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The Duchess in Catherine Walker for Armistice 100 Service

Kate brought back a Catherine Walker coat for tonight’s Remembrance Sunday service at Westminster Abbey.

There was a special service this year commemorating the Centenary of the signing of the armistice effectively ending The Great War.

Below you see Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent arriving at the Abbey.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall with the Very Reverend John Hall, Dean of Westminster.

Camilla coordinated nicely with the Queen.

The service was described as being one “to give thanks for peace and those who returned.” Below, the Dukes and Duchesses inside the Abbey.

HM and the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. At this morning’s service, the President laid a wreath at the Cenotaph, marking a historic reconciliation between the two nations.

Each held a wreath to be added to those at the grave.

The Abbey notes “The flowers are brightly coloured to symbolise celebration, and include heather, gerbera, lilies, roses and chrysanthemums.”

Nine young people who have been involved in World War I commemorative events over the past four years also placed flowers at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. 

Actor John Simm read from Private 12768: Memoir of a Tommy, John Jackson’s memoir of his experiences in WWI.

From the selection read tonight:

…on the stroke of the eleventh hour the sounds of war ceased abruptly…after years of noise, the calm and quietness of that cold, November, day was bewildering.

Prime Minister Theresa May did a reading from Isaiah: “‘Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that he break every yoke?'”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, delivered the address this evening.

Actor Simon Russell Beale CBE read from The Unfinished Task, a chapter in Winston Churchill’s book, The World Crisis Volume IV: ‘The penalty of defeat is ruin. The reward of victory is responsibility. It is an awful recompense…’

Prince Charles did a reading from John 15: verses 9-15, probably best known for the line, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

In his remarks he said, “The final verdict on evil is defeat…On this day we remember, in order to act…Enemies have reconciled and that is hope for the world.”

I will see if I can locate video of the service; it would be terrific to experience any/all of it on tape.

Now for our look at what the Duchess wore for this evening’s service. 

Kate was in a coat by Catherine Walker that is very much a favorite of the Duchess’s fashion followers.

The piece was first seen for the 2017 St Patrick’s Day shamrock service with the Irish Guards, and then later the same day when being welcomed to Paris.

The double-breasted fit and flare style is quintessential Kate, with velvet trim at the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps.

The Duchess wore a new headpiece by royal favorite Jane Taylor.

Initially, we thought the Duchess was wearing one of the milliner’s Velvet Headbands ($1138). However, when looking closely at the piece, Kate’s style does not have the wrapped fabric element seen on the left in the photo above. UPDATE NOV 13Anna of the Sophie of Wessex blog has heard from Jane Tylor and they say the Duchess is wearing a version of the headband that does not have the additional wrapped fabric.

Kate carried her Jimmy Choo Celeste Clutch style in black velvet.

It looked like she was wearing her Jimmy Choo Romy 100 Velvet Pumps ($895).

And she wore the Cassandra Goad Cavolfiore Pearl Stud earrings that she had on for this morning’s ceremony at the Cenotaph.

The Duchess was also wearing her Cartier wristwatch.

Below, the wreaths laid by the Queen and German President Dr Franz-Walther Stenmeier lay together at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier.

 

 

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Maureen

Wednesday 14th of November 2018

I can't recall if this has been discussed before (and I know some have mentioned Wallis Simpson), but do we have example photos of other royal ladies in hatbands? The Queen maybe?

ElizaMo

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

I’m among those who are just delighted to see this gorgeous coat again and I love the summing up of the ‘double-breasted fit-and-flare style’ as ‘quintessential Kate.’

I’m not however a fan of these headbands and would love to think this might be the last and that we are not due for a long spell of them. They remain too old-fashioned and costumey for me, which may be a generational thing.

However in this case I have to concede this one works well against the black highlights of the coat, the headpiece itself being more of a highlight than the full hat. It also works by having a decorative edge in an evening context.

I’m also glad to see the sensational updo get a second outing – makes it worth Kate’s while to sit for all those braids to be fixed – and those earrings continue to hold their own nicely against the poppies.

Jessica

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

I mean--great, perfect, beautiful, except for the weird Tudor headband. It makes me think of Anne Boleyn. Is that the note a future queen really wants to hit?

I'm a little bitter I guess because the darling little green hat she wore with this coat in Ireland is one of my all-time favorite hats on her, and to my eye it looks so perfect with the coat that I can't understand why anyone would ever wear anything else with it!

But gosh, it is a great coat, and that fit-and-flare coatdress silhouette will absolutely be a look she is remembered for. She wears it beautifully well.

katefanatic

Wednesday 14th of November 2018

You said it all---Coat is perfect---headband is awful. I was thinking "why didn't she just rewear the hat she wore at St Paddy's Day---that was a winning combo".

I like the purse and shoes and think her makeup is nice. Hairdo is a little too matronly. I am already on record multiple times in long rants about how much I hate those earrings. Legit no idea why she insists on paying exhorbitant amounts of money for earrings that look like they cost $5. She has so many other gorgeous options, and once again I lobby for a nice diamond stud---I wear mine all the time.

stellafromcanada

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

I love Kate - but the headband look is just so wrong! So very frumpy and out dated and awkward looking.

Carla

Tuesday 13th of November 2018

Agree

Maureen

Monday 12th of November 2018

I usually hate the “hatbands,” but I actually think this one really works well tonight. It gives this (gorgeous) coat a very retro vibe, which is perfect for the armistice centenary. High marks all around from me on this one—hatband and all.

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