Just like mum! Kate emulates her 'doors to manual' mother Carole as she dons a vintage air hostess-style collared suit while joining stunned commoners flying back from Holland on a commercial jet
- Duchess of Cambridge wore an air hostess-style pale blue skirt suit by Catherine Walker for one-day trip
- 34-year-old was pictured boarding a London-bound commercial British Airways flight from the Netherlands
- The Royal spent the day in The Hague and Rotterdam on first foreign trip without husband Prince William
Her mother was a successful air hostess for British Airways and it seems the Duchess of Cambridge may have been inspired by Carole Middleton today as she boarded a commercial flight back to London from her first solo overseas tour.
Kate, 34, was sporting a bespoke 'vintage style' pale blue skirt suit by French-born fashion designer Catherine Walker as she stepped onto the 7.15pm British Airways flight from the Netherlands following her whirlwind trip.
With her brunette locks scraped back neatly into a chic bun, the Royal appeared to be channelling an air hostess look as she returned from her first foreign trip on official royal duties without her husband Prince William.
Photographs show her boarding the passenger plane in Rotterdam early this evening, with fellow flyers excitedly taking pictures of her on their mobile phones as she is shown to her seat on the front row of the aircraft.
The scheduled flight – the last of the day from Rotterdam to City Airport – was full of members of the public who were shocked to see the Duchess board at the last minute.
She was escorted onto the plane by bodyguards and her team ahead of the 50-minute flight. One source said he had 'never seen so many iPhones pop up at once,' as passengers scrambled to get a photograph of the Duchess.
Keeping a low-profile, Kate spoke with a member of her team for the duration of the quick flight before being the first to be escorted from the plane once it landed 'a couple of minutes early'. A car was said to be waiting on the tarmac at London City Airport and the Royal was whisked away before passengers were allowed to disembark.
Scroll down for video
The Duchess of Cambridge stunned plane passengers today by jetting back from her one-day tour to the Netherlands on a commercial flight after completing her first solo overseas royal visit. She boarded the 7.15pm BA flight from Rotterdam
Kate, 34, was sporting a bespoke 'vintage style' pale blue skirt suit by French-born fashion designer Catherine Walker as she stepped onto the 7.15pm British Airways flight from the Netherlands following her whirlwind trip - her first solo tour overseas
Given her knowledge of art, it was surely no coincidence that the Duchess of Cambridge borrowed a pair of pearl earrings for her visit to The Hague today, where she viewed Vermeer's most iconic painting
The Duchess looked impeccably polished in a bespoke Catherine Walker suit, which she teamed with her trusty nude suede heels as she arrived at the Mauritshuis gallery in The Hague on her one-day visit to Holland
Make like Kate in shades of pastel blue this season
After a hugely successful family visit to Canada, the Duchess of Cambridge is going solo overseas for the first time today on a trip to the Netherlands.
She debuted plenty of designer dresses on the Canada tour to keep us happy here at Fashion Finder HQ, and today's look is another new addition to her closet. Her very smart pencil skirt and matching jacket are by Catherine Walker, and we love the cornflower blue hue. The belted waist and peplum hem are super flattering, plus her swept-up hair perfectly shows off the retro buttons and collar.
The London-based designer's pieces were famously worn by Princess Diana, plus Kate and her mother Carole Middleton regularly turn to the label when dressing for big occasions. This custom made outfit isn't available to buy, but click (right) to browse the next best things.
Or redefine royal blue by shopping the options in our edit below.
The mother-of-two had spent the day visiting the Mauritshuis museum in the Hague, where she studied The Girl With The Pearl Earring masterpiece and enjoyed a personal tour of an exhibition featuring Dutch Old Masters loaned by the Royal Collection.
A patron of the National Portrait Gallery and a history of art graduate, the Duchess really knows her stuff when it comes to famous paintings.
Standing in front The Girl With The Pearl Earring, Kate looked like a perfect match for the enigmatic figure in Vermeer's masterpiece.
And given her knowledge of art, her choice of jewellery for today's visit - a pair of diamond and pearl earrings borrowed from the Queen - was clearly no coincidence.
