How Kate Middleton Is Keeping Up With Meghan Markle’s Style

She’s a style icon of her own, but that doesn’t mean Kate Middleton isn’t feeling some pressure to be seen as stylish as her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.

According to Express UK, the Duchess of Cambridge has notably upped her fashion game since Markle married Prince Harry last May, and that she allegedly hired a secret aide to help her stay on pace with the Duchess of Sussex. The publication reports that the aide is Virginia Chadwyck-Healey, a former editor at Vogue magazine, and she has been helping Middleton keep her glamor game up at royal events.

Chadwyck-Healey is reportedly an old friend of the royal couple, and she’s seen as Middleton’s “Secret Weapon” when it comes to her remaining stylish.

“Ginnie is Catherine’s secret weapon,” a source told Daily Mail (via Express). “She has made a big difference to the Duchess’s wardrobe for public engagements and has helped give her a whole new sense of confidence. Catherine has been really impressed and is very grateful for her help.”

Of course, even if the Duchess is seeking some assistance to keep up with her sister-in-law, who is known for her style as well, she isn’t likely faltering in the eyes of the public, as the “Kate effect” still seems to have some pull even to this day.

In addition, while she has been criticized at times for choices she has made at certain events, she’s also been praised recently for more of the choices she has made when it comes to the brands she wears, while Markle has been criticized as potentially being harmful to the British economy.

Markle, who is an American, has been known to wear designers like Carolina Herrera, Dior and Valentino throughout her pregnancy, a move that is criticized because of the “Meghan Effect.” Because most of what she wears is often quickly sold out afterward by those trying to emulate her style, the Duchess was criticized for not showing support instead to British designers.

Meanwhile, Middleton earned praise since she often favors designers like Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham, Reiss and LK Bennett.