The Princess of Wales' number one style ally, Sarah Burton, has announced her departure from British fashion label, Alexander McQueen, after 13 years at the helm.
Burton took over the creative direction of the brand after founder Lee Alexander McQueen's death in 2010. Soon after, the press-shy designer formed a working relationship with Kate, leading to the royal commissioning the house to make her highly anticipated wedding dress in 2011.
Burton has rarely given interviews and has never spoken at length about her working relationship with Kate or her other clients, who include among them other members of the royal family, A-list celebrities and dignitaries.
However, the designer's relationship with Kate was pulled into public focus in January when Prince Harry referenced her as a participant in the controversial 2018 royal wedding bridesmaids' dress saga, in his memoir, Spare.
The prince presented his side of events in the incident which was reported in the press in 2019 as Meghan Markle having made Kate cry over the bridesmaid's dress which was to be worn by Princess Charlotte at the royal wedding.
In 2021, Meghan said it was in fact Kate who made her cry. Harry claimed that Kate wrote to Meghan four days before the May 19 wedding telling her that Charlotte's dress was "too big, too long, too baggy," and that the little princess had "cried when she tried it on at home."
Harry told readers that Kate had demanded the couture Givenchy dress be completely remade, citing (though not directly naming) Burton's professional opinion as evidence.
"Her own wedding dress designer agreed," the prince wrote.
Kate did not respond to the claims made in Spare, in line with a blanket "no comment" position adopted by Buckingham Palace at the time of its publication. No comment was also provided by Burton at Alexander McQueen.
The designer's working relationship with Kate is best charted through their frequent collaborations on some of the princess' most important outfits, not just the two dresses worn on her wedding day to Prince William in 2011, but also those worn regularly on royal engagements over the years and to King Charles II's coronation in May.
In a statement released on September 11, regarding her stepping down, Burton said she was "proud of everything I've done and of my incredible team at Alexander McQueen."
"They are my family, and this has been my home for the past 26 years," she continued, before going on to pay tribute to her late mentor.
"Above all I want to thank Lee Alexander McQueen," she said. "He taught me so much and I am eternally grateful to him. I am looking forward to the future and my next chapter and will always carry this treasured time with me."
Burton has not yet announced her plans for the future, though she could continue designing through founding her own label. She could also move over to head another major fashion house.
Wherever she goes, it is likely that Burton will bring the patronage of her most famous client with her.
Newsweek approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
