Princess Kate, renowned for her extensive and stylish shoe collection, occasionally finds herself barefoot during public engagements. As a fashion icon, she typically sports a variety of footwear, including formal court shoes, espadrilles, and crisp white trainers. However, there are moments when she must remove her shoes, either as a sign of respect when visiting religious sites or to participate in sporting activities.

One such occasion was in 2016 during a visit to Gandhi Smriti in Delhi, India, where she walked barefoot alongside a socked Prince William on the grass. This gesture of respect saw her remove her cream court shoes, a rare barefoot moment for the princess.

Another instance occurred in 2012 during a trip to Malaysia, where she visited a mosque in Kuala Lumpur. Here, Princess Kate removed her nude platform court shoes, revealing her nude tights. That same year, during a visit to the Solomon Islands, she and Prince William arrived barefoot after disembarking from a war canoe.
Princess Kate has also shown her enthusiasm for sports by going barefoot. During a visit to Bacon's College in London in 2012, she removed her nude wedges to engage more closely in a judo match.

Interestingly, in all of her barefoot appearances, Princess Kate has never been seen with painted toenails. This seems to be a personal choice rather than a matter of royal protocol, as other royals like Meghan Markle and Zara Tindall have sported painted toenails on official occasions.