Kate Middleton marked Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph earlier today.
The Princess of Wales looked sombre and solemn in her military-inspired coat by Catherine Walker, a re-wear from 2020 updated with a chic velvet bow. The Princess finished the look with heirloom pearls that belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth.
As in previous years, the Princess watched the National Service of Remembrance from the Foreign Office Balcony.
This is the fourteenth consecutive year that the Princess has attended the Remembrance Sunday event.
She’s attended annually since 2011. This year, the Princess stood alongside the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Usually, Kate stands with Queen Camilla, who is absent from commemorations this year. The Queen is ill with a seasonal chest infection. Buckingham Palace confirmed she’s making Remembrance Sunday from home this year as she does not want to risk passing on the infection to others.
The service commemorated the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two world wars and later conflicts.
At 11 am, The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a Minute Gun from Horse Guards Parade to begin a Two Minute Silence.
There was a full royal turnout. Pictured, the King with Princess Anne and Prince William.
The King laid a wreath on behalf of the nation as the Royals, British Prime Minister and thousands of veterans watched on.
Next, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal laid their wreaths at the cenotaph too.
This year, more than 10,000 individuals marched, representing 326 different Armed Forces and civilian organisations. personnel took part in the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremonies across central London.
Among those marching are people of all ages—from the bereaved children of Scotty’s Little Soldiers through to the D-Day veterans of the Spirit of Normandy Trust.
Following the commemorations, Sophie put an arm on Kate’s back as the pair walked from the balcony, back into the Foreign Office. I thought this was a touching moment.
Let’s move on to the outfit portion of our post now. Let’s look at what Kate wore at the Cenotaph today.
Kate’s outfit at the Cenotaph:
As usual, Kate chose an outfit that was respectful and refined, perfect for the sombre occasion. I believe she’s re-wearing the black Catherine Walker coat from 2020’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations, updated with a twist:
It looks like she’s removed the fringing, changed the buttons and added a velvet bow to the neckline. As you’ll notice, today’s coat has the same shape, mandarin collar, shoulder epaulettes and waist tabs as the 2020 coat. The epaulettes and tabs both feature the same braided edges.
It seems the Princess took a similar approach yesterday evening, refreshing an older garment with new buttons for the Festival of Remembrance (see below).
I think we’ll see her do this increasingly. I love that she champions sustainable dressing and gives new life to older pieces instead of buying new. As I’ve written before, she’s already done this numerous times in the past.
Let’s move on to Kate’s hat, jewellery and accessories now. The Princess paired her black coat with a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings. They’re known as the ‘Bahrain’ earrings.
Queen Elizabeth II received the pearls in these earrings as a wedding gift from the ruler of Bahrain in 1947. Each earring features a diamond-studded design at the top, with a cluster of diamonds arranged around a round brilliant-cut diamond. From there, a single baguette-cut diamond leads to a large round pearl, which suspends a smaller, delicate pearl drop.
Queen Elizabeth wore the earrings throughout her life, often opting for them when a subtler, more elegant look was desired. Since 2016, Kate has worn the earrings for numerous commemorative events and state functions.
Kate’s hat is Kate topped her look with the Juliette Botterill Flower and Feather Teardrop Hat in black.
The stylish, black fascinator features a teardrop-shaped structured base, adorned with intricate black fabric flowers. Surrounding the flowers is a spray of delicate black feathers and a fine mesh veil that adds a subtle touch of drama.
Some digging through Google tells me the hat is from Botterill’s Autumn Winter 2020 collection. A similar hat available in the milliner’s most recent collection retails for £650.
(Big thanks to Susan from What Kate Wore for telling me about the hat. She learned the information from the Royal Fashion Police, UFO No More, and Mirelabeleva.)
In a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, we spotted Kate carrying her Mulberry Bayswater wallet in black suede (shown below in leather).
The Mulberry Bayswater wallet is a simple yet stylish piece with a compact, clean design with a brass postman’s lock and an organised interior for cards, cash, and coins.
Kate’s carried this clutch bag to more than 60 public engagements since its debut in 2013, making it her most-carried clutch bag to date. She’s owned the black version of the bag for over a decade.
Mulberry must be one of Kate Middleton’s favourite handbag brands—we’ve seen the Princess carry TWELVE bags from the British company since joining the royal family in 2011. She’s worn several coats and dresses from Mulberry too!
Founded in 1971, Mulberry is a British brand known for its luxury leather goods. It’s celebrated for its commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and iconic designs like the Bayswater and Alexa.
Finally, Kate secured three poppies to her coat with a brooch. She first wore it last year, at the 2023 Festival of Remembrance.
It’s the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards Brooch, given to the Princess by Brigadier Alan Richmond in November 2023. At the time, told Kate that she hoped she’d wear it often to show she’s part of the regimental family.
The piece features a central shield flanked by outward-facing wings which form part of a two-headed bird. The bird holds a sword and an orb with its feet. Above the shield sit three crowns, one large crown that tops a yellow and red ribbon and two small, which sit on top of the birds heads.
King Charles appointed Kate Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards—also known as the Welsh Cavalry—in August last year.
This elegant brooch has a storied history, originally crafted in 1959 for the Queen Mother, who served as the Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment from that year until her passing in 2002.
Bickerton Jewellery specialise in handmade regimental jewellery. They’ve created pieces that have been presented by British Forces to members of The Royal Family, including The Queen and Diana, the late Princess of Wales. I do not know if they created this brooch for the Queen Mother back in the 50s, but they do craft brooches for the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards today. Prices start at £195 for a Sterling silver version of the brooch. You’re looking at £2,940 for the brooch set with sapphires and diamonds (pictured below).
