It’s been a busy week for the royal family, with Princess Kate Middleton, Prince William, King Charles III, Queen Camilla and other prominent figures in the monarchy dutifully appearing at multiple VE Day Anniversary events — and putting on a united front amid the ongoing Prince Harry drama.
For the latest official event in a week of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of Europe’s World War II victory, the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at London’s Westminster Abbey for a Thanksgiving service on Thursday, May 8.
Kate wore a vintage-inspired black-and-white polka dot dress with a cinched waist by Alessandra Rich, accessorizing with a chic black 1940s-style veiled hat by Juliette Botterill, pearl teardrop-shaped earrings and high nude heels. Staying true to her anti-fast fashion ethos, she previously wore the dress to the Garter Day Service in 2023, while the earrings once belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana.
Meanwhile, William wore a blue lounge suit with a Household Division tie, plus his Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order and his Jubilee and Coronation medals.
Their looks coordinated perfectly with those of the king, in navy pinstripes and medals, and queen, who wore a white dress coat with black accents by Anna Valentine, along with a matching Philip Treacy hat, as the royals, along with politicians and other important figures from the British establishment, paid tribute to those who died during the war and led a two-minute silence across the country.
A handwritten note from the Prince and Princess of Wales read: “For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War, we will remember them.”
The latest high-profile appearance from the family comes days after Harry’s comments about wanting to “reconcile” with them, following his legal battle to reinstate government-funded security for him, wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 3. After losing the appeal in court, Harry told the BBC on Friday, May 2, that he “can’t see a world” in which his family would return to the U.K.
“I love my country, I always have done, despite what some people in that country have done,” he said.
Days after Harry’s interview, Charles released a statement about unity. The royal family members “are much looking forward to all the week’s VE Day events,” a Buckingham Palace rep shared on Sunday, May 4. “They will unite with the rest of the nation and those across the Commonwealth and wider world in celebrating, commemorating and giving thanks to the wartime generation whose selfless devotion, duty and service should stand as an enduring example to us all — and must never be forgotten.”
The royals’ latest public appearance perfectly chimes with the words royal expert Christopher Andersen sent to Us via email on Tuesday, May 6.
“It really does look like Charles is taking the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ axiom to a whole other level, doesn’t it? The King is only hewing to a long-standing royal practice of not dignifying something by commenting on it. The Palace does not want to give oxygen to Harry’s remarks. King Charles has a lot on his plate as it is — there is no upside to his getting into a public quarrel with his son,” Anderson said, noting that Harry decided to go in the “opposite” direction.
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