Kate Middleton Sends a Subtle Message with Her Hoodie During Farm Shop Outing with Prince William

The Princess of Wales zipped into a sentimental sweatshirt for the errand with her husband

Did Kate Middleton slip on something special for her Windsor Farm Shop run with Prince William on Saturday?

The Princess of Wales, 42, was seen on video for the first time since her abdominal surgery in January in footage obtained by TMZ on Monday, where the royal couple wore casual clothes and each carried a shopping bag.

Princess Kate’s black sweatshirt with orange accents has been identified as an Umbro Men England Rugby Icon Hoodie, reportedly retailing for $72 according to an Instagram fan page.

Princess Kate’s weekend wear was a show of support for the national rugby squad. As patron of England’s Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League, her outfit choice coincided with the team’s game on Saturday night. Notably, France secured a 33-31 victory over England in the Six Nations Championship match, a tournament that both Princess Kate and Prince William previously attended together. They were present for the England vs. Wales face-off in February 2023 as part of the same championship.

Kate Middleton sighting that got reported on this week is real after all
Prince William and Kate Middleton visit farm shop in Windsor amid her surgery recovery in March 2024.
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Kate Middleton Seen on Video for First Time on Shopping Trip with Prince William amid Surgery Recovery
The Prince and Princess of Wales are known to share a friendly rugby rivalry. Princess Kate has supported Team England since Queen Elizabeth appointed her to the rugby roles in February 2022, redistributing positions previously held by Prince Harry following his step back from his royal role in 2020. Meanwhile, Prince William has been the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union since 2016 — a fitting position for the Prince of Wales, the traditional title for the male heir to the British throne.

The new footage of Princess Kate was significant as the first time she has been seen in public since Kensington Palace announced that she had had “planned abdominal surgery” on Jan. 16. The 40-second clip obtained by TMZ showed the royal talking and walking with Prince William, 41, through a parking lot at the Windsor Farm Shop. The update came after The Sun reported that Kate appeared “happy, relaxed and healthy” during the visit to the local store, which is about a mile from their home at Adelaide Cottage, on Saturday.

“Kate was out shopping with William, and she looked happy and she looked well,” an onlooker told the outlet.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, visits Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity delivering life-changing outdoor learning and adventure activity programmes to young people on November 02, 2023 in
Kate Middleton visits Outfit Moray on November 02, 2023 in Moray, Scotland.
Jane Barlow – WPA Pool/Getty

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While the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — didn’t join them at the farm store, The Sun reported that the couple also spent some of the weekend watching their kids play sports.

It makes sense that the royal couple are keeping their three kids on a schedule, as the initial statement from Kensington Palace about Princess Kate’s surgery expressed her wish to “maintain as much normality for her children as possible” during this time. Prince William also cleared his calendar to be by his wife’s side and support their family immediately after the procedure.

“We know they are a very tight family unit, and he wants to be there for them, ” Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, previously told PEOPLE.

Catherine, Princess of Wales (L) and Prince William, Prince of Wales (2nd R) with Prince Louis of Wales (R), Prince George of Wales (C) and Princess Charlotte of Wales (2nd L) attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church
Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Prince Louis in Sandringham on December 25, 2023.
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

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While Kensington Palace’s January statement announcing Princess Kate’s procedure said that she was “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter,” she has been twice spotted traveling by car in recent weeks. The Princess of Wales was seen for the first time since the surgery on March 4 in the passenger seat of a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, and in the backseat of a car with Prince William last Monday.

PEOPLE understands that Princess Kate was heading to a private appointment on March 11, while the Prince of Wales stepped out with members of the royal family for the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey.