There are a few fashion rules that pretty much everybody can recite verbatim. No white after Labor Day. Always match your belt with your bag. And, of course, never, ever mix navy and black. Although these rules may sometimes make sense, they were also made to be broken. And Kate Middleton just reminded the world why.

Attending a Six Nations rugby game in Wales alongside her husband, Prince William on March 15, the Princess of Wales donned a bold look that rejected a tried-and-tested fashion maxim. Middleton wore an all-black ensemble, black leather gloves—a turtleneck, black pants, black boots—paired with a double-breasted navy coat. The coat featured a fitted waist, gold buttons, and slightly puffed shoulders. Although the look may have gone against a classic rule, Middleton more than proved that these rules are sometimes best when they are broken.

She completed the laid-back look with a pair of gold Shyla “Rosalia Hoops Lapis” hoops, which feature dark blue detailing. She wore her hair in long, loose curls, parted on the side, and tucked behind her ears.

William co-ordinated with his wife, also opting for a long navy coat, which he paired with a white shirt and a red and white striped tie.

Yesterday’s rugby match marks the couples first joint appearance at the sporting event since 2022. The pair famously have a light-hearted rivalry at the fixture,  as William is a Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, while Middleton is a Patron of England’s Rugby Football Union. 

The couple missed the game last year as Middleton was still recovering from her abdominal surgery that took place in January. She later announced that she was due to undergo a course of chemotherapy. After taking a step back from the public eye while undergoing treatment last year, she is now officially in remission.

She has recently made several appearances as her schedule picks up. She joined William for a Commonwealth Day celebration and the pair made a visit to Pontypridd, Wales. She also visited the hospital where she had received treatment for cancer and was later spotted doing some shopping. She is scheduled to make a solo appearance for St. Patrick’s Day next week.

As Middleton returns to a fuller schedule of outings, her fashion has reportedly shifted. In January, royal style experts noted that the princess would likely “reevaluate her royal wardrobe” this year. Christine Ross, author of The Princess Project newsletter, told Marie Claire that she chose “casual, accessible outfits” during a time “when she needed to appeal to public sympathies and relate to others going through treatment.”

Meanwhile, What Kate Wore blogger Susan Kelley told the outlet, “My guess is that going forward we’ll see the princess in her usual mix of dresses or separates, as well as some trouser suits, but I wouldn’t look for any major overhauls to the mix.”

In February, royal sources told The Sunday Times UK that Middleton was hoping to shift public focus away from her fashion choices. “There is an absolute feeling that it [her work] is not about what the princess is wearing,” the insider said. “She wants the focus to be on the really important issues, the people and the causes she is spotlighting.”