Princess of Wales Kate Middleton is a lover of sensible loafers—we’ve spotted her wearing the classic slip-ons on numerous occasions. She proves time and time again that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort to look fresh and polished.
Kate recently stepped out with Prince George at a Royal Air Force base in England, RAF Coningsby. An Instagram video shows Prince George climbing ladder steps and both royals getting into different aircraft, so they were pretty active on their feet. And while scanning what Kate wore to the occasion (as we do here at GH), we noticed she traded her beloved white sneakers for a pair of comfy, brown suede loafers.
To me, the style of Kate’s exact loafers looked like the Ella Marrones Ante Loafers from Pretty Ballerinas, a Spanish footwear brand known for its handmade luxury ballet flats. They feature a pointed toe, a geometric gold buckle, and fringe that sits over the toe box. The understated aesthetic makes the shoes versatile and gives them a certain “quiet luxury” feel.
The shoes are still in stock, costing $353 on Pretty Ballerinas’ website. Unfortunately, only a couple of sizes remain—but, of course, that didn’t stop me from looking for similar options. I found quite a few, and while some are leather (versus suede) and won’t offer the same exact details as the Ellas, they all share the overall theme of quiet elegance.
The best part? A bunch of them cost under $100, meaning you can dress like a royal at a fraction of the price. Check out some of our favorites below, from an affordable pick on Amazon to designer brands discounted during Nordstrom’s Anniversary sale event. We also included a Boden lookalike that Kate’s been spotted wearing in the past.
