Style

Catherine wows in chic polka-dot dress as she visits gran’s WWII workplace

May 15, 2019

Catherine flashed a beaming smile on the outing. Source: Getty.

She’s known for her thrifty side and Catherine has pulled it off once again as she recycled one of her most classic dresses for a special royal visit, paying tribute to her own grandmother’s incredible war efforts.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 37, looked beautiful in a navy and white polka-dot dress by Alessandra Rich, reportedly worth £1,750 (AU $3,253). Flowing down loosely to her knees, the timeless frock ended with a daring split down the front and a white buttoned-up collar.

Prince William’s wife coupled the dress, which she previously wore for Prince Charles’ official 70th birthday portraits, with some blue stiletto heels and wore her hair in loose curls over her shoulders as she visited Bletchley Park, near Milton Keynes, UK.

The Duchess of Cambridge looked beautiful in the polka dot dress. Source: Getty.

The royal visit was particularly special for the duchess as her own paternal grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, worked there as a code-breaker during the Second World War and Catherine had the chance to meet other veterans and speak about their incredible work.

The mum-of-three was shown a new memorial of bricks containing the name of her grandmother and great-aunt, before the Mail Online reports she opened up on how secretive her gran used to be about her time there – telling school children at Akeley Wood Primary School that she was “so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us” about what she did.

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According to the news outlet, both of Catherine’s relatives worked as duty officers and were employed as Foreign Office Civilians in the Cover Management Y section in 1944.

In a further tribute to Valerie, Catherine also wore her late grandmother’s brooch on the visit, in honour of her memory.

Catherine met Bletchley Veterans Elizabeth Diacon, Georgina Rose, Audrey Mather and Rena Stewart. Source: Instagram/Kensington Royal.

According to Kensington Palace, the duchess also joined the kids for an immersive workshop where they used a real Enigma Machine from the Second World War, which saw them take on the role of code-breakers.

“She also met Bletchley Veterans Elizabeth Diacon, Georgina Rose, Audrey Mather and Rena Stewart, who all worked to feed crucial information to Allied forces in the critical months, weeks and days leading up to D-Day during #WW2,” the palace added in a statement on Instagram.

The duchess' grandmother and great aunt have been honoured on a memorial wall. Source: Instagram/Kensington Royal. — The duchess’ grandmother and great aunt have been honoured on a memorial wall. Source: Instagram/Kensington Royal.

Meanwhile, Catherine also opened up on her youngest son Louis’ cheeky habits on the visit, according to the Mirror Online.

“Louis is keeping us on our toes,” she reportedly told royal fans. “I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide – I had no idea!”.

It comes just weeks after Kensington Palace released new photos of the adorable youngster to mark his first birthday, taken by Catherine herself who is a keen photographer.