Kate Middleton returned to her familiar arrangement of three red poppies on November 8, joining Queen Camilla for Britain’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
The Princess of Wales, 44, and the Queen, 79, stood on the central balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office overlooking the Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall. Both wore black for the occasion.
The National Service of Remembrance honors those from Britain and the Commonwealth who died in conflict. Veterans, serving military personnel and political leaders gathered at the memorial for the annual ceremony.
Kate has attended the Cenotaph service every year since her marriage to Prince William in 2011, according to PEOPLE.
Charles and William Laid Wreaths at the Cenotaph
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The King led the two-minute silence at 11 a.m., after which Royal Marines buglers sounded the Last Post. Charles, wearing a field marshal’s uniform, laid the first wreath, followed by William. An equerry placed a wreath on Camilla’s behalf, while Prince Edward and Princess Anne also laid tributes.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence watched from neighboring balconies. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and former prime ministers attended, alongside Commonwealth and faith representatives.
Approximately 10,000 veterans took part in the Royal British Legion’s march past, representing more than 300 military and civilian organizations, ITV News reported. The British government’s event announcement had described participants ranging from bereaved children and military cadets to veterans over 100.
Kate Wore a Single Poppy at the 2025 Service
Last year, Kate chose one hand-embroidered poppy alongside an RAF badge. Her usual choice of three has prompted speculation about a connection to relatives killed during World War I, but the palace has not confirmed that explanation.
Her great-grandmother Olive Middleton lost three brothers in the war: Maurice Lupton in 1915, Lionel Lupton in 1916 and Francis Lupton in 1917.
During an October 2018 visit to the Imperial War Museum, Kate examined their letters and other family documents. The Royal Household’s account describes a postcard Lionel dated July 16, 1916, saying he was well. He was killed in action that same day.
The Royal British Legion held its first Poppy Appeal in 1921, following earlier efforts to adopt the flower as a remembrance symbol. The appeal continues to raise money for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
Diana’s Earrings and the HMS Glasgow Brooch Accompanied Kate’s Black Coat
Kate wore a Catherine Walker coat and a wide-brimmed Jane Taylor hat. Her Collingwood pearl-and-diamond drop earrings once belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales. The earrings were a gift from Collingwood before Diana’s 1981 wedding, according to The Court Jeweller. They later became familiar pieces in Kate’s collection, appearing in her 40th birthday portraits as well as at formal engagements.
Her HMS Glasgow brooch was made in sterling silver by Scottish jeweler James Porter & Son. Inspired by the ship’s crest, it depicts St. Kentigern, Glasgow’s patron saint, framed by a Scottish thistle with a crown in place of its bloom. The piece was commissioned and funded by the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers and the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors.
Kate became the ship’s sponsor in 2021. On May 22, 2025, she formally named HMS Glasgow at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard, breaking a bottle of whisky against its hull. The Royal Navy identifies it as the first of eight Type 26 frigates designed for anti-submarine warfare.
Kate’s Remembrance Appearances Continued Through Her Cancer Recovery
Kate’s appearance in November 2024 came after a year in which she had stepped back from most public duties following her cancer diagnosis. She announced that September that she had completed chemotherapy, and the remembrance events were part of her gradual return to royal engagements.
She stood beside Sophie at that service while Camilla stayed away because of a chest infection. The Queen returned to the ceremony in 2025.
This year’s remembrance weekend also included the November 7 Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, attended by Charles, Camilla, William and Kate. The princess wore a black-and-white polka-dot Alessandra Rich dress, the Irish Guards regimental brooch and earrings previously worn by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal British Legion’s program commemorated service in Bosnia, the 35th anniversary of the Gulf War and 15 years since the end of Operation Telic in Iraq. It included veterans’ accounts and letters sent home by service members.