The Princess of Wales was described as “a real style icon” as she presented the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design at the British Fashion Council.

Celebrating new talent in the fashion world, Kate, 43, presented the award, which recognises sustainable fashion.

Patrick McDowell, 29, the winner of the award, said: “It’s a huge privilege and honour. Throughout her tenure she’s been an amazing advocate of British fashion and really flies the flag for British fashion.

Kate arrives at the awards event in central London

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“She also looks incredible and is a real style icon. It is extra special to receive an award from her today. The royal family has been incredibly supportive, from Queen Elizabeth [to] the King.”

The princess, on a rare solo engagement after finishing her chemotherapy treatment last year, was wearing an olive green trouser suit, thought to be from Victoria Beckham’s collection. Beckham’s husband David has recently been named as an ambassador for the King’s Foundation.

Kate visited the winner’s pop-up studio on the Strand, in central London, to see how the winning creations were made. She has continued a tradition, which was started by Queen Elizabeth in 2018 to encourage and promote British fashion designers.

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The award was established to “provide continuing recognition of the cultural and trade role the British design and fashion industry has played since the start of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign until the present day”.

It is presented to a new fashion designer who has shown exceptional talent and originality while demonstrating value to the community and strong sustainability policies.

Before leaving Kate posed for a photograph with McDowell, who introduced her to close family and friends.

“Our work centres around British craftsmanship we make in the UK, we try and make incredibly beautiful, sustainable circular fashion and it’s a real honour that the royal family and the British Fashion Council have seen that,” McDowell said.

After beginning with off-cuts of Burberry material, McDowell now runs a luxury sustainable fashion brand that has dressed the singer Lady Gaga and the actresses Keira Knightley and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Kate was also shown a pattern for a new style of jacket called Wales Bar. When she asked “why Wales?” she was told it was named in her honour.

She also met and saw the work of the fashion industry’s next generation, who are benefiting from the BFC Foundation’s designer initiatives.

Kate asked a group of creatives, including the designer Joshua Ewusie: “Do you think there’s enough people going into the creative industries, are there enough opportunities?”

Kate saw how McDowell’s creations were made on a tour of the designer’s pop-up studio

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Ewusie said later: “I told her the British Fashion Council are doing a lot to really develop the next generation.”

Three years ago, the princess presented the annual award to Saul Nash, a designer and choreographer who incorporated sportswear in his garments.

McDowell was born in Liverpool and is an independent designer known for crafting limited-edition, made-to-order garments.

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, previously said “sustainability is at the core of everything Patrick does, striving to reinvent luxury through a sustainable mindset”.