The Duchess of Cambridge had a busy day on Monday as she carried out not one but two major engagements, on the day that Prince Harry and Meghan stepped out for the final time as senior members of the British royal family.
Catherine flew solo at Buckingham Palace last night as she welcomed a group of young children into the Queen’s residence for a reception in honour of charity Place2Be’s 25th anniversary. And, as Patron of the charity, Catherine also delivered a speech to guests during the evening.
She said: “Having visited many of your schools, meeting hundreds of your wonderful staff, children and young people, it is heart-warming to see that the support you provide is so much more than just being there in a time of desperate need.”
The duchess dressed to impress for the reception in a dazzling blue ball gown, by British designer Jenny Packham. The stunning cobalt blue frock featured a delicately beaded bodice and a light-weight flowing skirt which fell softly to the ground.
The dress is one that Catherine has worn previously, having donned the beautiful gown for the Bollywood Gala in Mumbai when she and Prince William visited India and Bhutan in 2016.
Catherine’s appearance at the palace came just hours after she joined the rest of the senior royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Prince Charles, for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
The group outing was Harry and Meghan’s final public engagement before they cease to function as senior member of the firm, and it was plain to see that tensions were high among the family as the ‘Fab Four’ took their seats alongside the Earl and Countess of Wessex and awaited the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen.
Harry and Meghan — who wore an emerald green Emilia Wickstead dress and matching fascinator — were seated alongside Prince Edward and Sophie, one row behind William and Catherine. However, footage of the Cambridges arriving showed that the formerly close couples had little interaction with one another before the service began.
On Twitter, royal fans were divided, with one user commenting: “Definitely a chill between the Cambridges and Sussexes! Megan attempted to say hello 3 times to no avail. Harry does NOT look happy at all.” Another added: “It looks like Kate didn’t look at Harry or Meghan and William only acknowledged Meghan. Wow.”
Others thought that Catherine said ‘hi’ to Meghan, with one writing: “Kate is smiling back at her. Their greeting was friendly given the formality of the event. You can see it in this video even if her entire face isn’t showing.”