The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on Monday, and all eyes were on Princess Kate as she shared a touching moment with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
In a display of grace and respect, 43-year-old Kate performed a sweet curtsy as the King and Queen walked past her.
Historically, both males and females have bowed and curtsied at all times when greeting people who are of higher royal rank than they are, including family members. The gesture is often very subtle, and used as a sign of respect for the royal family.
Dressed elegantly for the occasion, the Princess of Wales looked beautiful in a red Catherine Walker coat and pillbox hat by Gina Foster as she greeted senior members of the monarchy.
Queen Camilla, 77, was pretty in pink with a wool crepe and satin coat dress by Fiona Clare and coordinating beret hat by Philip Treacy.
© GettyThe appearance comes just days after the royal family celebrated International Women's Day, sharing a special tribute on their official social pages. The post featured a carousel of images showcasing the female members of the family, all captured by female photographers. Among those included were Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria, Queen Alexandra, and the late Queen Elizabeth II.
However, royal fans were quick to notice the absence of both Princess Diana and Princess Kate from the collection.
5 times royals broke with protocol
1. Wedding vows
When Diana married Prince Charles in 1981, she removed the word ''obey'' from her wedding vows.'' It was a longstanding tradition for royal brides to include this word.
2. Marrying a divorcee
Prince Harry was granted permission by Queen Elizabeth II to marry Meghan Markle, despite her being a divorcee. Meghan was previously married to American film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 until 2014.
3. Oysters
In 2013, Prince Charles ate oysters, which might seem harmless but the royals have a long list of foods they avoid with seafood off the menu due to its attendant higher risk of food poisoning.
4. Private attendance
Princess Kate paid her respects to Sarah Everard – a young woman murdered by a police officer – in a vigil on Clapham Common in March 2021 without making an official royal announcement.
5. The Queen's autograph
The Queen signed a football back in 1998 for Malaysian Manchester United supporters. Typically, royals do not sign items to avoid the risk of forgery.
Meanwhile, the event on Monday, marked the first time Kate has attended the Commonwealth Day service since 2023. She missed the service last year, a key event in the royal calendar, after also being diagnosed with cancer.
© Getty ImagesKate is still making a gradual return to public duties after saying she is in remission. The royals were also joined by the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the service.
The King and Queen met 30 guests, including the Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mataafa. This marked the pair's first meeting since the Royal visit to the country in October 2024.
The King, who is head of the Commonwealth, was also introduced to the winners of the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize, Imam Dr Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa and Rev Dr James Movel Wuye.
© GettyIn his annual Commonwealth Day message, Charles said: "Leaders recently reiterated the importance of collaboration for peace and human rights, as well as for the restoration of nature both on land and in the oceans.
"As we mark Commonwealth Day together, there is no more important task than to restore the disrupted harmony of our entire planet.
"For the sake of our younger generations' threatened future, I can only hope that the Commonwealth will continue its vital work to restore that harmony."
