What was Kate smiling at in the Abbey? Princess beams after choir performance at the King’s Coronation

  • The Princess of Wales, 41, was caught on camera beaming after a choir performed during the Coronation
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The Princess of Wales was caught on camera beaming as she enjoyed a choral performance while she was watching the King’s Coronation today.

Kate Middleton, 41, wore a dazzling ivory Alexander McQueen dress as she attended the event at Westminster Abbey alongside Prince William today.

She was elegant in the stunning ivory silk crepe gown, which featured silver bullion and thread work embroidery featuring rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock motifs to represent each of the four nations.

At one stage, a handpicked gospel choir – The Ascension Choir – were performing as part of the service and, as the song came to a close, the camera panned to Kate, who appeared to be grinning with joy. 

Charles personally selected the musical programme for the ceremony, which has been designed to showcase a range of musical talent and styles from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. 

The Princess of Wales was caught on camera beaming as she enjoyed a choral performance while she was watching the King’s Coronation today

At one stage, a handpicked gospel choir – The Ascension Choir – were performing as part of the service and, as the song came to a close, the camera panned to Kate, who appeared to be grinning with joy

The Ascension Choir had been chosen by Charles, who personally selected the musical programme for the ceremony, which has been designed to showcase a range of musical talent and styles from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth

The Princess of Wales, 41, looked radiant in a dazzling ivory Alexander McQueen dress as she attended the King’s Coronation alongside Prince William today (pictured) 

Instead of a tiara, the royal mother-of-three wore a matching Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen Headpiece with silver bullion, crystal and silver thread work three-dimensional leaf embroidery

The Princess walked into the Abbey in front of Princess Charlotte and her youngest son Prince Louis and stood side-by-side with William 

Instead of a tiara, the royal mother-of-three wore a matching Jess Collett x Alexander McQueen Headpiece with silver bullion, crystal and silver thread work three-dimensional leaf embroidery.

In a touching nod to her late mother-in-law, the Princess wore a set of Diana’s pearl and diamond earrings for the occasion.

Meanwhile she also paid tribute to the late Queen by wearing The George VI Festoon Necklace, which was a gift from King George VI for his daughter, then Princess Elizabeth.

The Princess’ has long chosen to wear Alexander McQueen for significant moments in her life.

She has worn Alexander McQueen – one of her favourite fashion brands – on numerous occasions, most notably choosing its creative director Sarah Burton to design her wedding dress.

The four flowers of the home nations – English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil and Irish shamrock – were embroidered onto the dress.

Kate donned pearl earrings that were gifted to Diana before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.

The mother-of-three previously wore the jewellery, left to William and Harry, at the BAFTAs in 2019. They feature a double curve of various cuts of diamond, with a hanging pearl.

Diana wore the earrings on various occasions, including at a banquet for the Japanese Emperor Akihito in 1990 – and at a gala at the Palace of Versailles in 1994.

Kate’s youngest son Prince Louis appeared totally in awe of the incredible circumstances in the abbey this morning (pictured) 

Kate glanced across at her children during the service, who were sitting quietly alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales throughout the ceremony 

The Princess appeared contemplative once inside the Coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey earlier this morning (pictured) 

The Princess of Wales stood alongside her husband Prince William and their children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during the service 

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla


In a touching nod to her late mother-in-law, the Princess wore a set of Diana’s pearl and diamond earrings for the occasion (pictured) 

Kate held up her stunning white gown by Alexander McQueen, which featured silver embroidery showing the flowers of the four nations, as she arrived at the service today 

Kate donned pearl earrings that were gifted to Diana. The earrings mark a touching handover from one Princess of Wales to the other

The royal mother-of-three walked into the ceremony alongside her youngest children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis (pictured) 


The future Queen swept her hair into a bun atop which she wore a floral diamond headpiece by Alexander McQueen (left and right) 

The Princess’ has long chosen to wear Alexander McQueen – one of her favourite fashion brands – for significant moments in her life

Meanwhile the glittering diamond festoon necklace belonged to the late Queen and was one of the monarch’s favourites in her lifetime.

