Kate Middleton attended the Remembrance service at the Cenotaph on Sunday.
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 a balcony at the Foreign Office.
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.
In the past couple of years, Kate’s stood with Queen Camilla. The Queen is absent from commemorations this year. She 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 other 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.
Kate’s outfit at the Cenotaph:
As usual, Kate chose an outfit that was respectful and refined, perfect for the occasion.
I believe she’s re-wearing the black Catherine Walker coat from 2020’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations, updated with a twist (both shown below, 2020 on the left and 2024 on the right:)
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.
Let’s look at 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 topped her look with the Juliette Botterill Flower and Feather Teardrop Hat in black, shown below:
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.)
Having scoured photo archives, I’m confident that Kate wore her Cornelia James ‘Alice’ Bow Gloves at the Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
The elegant gloves are crafted from pure merino wool, feature velvet detailing and a bow at the cuff. They’re handmade in Sussex, England.
Cornelia James sells gloves in six sizes, with or without added touch screen technology and optional monogramming. You can even adjust the index finger length for added comfort. Prices start at £170.
Kate debuted the gloves on a chilly Christmas morning in 2017 (pictured above). We’ve spotted her wearing the black bow gloves on seven prior occasions.
In a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, we also spotted Kate carrying her Mulberry Bayswater wallet in black suede).
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. (If you’re wondering why she wears three poppies, I’ve written an article exploring that question – see below:)
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).
I really like that Catherine is refreshing her beautifully designed and quality constructed garments.
I think Kate always looks appropriate and lovely, but I tend to like a few less details on garments. I like the waist tabs on the coat (very flattering on Catherine), the removal of the fringe and the new covered buttons. I’m not sure the bow was needed on this coat.
Kate’s hair, along with Sophie’s looks fantastic. Speaking of the two royal ladies, it would be nice to see them do something together in the future.
I agree, you’d think I’d always want to write about new things but nope, more than happy to see her refresh older pieces.
I do like the bow because I’m a sucker for velvet bows!
Yes, I think a Kate and Sophie engagement would play very well.