Royals Why Queen Elizabeth's Outfit for Her Outing with Prince William Was a Sweet Nod to Kate Middleton! Kate and Prince William's one-on-one outings with the Queen give a glimpse at how she is showing them the royal ropes By Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit is a Royals Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 16, 2020 10:43 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Queen Elizabeth often uses her outfits to convey subtle messages — even how she holds her signature handbag may be a secret signal! — and her latest engagement with grandson and future monarch Prince William was no exception. On Thursday, the Queen stepped out for her first public engagement outside castle walls since March wearing a Stewart Parvin-designed cashmere coat with a matching wide-brimmed hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan. The monarch, 94, chose the same pink ensemble back in March 2019 for her first-ever joint appearance with William's wife Kate Middleton without any other family members in attendance. The sweet nod to Kate is no doubt a show of support for the future king and queen. Prince William and Queen Elizabeth; Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton. Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images Both Kate and Prince William's one-on-one public outings with the Queen give a glimpse at how she is showing them the royal ropes. Kate, 38, and the monarch visited King's College in London to tour education facilities, while Prince, also 38, William joined his grandmother at a top-secret lab to pay tribute to staff who worked in the aftermath of the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter with Novichok nerve agent two years ago. Queen Elizabeth Sparks Questions About Why She Is Not Wearing a Mask on Outing Queen Elizabeth and Prince William. Kensington Palace Although the pair stayed socially distanced during Thursday's engagement due to coronavirus precautions, Queen Elizabeth's close bond with William was on display as she smiled and waved goodbye to him from inside her car as she departed. Geoff Pugh - WPA Pool/Getty Images Color Queens! Kate Middleton Is Following Queen Elizabeth's Trick to Stand Out in a Crowd Kate has taken many cues from Queen Elizabeth, including when it comes to her style. Like the monarch, Kate is a big fan of recycling pieces from her wardrobe and sporting bright colors. In the documentary The Queen at 90, the Queen's daughter-in-law, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, revealed the reason behind the colorful choices: "She needs to stand out for people to be able to say 'I saw the Queen.' " Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton. James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! And like the Queen, Kate doesn’t let the pressure of her job show. "Catherine is the sort of woman who will take on whatever she needs to,” a source previously told PEOPLE. "If she needs to step up to the plate, she does it—and she always has."