JEAN-IUS! The secret formula that shows why Kate is right to defy the sceptics and stick with her favourite skinny denims, writes ELIZA SCARBOROUGH

Skinny jeans have divided opinion for some years now, with Gen Z and a number of fashion insiders declaring skin-tight denim to be officially over.  

Yet, today, the noughties throwback - which was first made famous by Kate Moss in 2005 - is clinging to the calves of celebrities and models on the catwalk and making a polarising resurgence.

After a decade of loose-legged comfort, where the dominant jean styles have been both wearable and comfortable, skinny silhouettes are trickling into all the new-season collections, from Miu Miu to Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen.

There may be sceptics, but the Princess of Wales is certainly not one of them. She's famous for her pristine dress coats and pointed pumps, but Kate Middleton is also a pro when it comes to something you might not necessarily expect from a future queen: jeans.

Catherine, Princess of Wales visits Dowlais Rugby Club on a two-day visit to Wales last year

Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge, visits Basildon Sporting Village in 2018 

The jeans genius and creator of her eponymous denim brand, Donna Ida says 'the Princess of Wales has a timeless, beautiful style'

Kate brought back her khaki-coloured jeans, thought to be from Zara. She’s been wearing them to public engagements for a while

Catherine, Princess of Wales visits the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team in Merthyr Tydfil,

Remaining loyal to the skinny jean throughout her royal life, she has demonstrated the value of staying true to your own personal style, keeping them as a staple in her wardrobe. 

Never turning her back on the slim silhouette, she has toyed with straight-legs and flirted with flares but with her 5ft 9in frame the skinny jean gives her body shape, structure and form in a way that other denim styles do not.

'The Princess of Wales has a timeless, beautiful style,' says Donna Ida who has been hailed as a jeans genius and is the creator of her eponymous denim brand.

 'She has great legs and skinny jeans fit so well and accentuate her shape. It's always great to celebrate amazing features.'

From Kate’s student days at St Andrews, to royal tours and family Christmas cards, the princess tends to favour dark washes, in either deep indigos or brown hues, and her favourite styles include Zara’s high-rise fits, J Brand’s Alana waist-cinchers or Frame’s Le High skinnies. 

'She is a woman who's on the go and is so busy. The skinny jean, a quick and easy style to run around in, is perfect,' says Donna Ida.

'Skinny jeans are comfortable and chic, and they look and feel great.'

If there is one thing we have learned from Princess Catherine’s royal wardrobe over the years it is that she knows what suits her and sticks to it, prioritising personal preference over trends.

'The style suits the Princess of Wales's lifestyle as they are both stylish and practical for a mum with young children,' said Lesley Torson, Founder and Buying Director of Trilogy where Kate buys much of her denim.

'With the return of the ballet pump, slim jeans are the perfect styling combination for a smart casual look and offer a silhouette that is easy to dress up or down.'

Jeans are a staple in every woman's wardrobe, and royal ladies have proved they are no different. 

While nothing turns heads like a bespoke designer gown, that doesn't mean they don't appreciate a good low-key look, making denim look polished and timeless whilst screaming approachability.

Where the nation relies on the Royal Family for stability, Kate has remained dedicated to a winning daytime ensemble formula and the skinny jean is her go-to.

When resurfacing on social media for the first time since undergoing major abdominal surgery earlier this year, she was photographed with her children for Mother’s Day in her favourite skinny denim, and as tension between the Cambridges and Sussexes grew, Kate refused to let the drama dampen her style spirit remaining as a true denim devotee.

'We always have a great reaction any time that Kate buys and wears things from Trilogy like her Mother Dazzler jeans,' denim guru Lesley Torson told us. 

'Skinny jeans are always a staple in every woman’s wardrobe and the traditional skinny jean has now transitioned into more of a slim leg that flatters and lengthens the leg.

 A must-have in every denim lover’s wardrobe, it works for all body shapes and forms a sleek and smart silhouette that shows off the leg. 

