Kate Middleton Was 'Blown Away' by Royal Wedding Connection at Textile Factory Visit (Exclusive)

The Princess of Wales was excited to see an iconic scarlet fabric synonymous with the Household Calvary come to life

Kate Middleton was delighted to learn more about how her royal wedding to Prince William came to life during her latest engagement.

The Princess of Wales, 41, checked out textile manufacturers in Leeds and Lancaster on Tuesday to learn more about the innovative industry, its history and its vital place in the U.K. economy. During a stop at AW Hainsworth, a family-owned heritage textile mill (which involves her ancestors!) in Leeds, Princess Kate got to see the creation of the bright scarlet fabric that’s the mainstay of the ceremonial uniform of the palace guards — and Prince William’s royal wedding tunic!

Fabric from the mill was used in the striking Colonel of the Irish Guards uniform that Prince William wore for his April 2011 wedding to Kate at Westminster Abbey, and the Princess of Wales was shown a photo from the big day while viewing a company timeline during a private reception.

“She is featured with her husband, and as she walked around, she clearly recognized it and was blown away,” Amanda McLaren, managing director, exclusively tells PEOPLE.

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“She was so friendly and really engaged in our people and really interested in meeting as many people as she could get to. We took a slight detour — she was so interested,” McLaren added of the Princess of Wales’ enthusiasm.

Though Kate was on the move at AW Hainsworth, operational excellence director Zena Al Mausawe tells PEOPLE that she seemed especially excited by the production of the scarlet fabric.

“She loved it. It was great that she saw the scarlet tunic, which is the iconic red fabric that everyone associates with Buckingham Palace and the guards. It was great how she was trying to feel everything and get the tactile experience as well,” Al Mausawe says. “She loved the smell of the wool and the texture of it and the handle of it.”

The textile mill also played a pivotal role in outfitting the Household Calvary for the two most major royal occasions of the last year: Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022 and King Charles’ coronation in May.

“We provide all the material for the scarlet tunics for the Household Cavalry. We William’s and Charles’ and we’d have done [Prince] Harry’s. We were proud to be part of the Queen’s funeral when we saw all the scarlets going down the different processions and then the joyous occasion of the King’s coronation, which was great. Wall to wall Hainsworth!” Rachel Taylor, a seventh-generation member of the Hainsworth family, exclusively tells PEOPLE.

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In her own family history, Princess Kate’s paternal ancestors were owners of a local woolen manufacturer and merchant William Lupton and Co., which was sold to AW Hainsworth in 1958. Kate’s great-grandfather Noel Middleton, who married Olive Lupton in 1914, was a director of the company. Noel and Olive had three sons including Peter Middleton, Kate’s grandfather and the dad of her father, Michael.

According to Taylor, the Princess of Wales prepared for her visit to the mill by chatting to her dad, Michael, and mom, Carole.

“She had had a chat with her parents, and they had been filling her in,” she tells PEOPLE. “They had obviously done some research. She spoke to a lot of people today. We were able to put a bit of bells and whistles onto that.”

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Taylor retired from the company in December and says that Kate’s office reached out to coordinate the visit.

"It was a surprise to us — the princess's team contacted us. It was such a fantastic honor. There is a lot of history for the princess,” she explains. Taylor says that her father John Hainsworth, 91, was devastated he could not be present for the princess’ visit but was thrilled the future queen paid a stop to their 100% family-owned company.

Princess Kate also saw a familiar frock during her stop: a navy maternity dress by Madderson, which is an exact copy of an outfit she wore when pregnant with Princess Charlotte, 8. The Doeskin Navy Cloth was created by Hainsworth.

“The fabric was made here,” McLaren tells PEOPLE. “It was really nice to bring that out and share it with her.”

She adds, that Kate "recognized it immediately. She said, ‘Oh my goodness, I remember that dress!’ For us, it was a nice little touch at the end. But for her, it was about coming here and understanding better a fully integrated mill and the importance of having socialist skills and expertise that we can pass on to the next generation.”

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