Kate Hits King's Road in Style

02/06/2012 at 04:00 PM EST

With husband William more than 7,500 miles away in the south Atlantic, the Duchess of Cambridge is back in her old haunt: King's Road in London.

Kate, 30, who's largely basing herself in the capital while William is away for six weeks, was spotted on the trendy street where she's said to have visited Richard Ward hair salon for a few hours and then picked up some groceries.

She was sporting a fur-trimmed leather coat, trademark knee-high boots and carrying a favorite purse – Mulberry's Polly Push lock bag, retailing for around $1,300.

Kate's using her time without William (post vacation) to step up her royal work, privately visiting some of her charities in recent days, and is set to step out for the first time on a solo royal engagement later this week. She will spend Valentine's Day at a children's hospital and a special alcohol-free bar run by a charity she supports, Action on Addiction.



William, who arrived in the Falkland Islands Feb. 2, has carried out his first sortie over the remote islands.