Jade Holland Cooper, Founder and Managing Director of quintessentially British brand Holland Cooper which counts the Princess of Wales as a loyal fan concurred, saying: 

'Regardless of their resurgence, our Jodhpur Jeans have always remained one of our most popular products within the brand from the very beginning.'

A testament to their popularity is their extraordinary ability to seamlessly take any look from day to night. 

Not only are they versatile and flattering on all women but they are practical, and this is something I have and always will incorporate into our collections. Skinny jeans are here to stay, and I have no interest in chasing fashion trends.'

The era of the 2024 skinny jean could look vastly different from the super tight and low styles we came to know in the noughties, with brands modernising the trends for today’s consumers, yet Donna Ida believes the slim silhouette is a classic that never went out of style as the Princess of Wales’ loyalty has displayed. 

'Skinny jeans are a perma-trend. They are classic, stylish and sophisticated.'

Mum Jeans 

It didn’t take long for Kate to slip back into her favourite denim and just six weeks after giving birth to Princess Charlotte. 

Kate paired her skinny Topshop jeans with a Me&Em breton top  six weeks after giving birth to Princess Charlotte

 She was in her skinny Topshop jeans, displaying her enviable figure at the polo. Paired with a Me & Em breton top and Sebago loafers she dressed down in her wardrobe staples.

Post-Pregnancy

Arriving at her first official engagement, 5 weeks after giving birth to Prince George.

Kate managed to combine her love of skinny jeans with this pair of jeans from Topshop's maternity range in 2013

 Kate looked radiant without the slightest sign of baby fatigue in a green tweed Ralph Lauren hacking jacket, loose geometric-patterned Zara top and a pair of Topshop maternity jeans.

Sporty

Trading in sportswear for skinnies, Princess Kate attended a London Marathon training session.

Kate wore her favourite dark wash denim jeans when she ran at the Heads Together London Marathon Training day in 2017

 She was wearing her favourite dark wash denim adding a pop of colour with a Perfect Moment quilted jacket.

Colour Bright

Experimenting with colour rather than the usual dark washes, Kate welcomed the Olympic flame in patriotic skinny jeans. 

Kate wore these Zara cobalt denim jeans to welcome the Olympic Torch relay that passed through Buckingham Palace in 2012

The zingy Zara cobalt denim was paired with her favourite Stuart Weitzman wedges and a Team GB polo top.

Tucked In 

Who says you need a royal budget to dress like a princess.

Catherine Duchess of Cambridge visits Sayers Croft Forest School, Paddington Recreation Ground, London in 2018

 Kate is a longtime fan of Zara's denim offerings and has been seen out and about in their jeans many times, like the moto-style pair she wore on a visit to Sayers Croft Forest School.

Versatile Denim

For her outdoorsy looks Kate frequently turns to J Brand’s 811 navy twill style, dressing them down on the beach in St Andrews with a Barbour jacket. 

Kate was seen wearing J Brand’s 811 navy twill style when she visited St Andrews in 2021

The versatile style has also been spotted on other occasions with wedges and a blazer.

Country Chic

Kate’s style file when attending royal rural pursuits is an ode to the classic skinny jean, and when surprising scouts in Glasgow.

Kate in her classic skinny dark wash jeans teamed with her Ganni gilet and her Chloe boots

 Kate wore hers with a Ganni gilet and See by Chloé boots. Her jeans were the perfect choice for a casual and down-to-earth outdoorsy ensemble.

Tailoring

Princess Kate looked effortless in skinny jeans and Veja trainers for a sporty appearance at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre. 

Kate Middleton owns the MOTHER ‘The Dazzler’ mid-rise straight-leg jeans in dark denim.

Turning to her trusty wardrobe staple of blue mid-rise jeans from Mother that were cropped just above her ankle, she paired them with a structured cobalt blazer by Zara.