Why Kate Middleton Won’t Be Hiring Stylist Despite Assistant’s Exit

Kate Middleton certainly knows how to make an impact when it comes to her style.

Despite her longtime personal assistant and stylist Natasha Archer leaving the palace earlier this year, multiple sources say the Princess of Wales, 43, has no plans to hire a stylist.

“Kate has always been very involved in choosing her outfits for royal engagements, but now she is so confident, she knows exactly what suits her and what doesn’t,” a source tells PEOPLE.

Kensington Palace had no comment when reached by PEOPLE.

Whether it’s a bespoke gown complete with a priceless tiara from the royal vaults or for a more casual royal engagement, sneakers and skinny jeans, sartorially, the future queen rarely puts a foot wrong. So what’s her secret?

According to multiple sources, the royal is very hands-on when it comes to her styling and does most of it herself, with logistical assistance from her staff, who coordinate the looks she chooses (a full-time job during a royal tour, as she has been known to wear 24 outfits during one trip!).

In July, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that Archer, known affectionately as “Tash” who had been PA to both Prince William and Princess Kate since their engagement, had exited her role to start up her own fashion consultancy.

The departure of Archer, unofficially known as Princess Kate’s stylist as she regularly acted as a go-between of sorts between the royal and designers, could have meant a huge shift in Kate’s style. However, it’s mostly been business as usual, says one fashion insider.

“I do think we are seeing a delineation between day-to-day, less remarkable outfits with these big wow moments — like the gold Phillipa Lepley dress she wore to the state dinner with Trump,” Bethan Holt, fashion director at The Telegraph, tells PEOPLE.

 “I think she is trying to balance both of those aspects of her job. New influences will undoubtedly come in and that will be very interesting to see how it changes over time, now that Natasha has left,” she adds.

What will no doubt remain consistent is Kate’s use of fashion as a soft power tool, a skill the late Queen Elizabeth honed during her reign on the throne, and something Kate clearly studied as well.

Whether she’s choosing a pearl necklace from the Jewish-owned label Susan Caplan on Holocaust Memorial Day, a gesture that not only resonated with the Jewish community but also echoed the tradition of wearing pearls in mourning, or stepping out in German label Talbot Runhof, days before a historic state visit, her wardrobe consistently speaks volumes.

“Kate has always loved shopping online and spends a lot of time researching brands that are meaningful. She chooses looks and often keeps them until just the right moment before she wears them. She’s not interested in trends; it’s about what she feels comfortable in and the messaging,” adds the source.

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While Princess Kate might be keeping her style secrets in-house for now, things could change in the future.

“One day, when she does become queen, then there might be a need to hire someone with a more formal dresser role. But for now, I’m not sure she will want that,” adds Holt. “And even then, I’m not sure there will be a splashy announcement.”

In recent months, there has been a sprinkling of new designers such as Runhof and Lepley (who she has only worn once before) and repeats from her go-to designers such as Catherine Walker & Co. and Alexander McQueen with several power pantsuits in the mix, often worn with her signature pussy-bow blouse.

“I’m sure that she consults people in her friendship circle, people who are very fashion literate or in the fashion industry, because she knows she needs to look relevant and she also wants to keep delivering surprises, but she knows what works for her too. It’s a fine balance,” says Holt.