Kate Middleton Declares It's Spring, Ditches Her Coat for Solo Royal Engagement

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC]. [MUSIC] [SOUND]

Coat season is officially over. Well, at least according to Kate Middleton, who shed the extra layer for a solo royal engagement at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in London on Tuesday morning.

For the outing — in which Kate will participate in a music class with children and their parents at the new Pears Family School — Kate traded in her signature coat dress for a jacket-less look, wearing an emerald green Emilia Wickstead dress. The long-sleeve frock features a boat neckline and an A-line silhouette that hits right above the knee.

Neil Mockford/Getty Images
Neil Mockford/Getty Images

Elongating her stocking-free legs, Kate slipped on a pair of blush pumps that matched her clutch.

In true Kate form, she wore her hair down and in a bouncy blowout, which she tucked behind her ears to reveal a pair of stunning drop earrings.

Samir Hussein/Getty Images
Samir Hussein/Getty Images

The Duchess of Cambridge's appearance comes approximately a week after the Queen bestowed her with a new rank, Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Members of the royal family with this special honor occasionally wear a Maltese cross to official outings. However, Kate's cross may look a little different.

"The insignia for a Knight or Dame Grand Cross features an ornate Maltese cross surrounded by an eight-pointed silver star," People reported. "In addition, the size of the badge is larger for the higher ranks."

No sign of the cross today, but we're sure Kate has already chosen the perfect outfit for its debut.