This year’s Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey was arguably the most high-profile gathering of senior royals since the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. It’s no surprise that all eyes were on the likes of Princess Anne, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales as they joined the King and Queen on 9th March.
Every detail of the annual occasion, which brings together representatives from the 56 nations that make up the Commonwealth, was keenly observed. This includes Kate’s brilliant interaction with her aunt-in-law the Princess Royal.
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(Image credit: Photo by Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
We can’t be sure of the exact reason why, but it’s been widely speculated to just be a case of accessories getting in the way. It’s very possible that Kate and Anne simply couldn’t kiss one another on the cheek without needing to crouch, contort and arrange themselves – and all of that taking place in the middle of Westminster Abbey isn’t the most dignified of looks!
Both Kate and the Princess Royal completed their chic looks with headpieces which could have made such a greeting impractical. The Princess of Wales’s hat was particularly broad-brimmed and spectacular, so while Prince William was able to give his aunt a kiss on the cheek, when it came time for Kate to say hello, it’s thought the hat problem became apparent.
(Image credit: Aaron Chown – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The Princess Royal was said to have amusingly blown a kiss to Kate instead, and afterwards the Princess warmly placed a hand on Anne’s arm as they enjoyed a laugh together. Kate wore a wide brimmed navy saucer hat from milliner Sean Barrett, which perfectly complemented her bespoke dress coat from Catherine Walker, now considered one of the Princess’s go-to designers.
Princess Anne went for an emerald green coat that many eagle-eyed fan accounts have pointed out she’s had for decades. This is very much in-keeping with her commitment to sustainable fashion and she accessorised with a matching green headpiece.
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It was reported that the hats didn’t just get in the way of Kate and Anne, but other members of the royal family kept the warm greetings to one kiss rather than the traditional two, to avoid knocking the hats. Kate and Queen Camilla also opted for a simpler greeting, smiling at one another and the Princess offering a curtsy.
Nowadays the Royal Family tend to only wear hats for formal occasions and they have been the cause of some mishaps in the past. At the 2023 Commonwealth Day service, Queen Camilla had to hold on to her hat as she arrived due to the windy weather and she’s said to have chatted to Kate and William about the conditions once inside.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales
Princess Anne