Kate views Vermeer's famous work The Girl With The Pearl Earring while wearing similar jewellery loaned to her for today's visit to The Hague by the Queen
Kate smiles as she takes in The Girl With The Pearl Earring by Vermeer, part of the permanent collection at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague
Kate's companion appears to notice the resemblance between the Duchess's earrings and those seen in Vermeer's work
The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Mauritshuis in The Hague for the exhibition 'At Home in Holland: Vermeer and his Contemporaries from the British Royal Collection'
Kate meets a young artist taking part in the Mauritshuis gallery's learning programme
What shall I paint next! A young boy entertains the Duchess with his pensive expression as she greets children who are taking part in a learning programme at the Mauritshuis gallery
The Duchess lingered in front of the Dutch masterpiece, made famous by the film of the same name starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson, to ensure that photographers had ample time to take their pictures of the girls in pearls.
She regarded the visit as 'a real treat' according to the Mauritshuis gallery director Emilie Gordenker who showed her around the permanent collection as well as the Queen's paintings.
She said: 'She didn't mention the earrings she was wearing, but she was interested in the painting. She asked if it had become a lot more popular since the film came out, and I said it definitely had.
'The Duchess seemed to particularly enjoy seeing The Goldfinch, by Carel Fabritius.
The Duchess wore a bespoke Catherine Walker skirt and jacket for today's engagement, which she teamed with the same nude suede court shoes she wore to an engagement in London yesterday
Eager royal fans looked delighted to meet the Duchess on her debut visit to Holland
Kate was looking impeccably groomed today, choosing the sweep her brunette locks back in a sleek updo
The Duchess of Cambridge views 'The Bull' by Paulus Potter as she visits the Mauritshuis in The Hague for the exhibition 'At Home in Holland: Vermeer and his Contemporaries from the British Royal Collection
Kate was interested to know if Vermeer's painting had become more popular since the film The Girl With The Pearl Earring, starring Scarlett Johansson
The Duchess lingered in front of the masterpiece, allowing photographers plenty of opportunity to capture the two girls with their pearl earrings
'But she asked a lot of questions about the presentation of the paintings, because although she is familiar with a lot of the Queen's paintings she has never seen them in this setting before, which gives them a different context.'
Kate was visiting the museum as part of a day of engagements in the Netherlands - her first solo foreign trip on official royal duties without William.
The mother-of-two looked elegant in a bespoke pale blue skirt suit by Catherine Walker and in a break from her usual style she wore her brunette locks swept back in a chic bun.
Kate paused to chat to youngsters who had gathered outside the Mauritshuis gallery to wave Union Jack flags to welcome her
One is amused! The Duchess of Cambridge laughs during a roundtable discussion at the British Ambassador's Residence
The Duchess looked delighted to be meeting the Dutch monarch King Willem-Alexander and was showing no hint of nerves on her first official overseas visit without William
Kate waves to the crowd as she arrives at the Mauritshuis gallery in The Hague to visit an exhibition of 22 picture by Dutch artists loaned to the art gallery from the Royal Collection
She teamed her outfit with her trusty Gianvito Rossi suede pumps, which she also wore yesterday for an engagement in London and carried a small nude box clutch from L.K. Bennett.
The chic ensemble gave the Duchess more than a hint of Jackie Kennedy style, and is in keeping with her new high end wardrobe.
Kate was given a personal tour of an exhibition featuring Dutch Old Masters loaned by the Royal Collection, with artwork, furniture and other objects accumulated over centuries by the British monarchy.
The highlight of the visiting exhibition is Johannes Vermeer's 'The Music Lesson,' but the Duchess also toured the museum's permanent collection, which is where she encountered Vermeer's best-known work, as well as 'The Goldfinch' by Carel Fabritius.
Before leaving, the Duchess met children taking part in the gallery's learning programme and attended a short reception with museum supporters.
Kate is greeted by the director of the Mauritshuis gallery Emilie Gordenker in The Hague
Kate shares a joke with King Willem-Alexander as the pair pose for photos before sitting down for lunch
Earlier today, Kate made a courtesy call to King Willem-Alexander at Villa Eikenhorst, the royal residence he shares with wife Queen Maxima and their three daughters, Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.
The family home is on the forested De Horsten estate in Wassenaar, near The Hague, and, despite being a private residence, the Dutch monarch sometimes hosts foreign guests.
'Welcome, welcome, very nice to see you,' the king said, as he greeted his guest for the first visit by a British royal to the Dutch kingdom in three years.
