Last time she made an appearance in public, a gust of wind blew up her dress.
So this time, the Duchess of Cambridge decided on a more demure appearance as she arrived at a charity ball in Central London.
After
her husband's scene-stealing appearance with Jon Bon Jovi and Taylor
Swift earlier this week, she needed to make a headline-grabbing
appearance of her own, and with an elegant off-the-peg Temperley dress accompanied by a pair of glamorous Jimmy Choos, she did just that.
Stunning: The Duchess of Cambridge arriving in a black off-the-peg Templeton dress at the SportsAid SportsBall in London
Kate also chose a pair of suede five inch Cosmic pumps by Jimmy Choo
The Duchess was at the event in her role as patron of the charity which helps fund promising athletes
Kate, 31, who had left her
four-month-old son Prince George at home with daddy at Kensington
Palace, was out and about in her role as patron of the charity, which
provides financial support for promising young athletes.
Crowds
gathered outside Embankment Gardens in Central London to watch the
glamorous Duchess alight from her official car at 7pm and walk the red
carpet into Supernova, a pop-up Christmas entertainment venue.
The Duchess walked down the red
carpert in the laser-cut design cocktail dress wearing black suede
five-inch Cosmic pumps costing £450.
The Duchess also appeared to have had her hair darkened and trimmed in preparation for the event.
Earlier this month her locks were much discussed when she appeared at a poppy day event displaying obvious grey roots.
Tonight, however, her hugely envied hair was glossy and dark. She also appeared to have had an inch or so cut from the length.
The Duchess appeared to have had her hair darkened and trimmed in preparation for the event
The elegant dress is characterised by an intricate laser cut design and inspired by Renaissance stained glass
Attire: The Duchess's Alice Temperley dress incorporated the best of traditional and modern
She wowed crowds as she walked down the red carpet at the Embankment Gardens in Central London
The 31-year-old emerged from her official car holding a red clutch bag
The Duchess avoided another 'Marilyn moment' as she stepped onto the pavement
The spotlight has now turned on her after her husband, Prince William, performed on stage with Jon Bon Jovi earlier this week
The Duchess was greeted by a group of promising athletes at the door before settling down for a three-course meal
The patron of Sports Aid chatted to other guests before she made her way into the venue
Kate speaking to former Olympic athlete Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson
The Welsh former wheelchair racer is current trustee of the charity
British pole vaulter Harry Coppell, 17, is one of the aspiring athletes the charity is aiming to help
She was greeted by three of
SportsAids brightest young talents as well as Olympians Amy Williams,
Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Anna Watkins.
On
arrival at the ball she swapped notes with another new mother, Olympic
gold-medallist rower Anna Watkins who had her two-month-old son on
September 20.
Anna said: 'I've met Kate before during the Olympics, she's lovely and so interested and supportive of athletes.
'She asked me what I've been up to since the Olympics and I said 'well actually I've had a baby.
'I had a son, William, two months ago.
'Kate
said congratulations and said "will you go back to rowing?" I told her I
have no current plans to but am not ruling it out. Life has changed.
After dinner Kate presented the coveted One-to-Watch Award for the most impressive up-and-coming young athlete.
From a shortlist of three the duchess gave the prize to 16-year-old shooter Amber Hill from Bracknell.
Opening
the gold envelope, Kate said: 'I'm pleased to announce that the winner
of the SportsAid One-to-Watch Award 2013 is Amber Hill.'
In
an interview before the prize presentation, compere John Inverdale said
to Amber: 'Shooting, it's not the sexiest sport in the world."
She
joked "I'm sure I can make it.' After being presented with her award,
Amber said: 'It was totally unexpected, I really couldn't believe it.
'Kate said she loved my comments (about making her sport sexy).
'She congratulated me how amazingly I have done.
'It's no nice that she recognises young up-and-coming athletes.
Another up-and-coming athlete, laughs as she chats to The Duchess in the entrance of the Embankment Centre
The Duchess admires the Team GB bobsled, which could make an appearance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, next year
The Duchess of Cambridges walks besideTim Lawler, the chief executive of Sports Aid
'I didn't ask about George I'm afraid, I didn't pry about who was babysitting!'
The
Duchess's dress incorporated the best of traditional and modern - a
traditional cocktail design with a cut-out pattern which revealed a nude
underlay.
She was also sporting vertiginous black suede heels and a clutch bag.
Inside
guests dinned on decidedly un-sporting fodder including chicken and
cranberry wellington, slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, balsamic onions and
cumin vegetables, followed by a decadent chocolate crumb desert with
coco meringues.
The Sportsball gala dinner is Sportsaid's major annual fundraiser.
It
also celebrates the achievements of the athletes the charity has
supported over the years and looks to the future by shining a light on
talent in the next generation.
With
this in mind, the Duchess will present the One-to-Watch Award, which
honours a young British sportsman or woman who has demonstrated
extraordinary commitment to their sport and career and previous
recipients include diver Tom Daley.
She left her four-month old son George at Kensington Palace with the Duke of Cambridge
Her black suede five inch Cosmic pumps by cost £450
She also showed off her sapphire engagement ring as she arrived for the event
Chosen from more than
1,300 athletes who have been supported by SportsAid this year, the three
shortlisted nominees for this year’s One-to-Watch Award are 16-year-old
shooter Amber Hill, 17-year-old pole vaulter Harry Coppell and
18-year-old rower Jess Leyden.
Dozens
of Olympic and Paralympic legends, many of whom were helped by
SportsAid early in their careers, attended the gala night as well as
supporters including tycoon's son Sam Branson and his wife, Isabella,
half sister of Prince Harry's girlfriend, Cressida Bonas.
The
evening will culminatine in a live auction of unique sporting
experiences and memorabilia including a boks for ten at Royal Ascot and a
signed photograph of Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray.
