The Princess of Wales surprised locals in Sussex on Wednesday when she stepped out of a minivan - not quite the shiny cars or golden carriages we might expect to see royalty in! The Princess joined residents being collected by a volunteer-led transportation service, and strapped in alongside them for a chat on the journey.
The Princess of Wales was in rural West Sussex with the West Sussex Minibus, which is run by volunteers to help local people get to different activities and stay connected with each other. A video shared to her official Instagram account showed the Princess greeting an elderly resident at her home and helping her climb into the minibus, before strapping in herself alongside.
For the afternoon, Kate wore a long dust grey coat over a silver blouse with a pussy-bow tie neck and grey trousers. She added a contrasting court shoe heel in burgundy, the on-trend colour for autumn. The Princess' long wool coat featured wide lapels and fell to midi-length and pulled her whole look together. Kate showed the power of making you coat a key the lynchpin of your outfit, rather than being something that's thrown over the top as an after-thought.
If you're looking for a high street alternative, Asos Design's grey 'longline double breasted brushed coat in herringbone' is a great choice, in the same shade as Kate's and falling to the same flattering midi length. The best part is that it's fully in stock and available in all sizes (at time of writing) and it's an affordable price at £65:
ASOS DESIGN longline double breasted brushed coat in herringbone
ASOS DESIGN longline double breasted brushed coat in herringbone
Or, for a slightly darker version, this charcoal coat is currently 70% off, reduced from £229.99 to £68.99:
ANNE WEYBURN Italian Wool Blend Long Double-Breasted Coat
The Princess' journey led to Pulborough Village Hall where she joined attendees and volunteers at their weekly lunch club. While there, Kate said she'd enjoyed 'hearing how opportunities to come together can help build friendships, reduce isolation and support wellbeing, while creating a strong sense of belonging.'
In the post, Kate added that it had been 'inspiring to see how a culture of care can be created anywhere, with small, everyday gestures helping to build stronger, more connected communities.'
