The Duchess of Cambridge was the picture of dignified grace in Her Majesty’s jewels as she departed Kensington Palace today.
Kate Middleton, 39, who enjoyed a good relationship with her husband’s grandfather, wore the Queen’s pearls paired with drop pearl earrings, a black face covering and pillar box hat with net veil as she travelled to Windsor with husband Prince William.
The Japanese Pearl choker necklace from Her Majesty’s personal collection was worn by Kate for the Queen and Prince Philip’s 70th wedding anniversary dinner at Windsor Castle in 2017, and by her late mother-in-law Princess Diana in 1982.
The Queen loaned it to Diana, who loved pearls, for a banquet given by Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands at Hampton Court Palace during the Dutch royal family’s visit to the UK – one of her first royal engagements a year after her marriage to Prince Charles.
The Queen asked for the four-row Japanese Pearl Choker to be made from ‘the finest cultured pearls’ which were a gift from the Japanese government. It has four strands of pearls with a central curved diamond clasp.
The Queen wore the choker in the 1980s and 1990s, and to a dinner celebrating former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s 70th Birthday in London in 1995.
Kate also wore a chic black £1,605 Roland Mouret dress with an asymmetrical neckline – the same she wore for the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance in 2018.
The Duchess of Cambridge has not been seen since news of Prince Philip’s death was announced last week but the official Kensington Royal Instagram account shared a photo of the Duke of Edinburgh with Prince George in tribute.
Though she has taken part in numerous royal events over the years, today will be the first major royal funeral the duchess has attended.
Kate and Prince Philip enjoyed a good relationship, with Prince William saying he was thankful that Kate, who married into the royal family in 2011 after meeting William nearly a decade earlier, had ‘so many years’ to get to know his grandfather.
The Cambridges are set to see Prince Harry for the first time in a year after the brothers fell out over Megxit and the Sussexes extraordinary Oprah interview.
The Duchess is wearing a pearl choker from the Queen’s own collection – which was once worn by Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana at a state banquet for the Netherlands in 1982
The Queen asked for the four-row Japanese Pearl Choker to be made from ‘the finest cultured pearls’ which were a gift from the Japanese government. Pictured left, Her Majesty in the choker in 1983. Right, The Queen loaned it to Diana, who loved pearls, for a banquet given by Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands at Hampton Court Palace during the Dutch royal family’s visit to the UK – one of her first royal engagements a year after her marriage to Prince Charles
The Duchess finished off her look with elegant make-up and wore her brunette locks beneath a black hat and veil
Kate was a picture of elegance, wearing her hair in an elegant up-do and showing off her pearl drop earrings
The Duchess of Cambridge was chic in a Rouland Mouret dress and stilettos, with her hair pinned back beneath a pillar box hat
Kate Middleton, 39, who enjoyed a good relationship with her husband’s grandfather, was photographed leaving for St George’s Chapel in the back of a car
The couple were taken from Kensington Palace to the funeral in Windsor in a Land Rover
The mother-of-three wore an elegant pearl necklace, black face covering and black hat with lace mesh covering her eyes
The Duchess of Cambridge travelled with husband Prince William in the back of a car
A number of Kate Middleton’s personal photos have also been used in social media tributes over the last week, including one shared by Mike Tindall last night.
A snap of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh with seven of their great-grandchildren was also released last week, which was taken by the Duchess of Cambridge in Balmoral in 2018.
William said of Philip in his tribute: ‘My grandfather’s century of life was defined by service – to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family.
‘I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life – both through good times and the hardest days.
‘I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her.’
William said he had used the duke’s example of a life of service as a guide and was lucky to have had him there during ‘good times’ and difficult ones.
William said he and Kate have pledged to follow the duke’s wishes and support the Queen.
‘My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support the Queen in the years ahead,’ he said.
‘I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.’
Kate also wore a chic black £1,605 Roland Mouret dress with an asymmetrical neckline – the same she wore for the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance in 2018
Kate and Prince Philip enjoyed a good relationship, with Prince William saying he was thankful that Kate, who married into the royal family in 2011 after meeting William nearly a decade earlier, had ‘so many years’ to get to know his grandfather. Pictured, in 2017
The Duchess of Cambridge has not been seen since news of Prince Philip’s death was announced last week but the official Kensington Royal Instagram account shared a photo of the Duke of Edinburgh with Prince George in tribute
A number of Kate Middleton’s personal photos have also been used in social media tributes over the last week, including the one above. Pictured, The Queen and Prince Philip with their great-grandchildren, from left, George, Louis, Charlotte, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Lena Tindall and Mia Tindall. This picture taken by Kate Middleton in 2018