It was made from 105 loose diamonds that were kept in reserve at Garrard, stored in pouches marked ‘C’ for Crown, in case a monarch wanted to extend a necklace or improve a tiara.

Queen Mary, the Queen’s grandmother, was said to have made regular use of the service.

The resulting triple strand necklace has rows of graduated stones, suspended between two diamond triangles.

It was also the Queen’s preferred necklace for wearing without a tiara.

Last night, Kate commanded attention at a reception at Buckingham Palace ahead of the big day. 

The mother-of-three Kate donned a new £360 Self-Portrait wrap midi dress to attend the lavish event in London, hosted by King Charles on the eve of his coronation.

Joining foreign royals, world leaders and dignitaries including Queen Letizia of Spain at the glittering reception, the princess completed her ensemble with the Queen Mother’s sapphire and diamond earrings.

Enhancing her features with a smattering of glamorous makeup, Kate kept her hair in tight curls, with a statement side parting as she chatted to guests, including Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and US First Lady Jill Biden.

Kate appeared relaxed and at ease as she shared jokes with those invited, while King Charles was seen deep in conversation with the First Lady of Ukraine, President Zelensky’s wife Olena Zelenska.

The late Queen’s much beloved glittering Festoon necklace, gifted to the royal by her father,  is pictured during an outing to a concert with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy in America in 1983

The Princess of Wales paid tribute to her mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing her earrings today. Pictured, Diana wearing the earrings in Washington DC in 1985

Prince William was also on hand to greet guests as final preparations get underway for tomorrow’s ceremony.

Earlier in the day, the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales thrilled royal fans at The Mall as they made a surprise appearance to greet well-wishers less than 24 hours before the coronation. 

Charles III’s day of destiny today has arrived as the world prepares to watch the historic first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years at Westminster Abbey where Britain will hail its new King.

The monarch had been heir since the age of three, and is now ready to finally embrace his day of destiny with the woman he loves by his side. VIP guests queued for a mile from the Abbey from 6am to get one of the prime 2,300 seats inside.

Charles will be crowned in a Christian ceremony that dates back for 1,000 years on a day dripping with glorious displays of pageantry. It will also shine a spotlight on Britain’s place on the world stage.

And on the streets of London today, including on a packed Mall, there is huge excitement among tens of thousands who have been camped out for days so they can see the extraordinary event unfold. More than 100million will watch on TV around the globe.

Approaching two million people – from all corners of the UK, Commonwealth and the world – are flowing into Central London, despite rain being forecast. Trains into the capital were packed this morning, with soldiers taking part in the ceremony seen flowing into mainline stations.

Guests of the King started arriving at the Abbey from 7am – four hours before the ceremony. Some 100 heads of state are in London, with representatives from 203 countries due to attend.

The longest-serving heir to the throne in British history will today be crowned at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony that is steeped in the majesty of his illustrious forebears – but also embraces and emphasises the proud diversity of modern-day Britain.

‘There will be all the pomp and ceremony you could dream of, but as little of the “them and us” as possible,’ one senior royal aide said last night.

Crowned alongside the King, 74, will be his wife of 18 years – and his love for much, much longer.

The once unthinkable has become a reality, and from today the former Camilla Parker Bowles will be known as Queen Camilla as she is anointed and has Queen Mary’s Crown placed upon her head.

Yesterday the 75-year-old Queen Consort made only a brief public appearance as she attended a final rehearsal at the Abbey with her husband in the morning. She chose not to attend any of the other public engagements by his side, preferring to ‘pace herself’ and also ensure ‘the day was about her husband’, sources said.

‘She loves him unconditionally and always wants him to shine,’ a friend said.

Last night the couple retired to enjoy a private dinner at their London home, Clarence House.

‘The calm before the storm – perhaps metaphorically as well as literally’, a friend said with a nod to the dismal weather forecast, something the new King and Queen’s celebrations have in common with the late Queen’s Coronation in 1953.

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