Duchess Catherine's style praised

Madonna is a big fan of Duchess Catherine's style.

The 'Material Girl' singer praised Britain's Duchess of Cambridge for the way she manages to always look elegant, but never stiff or overly formal with her fashion choices.

She told People.com: "She is a lovely girl with a great sense of style. Her wedding dress by Alexander McQueen was very beautiful.

"I like her choices. She's elegant and still knows how to have some fun. I'm a fan of her style."

Catherine and Madonna's fashion sense is so close, they have even been spotted in the same dress - with the former wearing a salmon-pink satin dress by Stella McCartney to a Sunday dinner in Berkshire, southern England, which Madonna had previously donned three years ago at the Cannes film festival.

Speaking this weekend at the premiere of her new film 'W.E.' - Madonna's directorial debut, about the scandal of King Edward VIII, who abdicated from the English throne to marry US divorcee Wallis Simpson - the 'True Blue' singer also said she appreciates how the English royal family have relaxed in their attitude since the time when her film was set.

She added: "The freedom that Catherine has and the freedom the royal family has now is nice and is refreshing.

"It's too bad that Edward VIII didn't have that same kind of freedom back in 1937 to make his own decisions and to be the prince of the people, which Prince William is allowed to be. I like how modern they are now."