Kate has been heralded as a 'secret weapon' for UK diplomacy as the country faces Brexit negotiations
Th down-to-earth Duchess interacts with members of the public during her first official visit to Holland
Kate usually lets her flowing brunette locks flow around her shoulders, but today she opted for a chic updo - all the better for showing off the earrings she borrowed from the Queen
Her one-day trip is a royal milestone for the Duchess as it's the first time she's travelled abroad by herself on official royal duties without William.
A tour of Malta in 2014 was scheduled to be Kate's first solo trip but she had to cancel as she was suffering from acute morning sickness while pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
Folowing her museum visit, Kate travelled to the official residence of Sir Geoffrey Adams, Britain's Ambassador to the Netherlands, to convene a round-table discussion on the themes of addiction, intervention, family and mental health.
Taking part were professionals from the Trimbos Institute, a non-profit research centre working on the issues of mental health and addiction.
Rutger Engels, President and Chief Executive officer of the Trimbos Institute said: 'Still too often children are overlooked when one of their parents has a mental disorder or addiction problem.
'We are very pleased that The Duchess will use her visit to the Netherlands to raise more awareness for the vulnerable position these children are in.'
Kate laughs as she prepares to convene a round-table discussion on the themes of addiction, intervention, family and mental health
Kate gives a cheery wave to well wishers as she is led into the Mauritshuis gallery by its director Emilie Gordenker
Kate (left) admires Vermeer's masterpiece The Girl With The Pearl Earring. Fittingly, the Duchess chose the same accessory for today's visit to The Hague
Kate listens with interest as she tours the Mauritshuis with museum director Emilie E.S. Gordenker
Kate glances at Italian Landscape with Inn and Ancient Ruins 1658 by Jan Baptist Weenix
Royal fans were eager to get a snap as they crowded around the royal visitor with their camera phones
Royal fans were delighted to catch a glimpse of the Duchess on her first visit to The Netherlands - also her debut solo engagement overseas
Kate looks around at the art work as she's led up the stairs at the Mauritshuis art museum by director Emilie E.S. Gordenker
The Duchess arrives at the British ambassador's residence in The Netherlands
The mother-of-two leans in to chat with a young royal fan in the crowd outside the Mauritshuis in The Hague
Kate, who is patron of the National Portrait Gallery looked delighted to be visiting the Mauritshuis art museum
Art fan Kate steps out of her car at the Mauritshuis gallery where she will view an exhibition of Old Masters paintings
Kate surveying the Dutch masterpiece The Bull by Paulus Potter during a personal tour of the exhibition 'At Home in Holland: Vermeer and his Contemporaries' from the British Royal Collection
History of art graduate Kate leans in to admire The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius during a private tour of the Mauritshuis gallery
The Duchess shares a laugh with the children who had gathered outside an art gallery in The Hague to welcome the royal visitor
Mother-of-two Kate looks animated as she chats you young well wishers on her visit to The Hague - her first official overseas trip without Prince William
They were joined by counterparts from two of the Duchess's UK charities - the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, a leading charity in the research, teaching and the provision of care for children and young people with mental health issues, and Action on Addiction.
Later Kate travelled to the neighbouring city of Rotterdam to learn about Bouwkeet, the social Makerspace of Bospolder-Tussendijken. This is a new community focused initiative in the centre of an economically deprived district which provides a creative design and technology workspace.
The Duchess met with youngsters in woodwork and bike-building classes, and even got the chance to meet a real-life robot, where she was pictured shaking hands with the machine.
Kate was all smiles as she chatted with her royal counterpart at the start of her day of engagements in Holland
Kate carried a small nude box clutch and accessorised with a pair of simple pearl earrings
Kate's outfit is a bespoke creation by Chelsea-based designer Catherine Walker who was a favourite of Princess Diana
Kate, 34, looked elegant in a pale blue skirt suit by Catherine Walker as she made a courtesy call to King Willem-Alexander at Villa Eikenhorst this morning
King Willem Alexander shows Kate into the Villa Eikenhorst on the forested De Horsten estate in Wassenaar, near The Hague where the pair will have lunch together
Local residents can use the facilities, and 'pay' by sharing their skills with others, providing education, skills and positive role models within the community. The centre works with local schools to bring young people in the area into workshops, where they learn to design, create and build their own projects.
Residents pay by sharing their skills with others, providing education, skills and positive role models in the neighbourhood.
The visit comes a day after Prime Minister Theresa May was in the Netherlands for talks with her Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, to put forward her case for a fair deal for the UK with the European Union.
