Revealed: How Kate Middleton made tiny tweaks to her BAFTA gown to update her look from 2019 awards 

The Princess of Wales is known for her love of rewearing her favourite outfits and thrifty fashion sense.

And tonight at the BAFTA awards was no different for Kate Middleton, 41, who opted to make a number of subtle tweaks to an older ball gown to walk the red carpet.

The royal mother-of-three opted for an Alexander McQueen one shoulder gown for the occasion, which she first wore to the event in 2019.

The white one-shouldered gown has undergone some minor alterations, with the floral detailing on the shoulder swapped for a sweeping train of material. 

And it’s far from the first time she has tweaked and amended a gown to rewear to the event – the last time she attended, in 2020, she opted to wear a slightly tweaked Alexander McQueen gown which she first wore in 2012. 

When first worn by the Princess to the 2019 event, the Alexander McQueen gown featured a floral detailing across the shoulder.

However for tonight’s event, the applique had been removed and a new strip of material had been added. 

The white material had been tied in an elegant bow at the Princess’ shoulder, and fell gently behind her back.

The dress remained largely unchanged, with a sweeping train and delicate white belt detail.  

In 2019, she also accessorised the look slightly differently – opting to wear her hair in an elegant updo and pair the gown with white and silver accessories.

However tonight, she opted for a pair of trendy black opera gloves and a black clutch bag.

Meanwhile she also donned a pair of £18 gold Zara earrings, and a pair of matching glittering shoes. 

It is not uncommon for Kate to alter pieces for a second wear. Indeed the Duchess wore a gown to the National Portrait Gallery in 2019 that appeared to be an altered version of a dress first worn to the BAFTAs in 2017.

She has also had more low-key looks like dresses and coats tailored ahead of repeat wears.

She added a touch of extra glamour to the look with a set of black opera gloves and a £18 pair of gold Zara earrings.

Tonight’s event marked the first time the couple, who have made it their tradition to attend the biggest night in UK cinema each year, have attended in three years. 

William has been the president of Bafta since 2010 and Kate first attended the event with her husband in 2017. 

For his outfit, William kept things classic and simple in a double-breasted black velvet tuxedo jacket. 

Kate sported glamorous makeup with a pink lipstick and a dark smokey eye, and swept her hair behind her shoulders for the occasion. 

She has worn Alexander McQueen – one of her favourite fashion brands – on numerous occasions, most notably choosing its creative director Sarah Burton to design her wedding dress.

Kate’s white toga-style gown featured a fitted bodice, cinched waist and flowing floor-length skirt. 

The outfit is one she has worn in the past, including to the BAFTAs in 2019, but she has tweaked the shoulder detailing on this occasion to include a train. 

It had previously featured a floral detail across the left shoulder.  

However Kate’s dramatic opera gloves were a new look for the royal, who hasn’t been spotted wearing a similar accessory before.

However the gloves are the must-have accessory of the year, according to stylists.

Sienna Miller opted for a black lace pair for the Bafta’s last year, while Olivia Rodrigo, Millie Bobby Brown and Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney have also been snapped in opera gloves on the red carpet.

TV and celebrity fashion expert Miranda Holder previously told FEMAIL the accessory has become an essential for any formal occasion.

She explained: ‘Old fashioned Hollywood glamour is the order of the day as celebrities clamour to be the ultimate icons of sophistication following the more sartorially barren two years of the pandemic.

‘Now it’s all about making a statement with panache and elegance – and nothing says this better than a pair of opera gloves.’

The Prince, President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and The Princess will watch the Awards ceremony before meeting category winners and EE Rising Star Award nominees. 

The royal couple have made the event an annual date in the diary, however they last attended in 2020, shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic brought lockdown to the UK.

In 2018, the couple attended while Catherine was pregnant with baby Louis, and were also guests of honour in 2017. 

The EE BAFTA Film Awards are an annual celebration of the extraordinary skills, talent and craft of the film industry. 

For the first time, this year’s Awards will culminate in a live broadcast of the final four categories, enabling audiences to experience the nominee and winners’ reactions in real-time.

BAFTA is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally.

 BAFTA is committed to identifying talented individuals and making sure they receive professional support and advice that will enable them to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

The charity delivers a year round international programme of learning events and initiatives, including scholarships and mentoring programmes. 

The couple’s appearance tonight comes days after the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall made their first joint official visit to the county since taking on their new roles.

William, 40, and Kate, 41, visited the harbour town of Falmouth earlier this month to learn about the area’s heritage at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall before visiting a community centre.

During their visit to the museum’s workshop, they helped those working on the refurbishment of the Kiwi, a 14-foot sailing dinghy which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip as a wedding present from the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Looking effortlessly elegant, mother-of-three Kate sported a chestnut brown Hobbs coat she first wore on an official engagement in 2012, teamed with matching knee-high boots and a red outfit underneath. William looked dapper in a navy blazer and coordinating jumper.

The Princess of Wales looked particularly thrilled to see her old prep school teacher Jim Embury – who now volunteers at the museum – and greeted him with a hug.