Kate Middleton sparks huge online frenzy following latest public appearance

Kate Middleton has become a certified style icon over the years.

In fact, her fashion choices boost the economy by an estimated £1 billion a year, according to The Times, an impact dubbed the 'Kate effect'.

After undergoing treatment for cancer last year, the Princess of Wales has been steadily returning to public life, making a heartfelt video to mark Mental Health Awareness Week and joining Prince William at the VE Day 80: A Celebration To Remember concert last week.

And, her choice of ensemble at her most recent public appearance has sparked an online frenzy.

Kate showed up at a fashion industry event to present the Queen Elizabeth II prize for British Design yesterday (13 May) wearing an olive-green trouser suit by Spice Girls star-turned-fashion designer, Victoria Beckham.

The suit, which carries a hefty price tag of £1,340, featured the designer's signature 'puddling hems' i.e. ultra-long trouser legs, and unsurprisingly, it sold out after the princess was spotted in it.

Following the event, one X user shared a screenshot of the jacket's product page on the Victoria Beckham website.

"The Kate Effect. SOLD OUT," they wrote alongside the image.

And others took to the social media platform to praise the 43-year-old's outfit.

One person wrote: "The Princess of Wales looked fantastic today."

Another said: "Princess Catherine looks amazing. She needs to receive a Style Award for being a style icon."

And a third commented: "Catherine is so beautiful and is a huge credit to British fashion."

At the time of writing, it appears the suit jacket has come back in stock in a few sizes.

But it isn't the first time Kate's style has sparked a frenzy.

Ever since marrying into the monarchy in 2011, high-street dupes of the Princess' royal garms have sold like hot cakes.

The Reiss 'Nanette' dress that she wore during her first royal tour cleared the shelves in a matter of a minutes, and is still being sold on eBay for double its original price.

And, after she rocked a pair of Alicia Camilla Elphick pumps at a 2022 charity polo match, the designer claimed 'the phones didn't stop ringing all day' and that the shoes 'completely sold out'.

More recently, her hubby also got in on the action after people copied his rugged new look in a movement apparently known as the 'Prince William effect'.

The future King debuted a shabby-chic look last summer, with fans pleasantly surprised at how much it suited him, so much so that they were devastated when he later shaved it off.

At the time, aesthetics clinic owner Murat Alsac told the Express: "People are bringing in pictures of Prince William on their phones and saying, 'Make me look like that'.

"They think it looks rugged and masculine."