(Left) Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on May 8, 2025; (Right) Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle on June 19, 2023.Credit : 

Samir Hussein/WireImage (2)

Kate Middleton’s latest look is from a familiar place — her closet!

On May 8, the Princess of Wales, 43, stepped out to attend a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day. She joined Prince William, King Charles, Queen Camilla and more royals for the church service commemorating the landmark anniversary heralding the end of World War II in Europe.

For her outfit, Princess Kate opted for a royal repeat in a white long-sleeved midi dress with black polka dots by Alessandra Rich. She accessorized with a black floral fascinator with veil detail, what appeared to be Princess Diana’s Collingwood drop pearl earrings (a favorite in Kate’s rotation), a camel DeMellier handbag and coordinating pumps.

Kate previously wore the dress for the Order of the Garter Service in June 2023. There, she styled the item with a black Philip Treacy hat with white feathers patterned in a tighter polka dot print plus white and black cap-toe strap shoes.

It was a memorable event as Prince William’s first Order of the Garter ceremony and procession as the Prince of Wales, and cameras captured Kate giving him a proud look.

The Princess of Wales’ Alessandra Rich rewear marked her second style repeat of the week. For the commemorative VE Day military procession, flypast and Buckingham Palace tea party for veterans on May 5, she donned a plum Emilia Wickstead coatdress with Jane Taylor pillbox bow hat that she had worn before. Princess Kate first sported the combination to welcome South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his state visit to the U.K. in November 2022.

Kate wore the outfit with plum heels in 2022 but switched it up with beige pumps for the second spin. She also pinned on a gold winged brooch interpreted as a tribute to the RAF, a military branch both Prince William and her late grandfather Peter Middleton served in, for the VE Day commemoration.

Princess Kate is known to recycle her outfits, occasionally making alterations to refresh the aesthetic.

“I think she is trying a more sustainable way of dressing. She already has a vast and extensive wardrobe, so why shouldn’t she be looking for ways to take existing pieces and re-imagine them?” Bethan Holt, fashion director of The Telegraph, previously told PEOPLE about Kate’s new penchant of adding bows to her clothes.

Early in the year, Kensington Palace clarified the policy for releasing details about her clothes following backlash around speculation that the office was changing the policy on sharing her fashion details.

The rare statement followed a Feb. 1 Sunday Times article titled “Princess of Wales: Focus on my work, not my wardrobe,” which quoted a royal source saying that Kate “wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.” The departure was one way Kate was thought to be resetting her royal role upon a resumption of duties after stepping back while undergoing treatment for cancer in 2024.

On Feb. 11, a Kensington Palace spokesperson told PEOPLE, “Over the last week, I have received numerous questions about a story regarding The Princess of Wales’s clothing and how Kensington Palace shares information about her outfits.”

“To clarify, the comments that appeared in the article were from me, not The Princess of Wales,” the statement said. “The comments that were reported should not be directly attributed to The Princess of Wales. To be clear, there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing.”

Princess Kate’s style choices often shine a vital light on designers and boost the British fashion industry, and some argued it would have a negative impact to withhold her fashion details. Critics also argued that Kate’s looks not only often pay homage to the legacies of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth but also serve as an important tool for connecting with the public, which should not be downplayed.