Kate Middleton paid a discreet homage to the Queen as she attended the thanksgiving service in the Monarch’s honour at St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, paid a touching tribute to both the Monarch and to her own late mother-in-law Princess Diana as she borrowed a pair of pearl drop earrings from Her Majesty’s personal collection, to the poignant service.
The mother-of-three swept her hair into an intricate bun, revealing the Bahrain Pearl Diamond Drop Earrings which also came from Her Majesty’s private collection, and were also worn by Diana in 1982. The earrings were crafted from pearls gifted to the Queen and Philip from the ruler of Bahrain at the time of their wedding in 1947.
The monarch famously wore the jewels in her first Royal Command portrait by Dorothy Wilding in July 1952.
This is not the first time Kate has borrowed the earrings. She first wore them in 2016 for the Remembrance Day service at Westminster Abbey. She also wore them to attend Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, donned a pair of drop pearl earring the Queen wore in her first Royal Command portrait by Dorothy Wilding in July 1952
The Queen loaned the jewels to Diana for a banquet given by Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands at Hampton Court Palace during the Dutch royal family’s visit to the UK – one of her first royal engagements a year after her marriage to Prince Charles
The Queen wore the earrings several times throughout her reign, and she has also lent them to her daughter-in-law Sophie Wessex, 57, on occasion.
Kate looked glamorous in a custom Emilia Wickstead yellow dress yesterday as she joined Prince William and other senior royals at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.
The Duchess walked in to the Cathedral with her husband, while their children Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince George, eight, and Prince Louis, four, stayed at home.
She paired the gorgeous lemon dress with a Philip Treacy hat – a favourite milliner of the royal family – and £560 mauve Gianvito Rossi pumps, which she owns in at least six colours.
Kate looked glamorous in an Emilia Wickstead yellow dress as she joined Prince William and other senior royals at the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee
Future King and Queen! William and Kate are seen leaving St Paul’s Cathedral following the service to honour the Queen
Strutting her stuff! Duchess of Cambridge arrives for the Lord Mayor’s reception after the service
Kate wore no nail polish and appeared to have a small cut on her thumb which was covered by a plaster as she left the Cathedral
Kate arrives for reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at The Guildhall in London following the service
Kate looked delighted to pay tribute to The Queen. She is pictured at St Paul’s Cathedral with Princess Anne and Prince William
Kate has long been a fan of Emilia Wickstead dresses and worn them on dozens of occasions.
Prince Charles showed a moment of warm affection towards Kate at St Paul’s Cathedral when he blew his daughter-in-law a kiss as they met.
Once the Prince of Wales and Camilla had arrived for the Service of Thanksgiving, the two met with William and Kate before they walked together to their seats.
On previous occasions, Prince Charles has been seen greeting his daughter-in-law with a kiss on both cheeks, but cameras captured the sweet moment when the heir to the throne gently blew Kate a kiss, as they met.
However, the Prince of Wales was not seen greeting or interacting with his other daughter-in-law Meghan Markle, after royal aides carefully managed the seating plan to keep Charles, Camilla and the Cambridges separate from the Sussexes.
Harry and William have had a long-standing feud, while Harry has accused his father Charles of cutting him off financially and Meghan claimed an unnamed royal made a comment about Archie’s skin tone before he was born – with the Sussexes having a war of words with the Palace following last year’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
It was the first time Harry and Meghan, who now live in California, had been on full public view alongside the Windsors since they quit the monarchy for a new life in the US two years ago.
Prince Charles showed a moment of warm affection towards Kate Middleton at St Paul’s Cathedral when he blew his daughter-in-law a kiss as they met
It has been said Kate has always had a good relationship with Prince Charles, long before he became her father-in-law, seen here just before the four walk together to their seats for the Service of Thanksgiving
The four exchange some words as they meet inside St Paul’s Cathedral before the Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left, circled) sat alongside Prince Charles and Camilla – across the aisle from the Sussexes (right, circled) at St Paul’s
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex looked to be enjoying the occasion as they chatted to fellow royals seated around them (Pictured from right: Lady Sarah Chatto, the Sussexes, Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, bottom row from left, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex’s son James, Viscount Severn)
Kate is known to have a warm relationship with her father-in-law and has reportedly helped smooth the sometimes fractious relationship between the heir to the throne and his son, William.
The Duchess was warmly welcomed into the family by Charles after her engagement to William, and she’s been heard affectionately calling him Grandpa in public on previous occasions.
However, there was no interaction captured on camera between Prince Charles and his younger son Prince Harry at the service.
The couple were kept apart from Prince William, Kate, Prince Charles and Camilla after royal aides ensured they sat on the other side of the aisle – and they later left separately.
