The Princess of Wales attended Anzac Day commemorations at the Cenotaph and Westminster Abbey on Saturday, according to multiple reports. She represented King Charles III at the event, as the monarch did not attend due to an upcoming state visit to the US, sources said. Prince William did not accompany Kate, Kensington Palace confirmed. The Princess of Wales last attended Anzac Day services with her husband in 2022. Her attendance signals a continued return to public duties following her cancer treatment in 2024; the Princess announced in January of this year that she is in remission, according to the Princess herself. Kensington Palace confirmed Kate and Princess Anne would participate in Anzac Day commemorations on April 25, according to reports. It is expected that Princess Kate will lay a wreath on behalf of King Charles at the Cenotaph, though this has not been confirmed. Following the parade, she proceeded to the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, research indicates. Catherine last attended Anzac Day services with her husband, the Prince of Wales, in 2022, according to reports.
Princess Anne laid a wreath at a dawn Anzac Day service at Wellington Arch in London, multiple reports said. She wore an emerald green tailored coat, structured hat, black gloves, and a red poppy, according to sources. Princess Anne's attendance at the Dawn Service continues a long tradition of royal participation in this early-morning tribute, research indicates. Princess Anne will attend the traditional Dawn Service at Wellington Arch in Hyde Park Corner, according to reports.
Kate wore a bespoke Alexander McQueen coat dress similar to a Catherine Walker blue suit worn by Princess Diana in 1995, according to multiple reports. She also wore sapphire double cluster earrings previously owned by Princess Diana, sources said. Additionally, she wore a tanzanite and diamond necklace from G. Collins and Sons, believed to be a gift from Prince William in 2015, according to reports. Some sources described the outfit as a navy blazer dress with white lapels and a poppy, which may reflect conflicting reports about the same garment.
The Westminster Abbey service included an address from the Dean of Westminster, readings from High Commissioners, prayers by children, and a Māori waiata, according to multiple reports. Following the parade at the Cenotaph, Kate proceeded to the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, research indicates.
Anzac Day is observed annually on 25 April and commemorates the 1915 landing of troops at Gallipoli, according to historical records. The date marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War: the landing at Gallipoli in 1915, research shows. The soldiers who fought on the shores of the Gallipoli Peninsula became known as the Anzacs, and the qualities of courage, endurance, mateship, and sacrifice they demonstrated have become enshrined in the national identity of both countries, according to research. While originally a day to honour those who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, its meaning has since broadened to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in military operations, research indicates. Commemorations are held across both nations, as well as internationally in places where service members are buried or have fought. The Dawn Service is a particularly poignant tradition, with services timed to coincide with the pre-dawn landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula, according to research. Anzac Day is one of the most significant national occasions for both Australia and New Zealand, according to reports.
London, as the capital of the United Kingdom and a hub for many expatriate Kiwis and Australians, has long hosted significant Anzac Day events, research shows. Auckland will honour Anzac Day with services across the region, according to reports. Following the service at Wellington Arch, attention turned to the Cenotaph, the United Kingdom's primary national war memorial, research indicates. The wreath-laying ceremony and parade are a public display of remembrance, honouring the deep historical ties between the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The Princess of Wales will attend the wreath-laying ceremony and parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, according to reports.
Kate's attendance signals a continued return to public duties following her cancer treatment in 2024, research suggests. The Princess announced in January of this year that she is in remission, according to the Princess herself. It is expected that Princess Kate will lay a wreath on behalf of King Charles at the Cenotaph, though this has not been confirmed. The exact reason for King Charles's absence has been attributed to an upcoming state visit to the US by sources, but further details remain unclear. Whether Kate and Princess Anne attended the events together or separately is also not specified in reports. The specific design of Kate's outfit has been described in varying terms, and the tanzanite necklace's provenance as a gift from Prince William is believed but not definitively confirmed.