Kate Middleton wears patriotic red for first Commonwealth Day service since cancer diagnosis
Kate Middleton made a stunning return to the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey this afternoon, after missing last year’s event due to ongoing cancer treatment.
The Princess of Wales was forced to skip the 2023 service due to receiving chemotherapy, but she delighted fans by joining King Charles, Queen Camilla and her husband Prince William, at Westminster Abbey in London this afternoon.
The mum-of-three opted for the Catherine Walker Beau Tie coat dress for the occasion, a wool creation with pleats and bow at the neckline.
The British designer is favourite of Kate’s, who also designed for Princess Diana.
While the Catherine Walker website does not list a price for the Beau Tie, similar dresses come with a price tag of around £3,000.
It’s not the first time Kate, 43, has worn the Beau Tie dress for major occasions. She wore the same dress for the Together at Christmas carol service in December 2022, and again in November 2023 for the South Korean’s president state visit.
She also has the same dress in somber black, which was her choice for Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021 and a reception held on the eve of the Queen’s funeral in September 2022.
She accessorised her look with a striking necklace, the four row Japanese peal choker which was part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection.
Kate last attended the service in 2022, when she wore a £2,000 floral Erdem jacket with a matching £1,000 skirt.
She also sported a pair of two-tiered flower-shaped earrings, which were previously owned by Princess Diana.
Kate only made a few public appearances last year due to her ongoing health battle, but after announcing that her cancer treatment had come to an end in September 2024, she said in a statement that she was ‘looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.’
The Commonwealth Day service is an annual celebration which recognises the relationship between the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth.
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