The Sussexes did not attend a reception straight after at the nearby Guildhall which featured a series of other Royal Family members and politicians including Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Prince Charles and Camilla speak with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after arriving at St Paul’s Cathedral
A friendly display! Prince Charles and Kate were seen chatting (left) with the Duchess apparently making the Prince of Wales chuckle during the event (right)
The Prince of Wales was seen giggling after chatting with his eldest son Prince William and Kate Middleton during the event earlier
Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall leave St Paul’s Cathedral after the Service of Thanksgiving , on the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Charles and Camilla stand and sing mid service in St Paul’s Cathedral, London,
The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles sit down at the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
Buckingham Palace officials took great care to try to avoid a repeat of the frosty scenes when the Sussexes and Cambridges sat near each other and left together at their last joint event in March 2020 at Westminster Abbey.
And aides would have been delighted that the service in front of 2,000 guests passed without any such incident or negative ‘optics’ given the attempts to ensure the day was about the Queen and her 70-year reign.
Kate and William chatted to Prince Charles and Camilla inside the cathedral, but there was no sign of the same rapport with Harry and Meghan who sat in between Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank, and were under strict instructions to keep a low profile during the event.
Harry and Megan walked down the aisle of St Paul’s hand-in-hand after the service, joined by other members of the royal family and following Charles and Camilla and William and Kate – but did not appear with them outside.
The Sussexes turned to talk to Lady Sarah Chatto, who had been sat next to Meghan, and her husband Daniel Chatto. Senior clerics waited to bid the congregation goodbye and Meghan shared a joke with the Archbishop of York and touched Harry’s arm as he joined the conversation. The trio then laughed before the Sussexes moved on.
Kate and William, walk alongside Charles and Camilla to their seats in St Paul’s Cathedral before the service begins
The Princess Royal, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Cambridge take their seats in St Paul’s Cathedral
A source said palace aides had been acutely aware of ‘the optics’ – how things would look from the outside – and ensured that the couple were only attending events where there would be minimal interactions with other senior royals in public
Members of the crowd outside St Paul’s sang the National Anthem while they waited for the Royal Family to leave at the end, before Charles and Camilla were the first to walk out as the bells began to toll at the end of the service.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed, with Kate waving cheerily to the crowds while chatting to her husband. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left holding hands and were seen chatting to Zara Tindall and her husband Mike. Both Harry and Meghan shook hands with the Lord Mayor before getting into a car.
During the service, there were smiles from the Earl and Countess of Wessex as the Archbishop of York referred to the Queen’s love of horse racing, while the Princess Royal nodded her head in approval.
The Archbishop of York said the Queen was ‘still in the saddle’, as he thanked her for ‘staying the course’.
In his sermon at St Paul’s, The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell compared the monarch’s well-known love of horse racing to her long reign, suggesting it ‘reflects the distance of Aintree more than the sprints of Epsom’.
Mr Cottrell told the congregation, which included senior members of the Royal Family, he was ‘sorry’ the Queen could not attend, but glad there is ‘still more to come’.
He said: ‘It is well known that Her Majesty likes horse racing.
‘I don’t have any great tips for the Derby tomorrow, but since the scriptures describe life as a race set before us, let me observe that her long reign reflects the distance of Aintree more than the sprints of Epsom.
‘Certainly, less dressage than most people imagine. But with endurance, through times of change and challenge, joy and sorrow, she continues to offer herself in the service of our country and the Commonwealth.
‘Your Majesty, we’re sorry you’re not with us this morning in person, but you are still in the saddle. And we are all glad that there is still more to come.’
In his address, the Archbishop said the best leaders are those who ‘know how to be led’ and ‘lead for others, not themselves’.
‘People whose heart’s desire is to serve the common good and build up the common life; who don’t try to do it all themselves, or act in their own strength alone; people who take a longer view; and who seek out places of replenishing, even places where they might learn the mind of Christ,’ he said.
‘I say this today, knowing that in Her Majesty the Queen we see an example of this kind of service; a staunch constancy and a steadfast consistency; a faithfulness to God, an obedience to a vocation that is the bedrock of her life.’
The Queen missed out on the service yesterday, due to episodic mobility issues that she’s been experiencing.
Buckingham Palace revealed Her Majesty ‘greatly enjoyed’ her birthday parade and flypast but ‘did experience some discomfort’.
Buckingham Palace said: ‘Taking into account the journey and activity required to participate in tomorrow’s National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Majesty, with great reluctance, has concluded that she will not attend.’
Princess Anne, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William read from hymn sheet as they mark Queen’s 70 years
Kate looked delighted to pay tribute to The Queen. She is pictured at St Paul’s Cathedral with Princess Anne and Prince William
The future Queen looked delighted to be celebrating her husband’s grandmother – and smiled and waved at crowds yesterday
Lovely in lemon! William and Kate arrive for a service of thanksgiving for the reign of Queen Elizabeth
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