Kate's Elegant Homage to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace Centenary Celebration
The Princess of Wales paid a poignant sartorial tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II today, attending a Buckingham Palace reception marking what would have been Her Majesty's 100th birthday. Kate, 44, selected a bespoke lilac dress from her favored London-based designer Emilia Wickstead, a choice that likely mirrored the late Queen's famously vibrant wardrobe.
Royal Heirlooms and Symbolic Jewellery
Complementing her elegant ensemble, the Princess wore two significant heirlooms previously belonging to Queen Elizabeth II. She adorned the Queen's three-strand pearl necklace, which according to former assistant private secretary Sam Cohen, was worn by Elizabeth almost daily. "She wasn't interested in material things at all. She wore the same pearl necklace every day," Cohen previously told People magazine.
Additionally, Kate wore the Bahrain pearl drop earrings, a treasured royal piece crafted from pearls gifted to Elizabeth by the Hakim of Bahrain for her wedding to Prince Philip. These earrings became a favorite during the early years of her marriage and were later loaned to both Princess Diana and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh. Since Remembrance Sunday in 2016, Kate has worn them exclusively.
A Full Royal Gathering for a Special Occasion
The Princess joined Prince William, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla for the reception designed to celebrate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II on the anniversary of her birth. Unusually, the King was accompanied by a complete turnout of working royals, including:
- The Prince and Princess of Wales
- The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh
- The Princess Royal
- The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
- The Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra (aged 90 and 89 respectively)
Centenarian Guests and Charitable Connections
Guests included some of the UK's oldest citizens celebrating their 100th birthday on April 21, with King Charles personally presenting centenary cards. Charities and organizations associated with the late Queen were also invited, such as:
- Cancer Research UK
- The Jockey Club
- The Army Benevolent Fund
Festive Decorations and Special Touches
The historic Marble Hall at Buckingham Palace—one of the few public areas still accessible during ongoing palace refurbishment—was transformed into a street party setting with bunting hanging from ceilings and paintings. This space was previously used for last year's VJ Day commemorations, with decorations crafted by household staff from historic curtains and drapes.
Guests enjoyed champagne and a special QEII tribute cocktail made from her favorite Dubonnet, with traditional gin omitted for the daytime event and replaced with lemon juice, rosemary, and tonic. Portraits of the late monarch visiting each charity lined the halls while the Band of the Household Cavalry performed cheerful modern tunes.
Memorable Interactions with Centenarians
The King and Queen led the royal party from the gardens as the band played, encouraging guests to sing Happy Birthday. Among the centenarians was Mary Wood from Yatton in North Somerset, who trained as a nurse at Corbett Hospital in Stourbridge and enjoyed a lifelong nursing career. "I came here to meet the late Queen when she celebrated her 80th birthday as mine was also on the same day. And now I have met her son. It's been wonderful and so unexpected," she remarked.
King Charles and Queen Camilla helped birthday lady Joan Hollingworth cut a cake made by palace pastry chefs, with Camilla joking about the difficulty before Charles assisted. William humorously told Joan, "I can't believe you are 100! Do we need to call security, have you snuck in?"
Emotional Moments and Lasting Impressions
The Princess of Wales shared a delicate moment with Tony Gledhill, 88, a George Cross hero who captured gun-toting criminals. Gledhill, whose wife recently passed away, explained she had insisted he attend the palace event. "She was fantastic," he said of Kate.
John Jervois, who served with the Royal Signals in the Second World War's Far East campaign, recalled watching the Queen's Coronation procession from a Regent Street rooftop as a young man. "It's extraordinary. I didn't think it would happen to somebody like myself," he said of meeting the royal family.
The royals spent an hour in the Marble Hall hosting 200 guests from the late Queen's patronages, creating lasting memories on this significant anniversary.
