Here's Why Kate Middleton Didn't Wear All-Black to the BAFTAs

On Sunday, Kate Middleton and Prince William attended the BAFTAs in London. While most women wore black dresses on the red carpet, in support of the Time’s Up movement — much like at the Golden Globes — the Duchess of Cambridge opted for a dark green gown with a thin black sash around her waist.

The Duchess wore a Jenny Packham gown and carried a Mascaro clutch.

Middleton’s black sash is likely a nod to the Time’s Up moment, which seeks to end sexual harassment in the workplace, across every industry worldwide. However, as a member of the royal family, Middleton isn’t allowed to show any political affiliation or bias, so wearing all-black might have been considered a breach of protocol.

Prior to the BAFTAs, Daily Mirror correspondent Victoria Murphy noted that Middleton would likely choose a dress “that is black with some colored/metallic detail.” However, the Duchess of Cambridge opted to wear a dark hue of green, with black detailing. This is probably her compromise, on a night that saw almost everyone don black outfits.

For comparison, last year, the Duchess wore a black gown, with floral detailing:

Over 200 members of the film industry signed an open letter, published on Sunday before the BAFTAs, to launch a UK initiative inspired by Time’s Up. Emma Watson donated $1.4 million to the new legal fund that, like its US counterpart, aims to support people affected by sexual harassment.

To further support the launch of the Justice and Equality Fund, women wore black on the BAFTAs red carpetand several actresses were accompanied by activists.