Royal Family Presents Unified Front at Windsor Easter Service
The Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton, made a stunning appearance at the Royal Family's traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle. The 44-year-old royal opted for a cream tailored Self-Portrait midi dress, which she first wore in 2022 for a joint appearance with Princess Anne. For this year's outing, she accessorised with a matching hat, a cross necklace, and pearl drop earrings believed to be Queen Elizabeth II's Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings.
Complete Ensemble Details
Completing her elegant ensemble, the Princess added height with brown pointed heels and carried her belongings in a DeMellier handbag. The King and Queen led a remarkably unified Royal Family for the church service, with Charles and Camilla being joined this year by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis.
Notable royal attendees included:
- Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence
- The Duke of Edinburgh and his son James, Earl of Wessex, 18
- Peter Phillips and his fiancée, Harriet Sperling, with his daughters Savannah and Isla
- For the first time, Ms Sperling's daughter Georgina, 15, attended with her soon-to-be stepsisters
- Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel brought up the rear of the group
Significant Absences Marked
Meanwhile, the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who did not attend today's service, was pictured walking his dogs on the Sandringham estate yesterday. Notable by their absence at the Easter Matins service at St George's Chapel were Andrew and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
With the agreement of the King, they have made alternative plans and will miss the traditional gathering. Sources have maintained they will join the Royal Family at future occasions, but in the current circumstances it was decided that they would stay away.
Family Procession Despite Weather
Senior royals were led by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children down on foot from Windsor Castle, despite the blustery conditions. The large and notably young party chatted happily as they walked. Prince William and the boys wore dark blue suits and ties, while Princess Charlotte sported a pretty dress under a warm camel-coloured coat with a brown velvet collar and cuffs.
The King and Queen were driven down in the State Bentley and arrived in front of the castle to a shout of 'God save the King' from the crowd. Camilla was sporting a red wool crepe dress by Fiona Clare and a hat by Philip Treacy with a brooch which had belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.
Warm Family Interactions
King Charles looked full of good spirits as he warmly greeted his family despite the chill winds, sweetly touching his granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, on the shoulder. After the hour-long service during which prayers were said for the Royal Family and the National Anthem was sung, the royal party moved from the chapel to the deanery for tea with the Dean of Windsor, The Right Reverend Christopher Cocksworth.
After around 20 minutes, Charles appeared alongside Camilla, who was presented with a beautiful posy by Kit Bannan, 10, a member of the Windsor Castle community. The King and Queen's State Bentley had drawn up outside with no plans for a walkabout given how cold and windy it was, but the couple walked around it to undertake a shortened meet-and-greet given the cheers of the public waiting patiently outside the chapel.
Public Encounters and Family Moments
Among the well-wishers was Frank Gates, seven, from Egremont in Cumbria, who was smartly dressed in the uniform of the Coldstream Guards and proudly saluted his Colonel-in-Chief, the King. Royal 'superfan' John Loughrey from south London said afterwards that His Majesty had spotted their flags and wished them happy Easter.
As the car drew away, the other members of the royal party came up the steps, led by the Waleses, who all including the children waved happily to well-wishers wishing them 'Happy Easter'. As they walked back up the hill to the castle, Catherine could be seen giving her daughter Charlotte a proud hug, placing her arm around her shoulders and squeezing her.
They were followed by Princess Anne and her husband, then her granddaughter Savannah and Isla Phillips, along with her soon-to-be step-sister Georgina. Peter Phillips and his fiancée Harriet, elegant in a sky blue spotted peplum jacket and skirt with a Jane Taylor hat and Kiki McDonough earrings, held hands as they walked back to the castle. James, Earl of Wessex, walked out with the remaining royals to complete the Easter gathering.
