‘William said I look like a banana!’

She’s famous for her conservative sense of style but that didn’t stop the Duchess of Cambridge from plumping for an unusually bright hue for her first day on Australian soil.
Paying tribute to her Australian hosts, the Duchess’ sunny £900 dress mirrored the gold of the Australian flag and was created by the London-based Serbian designer, Roksanda Ilincic.
But while the dress drew appreciative gasps from the waiting crowd, it seems not everyone was a fan of the bold ensemble. ‘William said I look like a banana,’ Kate confided to one well-wisher, Heather Easton, as the couple arrived at Sydney’s iconic Royal Opera House.
Although the Ryedale wool-crepe dress failed to find favour with Prince William, the dress, which comes from the London-based Serbian fashion designer’s S/S 2014 collection, did win the Duchess the approval of the fashion crowd.
And it also proved a hit with well wishers, among them Mrs Easton, who enjoyed a friendly conversation with the Duchess from her perch in the disabled section, and another with the Duke.
She told William that she had seen him as a baby in New Zealand when he took his first few steps at Government House, Wellington.
And she told him that she clearly remembered his mother and that she looked more beautiful in real life than in her photographs, to which the Duke replied: ‘Thank you very much.’
As 32-year-old Kate first stepped off the plane in Sydney, she carried Prince George – the real star of the show – in her arms as the family made their way out of the aircraft to meet a line of waiting dignitaries, including the prime minister Tony Abbott.
Standing among the soberly-dressed dignitaries, her yellow dress provided a welcome splash of colour – unsurprising as, according to Matches, a retailer that stocks the dress, it was inspired by the work of Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica and incorporates his trademark bold block colours.
While you can pick up the dress off the peg, it comes in white with flashes of yellow – the reverse of the Duchess’ dress – which indicates that the piece was made specifically for the visit.
But with its square neckline and neatly tailored shape, the piece is a classic that retailers such as the Duchess of Cambridge’s favourite high street name Zara have found easy to emulate.
It is not the first time the Duchess has worn yellow to a public occasion either. She previously wore a dustier shade of the colour for her arrival at Calgary International Airport in July 2011 as part of the Royal couple’s Canadian tour.