Mrs May also visited Denmark for talks with Prime Minister Lars-Lokke Rasmussen as part of her diplomatic offensive ahead of the formal beginning of the Brexit process.
Kate is handed a bouquet by a local. Her final engagement of the day was a visit to the neighbouring city of Rotterdam
The royal is visiting the Dutch city to learn about Bouwkeet, the social Makerspace of Bospolder-Tussendijken
The Duchess looks delighted as she chats to local youngsters in Rotterdam and is handed an edible gift
Kate looked elegant in a pale blue skirt suit by Catherine Walker as she arrived in the city for her final engagement of the day
Kate is handed countless bouquets and bunches of roses from friendly locals as she arrives in Rotterdam on Tuesday
The Duchess seems determined to shake hands with as many people as possible as she arrives at Bouwkeet in Rotterdam
Some commentators believe Kate will be an asset in helping to safeguard the UK's relations with its European neighbours as Brexit takes shape in the coming years.
One of the Queen's most senior aides, her private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt, joined Kate's small entourage - which may be interpreted by some as reflecting the importance of the trip.
But a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The Duchess' visit centred on an exhibition featuring works from the Royal Collection. Sir Christopher attended in his capacity as a trustee of the Royal Collection.'
Royal sources dismissed the speculation that Sir Christopher's presence was Brexit related, and said his joining the Duchess also reflected the close ties between the British and Dutch royal families.
The Duchess met with youngsters during a class at Bouwkeet workshop in Rotterdam and even got the chance to meet a real-life robot, where she was pictured shaking hands with the machine
Kate collapses into giggles as she is introduced to a robot by a local youngster at Bouwkeet for teenagers
The Duchess seems keen to find out as much as possible about the children's work at the robotics class on Tuesday
Kate looks impressed as she is given a live demonstration during a robotics class after a busy afternoon in Rotterdam
Kate looked fascinated as she met with teenagers who were building a bike in Bouwkeet on Tuesday afternoon
The teens were keen to show Kate the ropes as they demonstrated how to put together pieces on a bike wheel
All hands on deck: The elegant royal showed no signs of being out of her comfort zones as she chatted with youngsters
Kate even offered to help out as she held the wheel in place as the youngsters got to work with a screwdriver
The Duchess looks delighted as she learns about woodworking at a class at Bouwkeet workshop, her final engagement
Kate's visit to the woodworking class marked the end of a busy day of engagement on her first solo trip abroad
Following her visit to Bouwkeet workshop the duchess is set to retire for the day having completed all of her engagements
There were plenty of well-wishers still lining the streets of Rotterdam to see the duchess off after her busy day
The duchess was sure to give one last final wave to her fans before getting in her car ready to leave Rotterdam
Most watched News videos
-
CCTV captures final tragic moments of Mirna Salihin's life -
Mother shaves daughters hair after she 'bullies cancer girl' -
GRAPHIC CONTENT: 'Ghost' rises from body after fatal crash -
Bulls head butt each other then die instantly from brutal blow -
Shocking moment girl gets viciously beaten after starting fight -
Mother releases devastating footage of son's final moments -
Lorry smashes into car leaving driver with severe injuries -
Is this the creepy moment the corpse of a girl OPENS her eyes? -
'Big fat gypsy wedding' in Romania goes on for FOUR days -
Groom ALREADY tired of marriage life just after 15 minutes -
'Pascal's a G!' Kim Kardashian speaks well of her bodyguard -
GoPro captures the moment a croc swims amongst swimmers
-
Russia orders all officials to fly home any relatives living...
-
Are these the Clintons' secret grandkids? Their father - the...
-
Shocked passengers sit alongside a DEAD BODY after diabetic...
-
It's a FAKE: Distressing viral video that allegedly showed...
-
'I have something to tell you... mommy died last night':...
-
'She's a bad, bad person!' Trump digs at Hillary as he...
-
REVEALED: Hero flight instructor's desperate cockpit fight...
-
Terrified virgin bride bashes her husband over the head with...
-
President Hollande has admitted 'France has a problem with...
-
Pictured: The married father, 24, and his restaurant worker...
-
The black man claiming to be Bill Clinton's love child...
-
Disgraced former governor Eliot Spitzer's prostitute, 25,...
I know this runs contrary to popular opinion on her...
by Ruby7 2815