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Catherine chose an emerald green Emilia Wickstead dress, perfect for the start of autumn

The Princess of Wales selected a bespoke emerald dress by Emilia Wickstead for this morning's school drop-off at Eton College, where she and Prince William accompanied their eldest son Prince George for his first day.

Catherine paired the long-sleeved midi dress with brown suede Gianvito Rossi 85 pumps, which retail at £710, and accessorised with her £1,720 Cartier Trilogy earrings and a £144 Laura Lombardi portrait chain necklace in gold-plated brass.

The tailored design featured a rounded neckline and an A-line skirt falling below the knee. She styled her hair in loose, bouncy curls that swept past her shoulders.

The Laura Lombardi necklace was first spotted on the Princess during her visit to Boston with Prince William in 2022.

This was not the first outing for the Wickstead piece; Catherine previously wore it in November 2023 when she welcomed Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel to Windsor Castle.

Deep green has long been one of the Princess's most reliable colour choices. She has reached for similar rich shades of emerald, forest and bottle green across a wide range of engagements, from the Royal Variety Show to the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day Parade in March, where she opted for an Alexander McQueen coat in the same family of hues.

At this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, she chose a verdant Ralph Lauren blazer. Whether in the form of a structured coat, a sparkling gown or a simple shift dress, the shade has become something of a signature for Catherine.

The family arrived at Eton's cobblestone courtyard beneath umbrellas as rain swept across Berkshire on Tuesday morning. Prince George, 13, was dressed in what the school terms "home clothes", a dark blazer, crisp white shirt and tie, matching his father's outfit.

The trio were greeted by headmaster Simon Henderson and the school's provost, Sir Nicholas Coleridge. "Welcome — good luck. Enjoy it," Mr Henderson told the young prince.

In a lighthearted moment, Prince William's umbrella turned entirely inside out, prompting laughter from his son. The Prince of Wales reportedly abandoned the umbrella altogether and proceeded to get soaked as the family made their way across campus.

Acknowledging the downpour, Sir Nicholas remarked that it was "typical," to which William replied: "If it rains, it rains for ages."

For Prince William, the morning represented a full-circle moment; 31 years ago, Princess Diana accompanied him on his own first day at Eton, where he was a pupil from 1995 to 2000.

Though Catherine and her late mother-in-law have drawn numerous style comparisons over the years, the Princess did not echo Diana's ocean-blue tailoring from that 1995 occasion. The darker palette felt more fitting for the autumnal weather.

Catherine herself was educated at Marlborough College, the co-educational boarding school in Wiltshire.

Eton, founded by King Henry VI in 1440, counts 20 British prime ministers and actors such as Tom Hiddleston among its alumni.

Prince Harry also attended the school, and George's godfather Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton is an old Etonian. Annual fees stand at roughly £68,000.

The Waleses had largely been out of the public eye for over a month, having spent time at Balmoral in Scotland with the wider Royal Family as well as at their Norfolk retreat, Anmer Hall. Today's outing effectively marks the end of the summer break for the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince George's younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, seven, are due back at Lambrook school on Wednesday.

A packed autumn schedule lies ahead for the couple. Prince William is set to travel to Norway on Wednesday for King Harald's funeral.

In October, the Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to take a prominent role in the Oman State Visit, when King Charles and Queen Camilla host Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. William may also head to Mumbai for the Earthshot Prize in November.