On June 10th 2016, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined 50 other members of the Royal Family at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The cathedral hosted a National Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby led the service. A number of senior politicians, diplomats and governors-general from Commonwealth countries were in attendance too.
Notable celebrities and members of the public gave readings at the service. These included Mrs Hilda Price from Cardiff, who was born on the same day as the Queen. Prime Minister David Cameron read from the bible during the service. 90-year-old broadcaster Sir David Attenborough read a passage by Michael Bond, the creator of the Paddington Bear books. Mr Bond turned 90 earlier this year too.
The full order of service can be viewed online here.
Although the service kickstarted the weekend of the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations, the date is special for another reason. It is the Duke of Edinburgh’s 95th birthday too! Happy birthday, Prince Philip!
A look at William, Kate and Harry with a number of their family members shortly before leaving:
And a shot of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh walking up St. Paul’s steps:
After the service, William, Kate and Harry joined the other royals for a reception hosted at the Guildhall. After a speech from the Lord Mayor of London, the royals mingled with guests.
According to the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English, today, Kate told guests that Princess Charlotte is “very cute but has got quite a feisty side”. Awww!
Kate’s outfit:
Kate opted for a pastel blue coat dress with a white lace appliqué by London-based company Catherine Walker & Co.
Susan from What Kate Wore and Michelle from Perth Fashion noticed that Kate’s dress incorporates elements from Catherine Walker’s Rosa and Melrose coats:
If Kate’s hat feels familiar, it’s because you’ve seen it before! The Duchess wore it to Princess Charlotte’s christening last year.
The hat is from the Jane Taylor millinery in London. It is a bespoke piece, made especially for Kate. Jane Taylor does sell a similar hat in her bridal collection, see below:
The “Beaded Cocktail Hat with Orchids” features delicate hand-made silk and organza orchid flowers. It sells for £690 (approximately $990 USD).
Kate’s bag ought to feel familiar too. It’s the L.K. Bennett Nina clutch in Trench (nude leather).
The bag is from L.K. Bennett’s current season and is still available to buy for $395 USD on their USA/Canada website:
Sadly, for those in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, it is sold out. However, You can register your interest with the company and get notified when the bag is restocked.
Alternatively, the Nina clutch is still available in the following styles on the UK/International website:
- Mini star print – reduced to £150
- Sugar crystal – reduced to £95
- Large star print – reduced to £95
Kate accessorised her coat with coordinating earrings and pendant:
We do not know the maker of either piece. Fellow blogger Anna believes the earrings could be from Asprey London (find out why).
Kate wore her new blush suede pumps, thought to be from Gianvito Rossi. The Duchess first debuted the pumps last month.
They look like Gianvito Rossi’s 105 suede pumps, which Kate also owns in the bordeaux colour. MyTheresa.com stock the pumps in the colour “Blush” for $675 USD. Luisaviaroma.com stock the 105 pumps in “Praline” for £450. It’s difficult to know whether or not they’re the same colour; the websites might simply use different colour naming conventions.
Ginvito Rossi releases the 105 pumps in new colours each season. Currently, they’re available to buy from a number of retailers, including:
A trip down memory lane!
Kate at a previous National Services of Thanksgiving:
This isn’t Kate’s first National Service of Thanksgiving. In 2012, the Duchess attended a special service to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Click here to remind yourself of that celebration.
In 2013, Kate attended another service to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. You can read more about that here.
