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Woman & Home
Woman & Home
Lifestyle
Emma Shacklock

Kate Middleton's strawberry-red dress puts polka dots firmly back in the spotlight for summer as she marks meaningful milestone

Catherine, Princess of Wales, speaks to guests during a Cancer Research UK reception to mark the charity's 125th anniversary at St James's Palace on June 2, 2026.

The Princess of Wales's first public appearance after May half-term couldn't have been more meaningful as she joined King Charles for a reception in honour of Cancer Research UK's 125th anniversary. It's been eighteen months since she shared she's in remission and the morning of the event it was announced that the future Queen would be there, paying tribute to this huge milestone for the world's largest independent cancer research charity.

For this event close to her heart she went all-out in a strawberry-red Rodarte dress, a twist on the biggest spring/summer fashion colour trend, tomato red. This design incorporated not just her favourite print - polka dots - but if you look carefully you can make out tiny white hearts too.

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