It’s Tailored Separates for Prison Visit & Big News About Alexander McQueen

The Princess of Wales chose tailored separates by Alexander McQueen for an engagement at HMP High Down in Surrey.

HMP High Down is a men’s facility with around 1,100 prisoners. The Princess was at the prison in her role as patron of the Forward Trust. 

More from Hello’s story by Ainhoa Barcelona.

The Princess became Patron of The Forward Trust in June 2021 when the charity merged with Action on Addiction, which was one of Kate’s first patronages in 2012 following her marriage to Prince William.

The trust works in 25 prisons across the UK, helping people address issues including substance misuse, mental health, housing and employment for those leaving prison, and improving relationships with friends and family, including children.

The visit began with the same security check other visitors undergo when visiting the prison.

More from The Telegraph’s piece by India McTaggart. 

During the visit, the Princess heard about how The Forward Trust was working to support some of the inmates to manage their addiction and to help break the intergenerational trauma of addiction. 

The charity delivers a range of services at HMP High Down, including an intensive abstinence-based programme called The Bridge and a course of workshops focused on restoring communication and confidence with loved ones, titled Family Ties.

The Princess spent time with family members visiting loved ones to hear about the visiting process.

The Princess also visited The Clink, an on-site restaurant at the facility.

We return to Hello’s live coverage of today’s engagement. 

Kate also makes a stop at The Clink, the prison’s on-site restaurant that is open to the public and is run by prisoners in partnership with The Clink Charity. 

Prisoners study for National Vocational Qualifications in cooking, food service, and cleaning while they work. They also receive mentoring upon release, including support with employment and accommodation.

This is the Princess’s third visit to the facility. Here you see her in 2015 when she learned about work done by the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt). 

In 2020, part of the rollout of the Early Years “5 Big Questions” survey was at the facility.

For those curious about the bandage on her right hand.

The Evening Standard story has more information. 

She revealed during the tour that she had suffered the hand injury during a trampolining session at her home in Windsor. A Kensington Palace spokesman said it was “a small injury, nothing serious”.

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On a related note, there is big news in the fashion industry: Sarah Burton is leaving Alexander McQueen after 26 years at the brand. We learn more from Elizabeth Paton’s New York Times piece.

Ms. Burton, 49, who has worked at Alexander McQueen for 26 years, half of which she has spent as its creative director, said in the statement that the label’s show at Paris Fashion Week later this month will be her last. A successor has not yet been named.

“I am so proud of everything I’ve done and of my incredible team at Alexander McQueen,” Ms. Burton said in the statement. “I am looking forward to the future and my next chapter and will always carry this treasured time with me.”Below, Ms. Burton at the ELLE Style Awards in London last week. 

Below, Ms. Burton at the ELLE Style Awards in London last week. 

And from this Caroline Leaper column for the Telegraph. 

Burton had worked under the label’s founder, Lee McQueen, for more than 14 years before his untimely death in February 2010, and was appointed as his successor that May. She is credited for successfully continuing his design legacy, adapting the house’s darkly romantic codes to suit a new generation of fans – including bringing in the Princess as a star client.  

Of course, the designer famously designed the Princess’s wedding gown. But she has been so much more, a vital “go-to” for the Princess, with an enormous impact on her royal wardrobe.

Here you see Ms. Burton with Mr. McQueen on her own wedding day.

We return to the Telegraph piece by Caroline Leaper.

Despite being kind and chatty backstage at her shows, she rarely gave formal interviews and shied away from the spotlight that so many other designers chase. In a 2014 interview with The Telegraph, Burton was asked whether she had any interest in being a “star designer” and confessed that she hadn’t ever actually wanted the job of fronting a fashion house.   

“There have been times when, if I could have disappeared from this industry, I would have,” she admitted. “I had to battle with it. I don’t look like a fashion person, I’m not cool, and I always just loved people who are good at what they do.”

Ms. Leaper notes in her story the news is “prompting speculation she may set up her own label.”  

Now for our look at what Kate wore for today’s engagement.

In some photos from today’s engagement, it looked like the Princess was in the amethyst separates by Alexander McQueen, which we first noted during the visit to Boston in December (below left). In other photos, it appeared to be the navy version.

I am going with this being the amethyst color Alexander McQueen Leaf Crepe Jacket ($2510) and the High-Waisted Cigarette Trouser.

Her top appeared to be a cream or ivory knit piece. There is not enough detail in the photos to identify it. 

It looked like the Princess also had on her Gianvito 105′ Navy Suede Pumps ($795). Today, the Princess wore familiar jewelry, her ‘Lauren’ Pavé Diamond Leaf Earrings ($2300) by Kiki McDoungh, and her Daniella Draper Trio Diamond Midnight Moon Necklace ($1700). 

This is something of an abbreviated post, lacking the standard detail about the engagement and forcing me to keep the Sarah Burton news much shorter than I would like it to be. I am traveling for a little vacation! 

NOTE: the post originally had incorrect information regarding the date of Sarah Burton’s wedding. I haven’t been able to find the correct date. Thank you to Hrhdhd for letting me know about the error.