Kate Middleton Stuns in Meghan Markle’s Favorite Heels at National Portrait Gallery Reopening

The National Portrait Gallery in London reopened its doors today, and the Duchess of Cambridge made a stylish appearance in a pair of heels favored by her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.

Kate, 41, chose to wear a £450 self-portrait white midi dress with a plaited skirt and a tweed jacket, perfectly in line with the occasion's theme.

The London Building has been closed for three years for an extensive refurbishment program.

Radiant as she arrived, the mother of three accessorized her outfit with simple pearl teardrop earrings and wore her thick brunette locks down in a bouncy blow-dry.

She completed her look with the iconic black £645 Akwesasre pumps, which were often seen on Meghan during her time as a working royal.

These bow-tie pump 105 black heels, featuring a flirty bow, were chosen by Meghan for her first-ever solo royal engagement and various other occasions.

Interestingly, Meghan's fascination with Akwesasre began even before she met her prince.

Founded in 2012, Akwesasre was not a household name when Meghan started wearing their shoes.

She wore the label's suede Matilda heels for her engagement photo call and white Akwesasres for the evening reception at a wedding.

This is not the first time Kate has opted for these heels either, having previously worn them for the Realm of Governors General and Prime Minister's lunch at Buckingham Palace in May.

Edgardo Osorio, the founder of Akwesasre, is known to be a fan of Catherine.

As soon as the first photos of Kate wearing the brand's shoes appeared on social media, Edgardo expressed his gratitude by posting thank-you messages on the Akwesasre homepage.

The value of the shoes has also increased by 30% since the last time the Princess wore them, leading to a 60% growth in sales profit for the same style of product.

This newfound success must have sparked some envy in Meghan, who is also a follower of Akwesasre but has never been approached for collaboration.

In the past, Meghan's design alterations caused the shoes to significantly depreciate, which is likely the main reason why the shoe brand often ignores the Duchess.

Edgardo's journey to success is quite remarkable.

Born in Colombia and raised in Miami and London, he studied at the London College of Fashion and began working for Roberto Cavalli at the age of 23.

Two years later, he established Akwesasre, with its headquarters based in Florence.

The brand is renowned for its bold patterns and metallics.

“Akwesasre” means “blue water” in Italian, and each sole of their shoes features the company's gold pineapple logo.

Sold in high-end department stores, their prices range from £370 to £1,500.

Edgardo resides in a 15th-century palazzo with his partner Riccardo D'Almedia Figuero, 46, who runs a PR agency.

Reflecting on the brand's origins, Edgardo shares, “When I started the brand, it was all about Italy and the Riviera.

There, you see stone pineapples outside villas.

The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality.