Princess Kate Middleton stepped out solo for Armistice Day, a move that’s usually reserved for blood royals.
Kate, 43, looked somber in an all-black outfit while arriving at the National Memorial Arboretum’s Armed Forces Memorial for the Service of Remembrance on Tuesday, November 11. She observed a two-minute moment of silence with other attendees and laid a wreath to commemorate military members who died during service. The outing also celebrated all Armed Forces members.
Tuesday’s outing marks the first time that Kate has attended the event. Traditionally, a blood royal — a member of the royal family who was born into the family and is in the line of succession — will attend this service. Spouses will usually attend alongside the royal family members.
Kate isn’t the first wife to represent the royal family at this service, however. Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, attended solo last year.
The Princess of Wales’ outing on Tuesday came days after she attended the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance service on Saturday, November 8. The event was hosted at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and Kate attended alongside her eldest son, Prince George.
Kate and George, 12, sat in the royal box alongside King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie. Other royal family members were also present, but Prince William was noticeably absent since the event overlapped with his trip to Brazil to attend the COP30 climate summit and announce the finalists for his Earthshot Prize.
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This marked the first major royal outing amid the ongoing family drama surrounding Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
William, 43, dodged publicly discussing the drama during a conversation with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, who noted that there has been “a lot of change in your own family recently.”
William brought the conversation back to the Earthshot Prize, which is “a classic example of change.” (The Prince of Wales discussed his ideas for change during the AppleTV series The Reluctant Traveler in October.)
“Rather than talk about it, we’re doing it. That’s where I want it to be,” he added. “These people in here are the true action heroes of all time, and change will come by backing them, not by what I do.”
He added, “I want to surround myself with people who want to make, change and do good in the world.”
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William’s overseas trip and the royal family’s recent outing came after Charles, 76, stripped Andrew, 65, of his prince title and evicted him from the Royal Lodge. This came after Andrew’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein and the allegations against him from the late Virginia Giuffre continued to make headlines. (Andrew has continued to deny the allegations.)
“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” the statement released late last month revealed. “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.”
The statement added, “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”
Buckingham Palace’s statement concluded with: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
