Kate Middleton and Melania Trump joined Scouts Squirrels in Windsor on Thursday for a joint engagement at Frogmore Gardens, meeting four- to five-year-old members of the youngest branch of the UK Scouting movement. The Princess of Wales wore a khaki-forward ensemble pairing a ME+EM suede jacket with a Ralph Lauren midi skirt, while the First Lady wore trousers, a suede jacket and flat pumps. A dark green silk scarf tied in a pussy bow drew attention, signaling a carefully coordinated look that blended British and American pieces.
The scarf, a luxury silk piece woven for the princess, was sourced from Sudbury Mill in Suffolk, one of two silk mills Kate visited last week to champion the British textile industry. The garment was created by Stephen Walters, a luxury silk fabric manufacturer, and was reportedly gifted to Kate during a recent visit to the mill. Palace aides stressed that textiles are a long-standing interest for the princess, whose ancestral family ties to Leeds-based mills underscore her advocacy for British craftsmanship. The day was described by aides as an occasion to celebrate British creativity and craftsmanship and to highlight skills that keep the UK textile sector thriving, from traditional weaving to modern design.
[Image]
During the engagement, Kate and Melania sat with the Scouts Squirrels in front of Frogmore House as children worked to earn their Go Wild badge. Chief Scout Dwayne Fields greeted the visitors, and the pair participated in activities including making animal pictures from leaves. The children also busied themselves constructing “bug hotels” from boxes, sticks and straw, and invited the two women to take part in a parachute game involving a large piece of silk and a ball-collection challenge. The group then sat down to a picnic prepared for the children, with the Princess personally organizing honey sandwiches made from the Wales family hives at Anmer Hall, along with homemade granola bars for the kids. A jar of White House honey was given to each child as a memento of the day, wrapped in white boxes with red ribbons.
The outing marks a continued partnership between Kate and the Scouts, with the Princess having served as joint president of the organization with the Duke of Kent since 2020. It followed Kate’s recent activities in support of British textiles, including a visit to Marina Mill in Cuxton, Kent, where she tried screen-printing on furnishing fabrics. In Windsor, Kate’s team emphasized that the day was about celebrating British creativity and craftsmanship, showcasing how traditional skills remain relevant in contemporary design.
This joint appearance with the First Lady came amid the US president and Melania Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom. The couple’s latest trip began earlier in the week, with a welcome on their second state visit to the country and a stop at Windsor Castle, before their engagements concluded later in the week. Kate has long balanced royal duties with public advocacy, and her support for British textile producers has been a staple of her charitable and cultural efforts, reinforcing the link between fashion, manufacturing and heritage.