Kate Middleton returned to the Royal Albert Hall for the 2025 Festival of Remembrance this evening.
This year’s performance was particularly notable as Prince George made his debut, joining his mother for the poignant ceremony.
The youngster is now 12 years old, the recommended minimum age on the Festival’s ticketing website.
The King and Queen led the royal party this evening, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Prince William was absent, as he spent today travelling back from a five-day working visit to Brazil.
Actress and singer Hannah Waddingham hosted this year’s concert, which paid tribute to the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.
The annual festival honours the sacrifices made by the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces community, and those who have lost their lives in conflict.
This year, the festival commemorated the theme ‘Service Not Self‘ through storytelling, personal testimony and musical performances.
The event opened with the traditional Entry of the Standards, followed by a royal fanfare to mark the arrival of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Musical performers Sir Rod Stewart, Sam Ryder, Keala Settle, Blessing Offor, and The Wellermen took to the stage throughout the evening. They performed alongside military bands, including the Central Band of the RAF, the King’s Colour Squadron, and the Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines.
Actor Douglas Booth delivered a recital of High Flight during a segment honouring the RAF and the Battle of Britain.
Host Hannah Waddingham performed We’ll Meet Again in tribute to the veterans who secured peace 80 years ago.
This year’s festival commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, honouring the courage and sacrifice of those who fought and lost their lives.
It also celebrated 25 years since the Armed Forces lifted the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel serving openly with a special “pride” segment.
The ceremony concluded with the Act of Remembrance—the Last Post, a two-minute silence beneath a gentle poppy fall, and the Reveille. The evening ended with a united chorus of God Save the King.
Kate’s Outfit
As always, the Princess dressed with care for the occasion, choosing a black tailored dress by Alessandra Rich, a vintage-inspired piece finished with a bow.
Kate wears the designer’s ‘Envers Dress’, a long black dress that features a crisp white lace-trimmed collar, decorative bow at the neckline and a structured peplum waist. The piece is finished with buttons on the front, long cuffed sleeves and a gently flared skirt. I think Kate is wearing a slightly longer version than the model:
As with all of Alessandra Rich’s clothing, the Envers dress is crafted in Italy.
The dress is still available at MyTheresa, currently reduced from £1,685 to £1,179.
The MyTheresa dress is made from satin, according to the listing. It looks like it was also available in silk at one time.
As most of my regular readers will know, the Princess is a huge fan of Alessandra Rich. She has built an impressive collection from the brand over recent years. She’s worn numerous dresses by the Italian label, and has also chosen Alessandra Rich footwear on a couple of occasions, including the ‘Fab’ slingback pumps.
Let’s move on to Kate’s handbag now, it’s her trusty Mulberry Bayswater wallet in black suede—a long-time favourite in her wardrobe.
The sleek bag features a slim silhouette and is finished with the brand’s signature gold postman’s lock.
Sadly, the bag is out of production and isn’t currently available to buy. Your best bet is the pre-loved/resale market, or you might consider a similar style from Mulberry’s current line (the Darley is a good option!).
The Princess has owned this particular clutch for over a decade and has carried it to more than sixty public engagements to date, making it one of her most-worn accessories.
She also owns this bag in two more colours: conker, a deep, rich maroon colour, and buttercream, a light cream shade.
The Princess is a loyal Mulberry fan, frequently turning to the British label for her bags. She’s also worn Mulberry clothing on multiple occasions.
On the white collar of her dress, the Princess pinned a handcrafted silk poppy by Izzy Ager for Lock & Co. The piece is created from glass, silk and natural fibres.
Izzy has recently graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in Hampton Court Palace. She uses traditional Raisedwork and Goldwork techniques to handcraft the poppies—both used for Royal ceremonial garments and military uniforms.
Each poppy takes around 12 hours to make and is modelled on a real flower. The exclusive and limited edition design is available to buy at Lock & Co. Hatters for £500, with profits donated to the Royal British Legion.
The Princess pinned the HMS Glasgow brooch underneath her poppy.
You might remember this piece from earlier in the year—Kate wore the brooch to the official naming ceremony of HMS Glasgow back in May (she is the ‘sponsor’ of the ship).
It was designed by the Scottish family-run jewellers, James Porter & Son. You can read more about the piece here.
The Princess also accessorised with a silver cross pendant that she’s owned for more than a decade. The exact origin remains unknown.
She also wore the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, originally belonging to Queen Elizabeth II — a fitting nod to royal tradition during the Remembrance weekend.
Lastly, she finished tonight’s look with simple black heels (exact pair still to be confirmed.)
Leave a Reply