Princess Kate honors both late Princess Diana and King Charles at Commonwealth Day event
Kate Middleton and Prince William attended the Commonwealth Day Service held Monday at Westminster Abbey.
Prince William and Kate Middleton joined the royal family and representatives of 56 commonwealth countries at the annual Commonwealth Day Service held Monday at Westminster Abbey, where the princess represented both her husband’s parents well.
Sparkling earrings and a feathers brooch
The event, which has the theme “Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future” for its 2023 edition, was the first official public occasion the Prince and Princess of Wales have attended since he became heir to the throne after King Charles’ succession in September.
Kate Middleton wore the late Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond earrings and a feathers brooch, a gift from King Charles to the Abbey, where she and Prince William wed in April 2011.
The princess complemented the jewelry with a Erdem peplum jacket and skirt in deep navy with white embroidery matching heels, and a chic navy hat that kept trying to escape in the wind.
Prince William, who also sported a smart navy suit and tie, and his wife joined other royal family members, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, Prince Edward and Sophie, and Princess Anne.
The musical performances
Guests were greeted by members of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club, the entertainment group who performed at the Great West Door leading up to the Commonwealth Service.
Other musical performances were delivered by saxophonist Yolanda Brown, ‘West End’ stars Roshani Abbey and Nuwan Hugh Perera, and an all-female choir from Cyprus.
The Rwandan National Ballet, ‘Urukerereza’, also performed.
The 2023 Commonwealth Day Service theme
Sustainability is an issue the king discusses frequently, and the 2023 Commonwealth Day Service has taken it on as this year’s theme.
In 2022, the then Prince Charles represented his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, at the same event, as she was unable to attend at the time, where he raised the same issue.
The palace explained the purpose of the annual event in an official statement.
“Working in collaboration towards shared economic, environmental, social and democratic goals, the Service seeks to highlight a vast community which spans every geographical region, religion and culture, embracing the diversity of its population of 2.5 billion people, of which over 60 percent are under 30 years old,” Buckingham Palace wrote.