational spaces to be given Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge status so far.

Members of the crowd could be heard shouting 'We love you'.


Sensibly shod: Kate and William, left, met Her Majesty and the Royal Train along with a crowd of well-wishers at Nottingham station after arriving by car


Joyful occasion: The Queen smiled happily as she accepted bouquets while dressed in a brilliant turquoise and silver coat


Grand occasion: The royals smiled and waved while 35,000 well-wishers cheered and waved flags for the elegant trio

Shades of blue: After meeting the masses, William, Kate and the Queen headed into the Council House for a ballroom reception

'This is an exciting day, this is a historic day for Nottingham,' said Gyles Brandreth, vice president of the Fields In Trust, of which the Queen is patron.

The BBC One Show star added that the Duke of Edinburgh, who has been president of the charity for 64 years, was here 'in spirit'.

William fired a fake pistol to start The Diamond Jubilee Dash - an obstacle race including pupils from several local schools.

Nottingham City Council leader Jon Collins, said: 'As the capital of the East Midlands, it’s great Nottingham’s playing host to this royal visit.


Little King: The Duchess meets a William wannabe dressed in a crown and gold collar

'I'm sure that local people will give the royal party a warm welcome and will be excited about getting the chance to also see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.'

The Queen will next travel to Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire, which is hosting a Diamond Jubilee Picnic, before making a final stop at the Olympic swimming pool in Corby, Northamptonshire, where she will watch a high diving display.

She will also visit The Cube, a building which houses council offices, a library and theatre.

The Diamond Jubilee tour began on March 8 in Leicester and has taken in key areas including Manchester, Salisbury, Richmond and Liverpool.




source:dailymail