It was a bright, sunlit Easter day at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor this morning as members of the royal family gathered for services. 
Not only was it the Easter Mattins service, but it is also HM’s 93rd birthday, and there was a full complement of royals at church. Below, Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Harry, Autumn Phillips and Peter Phillips. 
Lady Louise and her mother, Sophie, Countess of Wessex as they arrived at church. 
Zara and Mike Tindall arriving. 
Kate and Zara chatting.
Richard Palmer of The Express shared a video of HM arriving.
The Royal Family gather outside the chapel to greet the Queen on her birthday. pic.twitter.com/IpS0xb0wSt
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) April 21, 2019
From left to right, Autumn Philips, Prince Harry, Zara Tindall, Mike Tindall, Kate, and William. 
The Duchess curtsies as HM passes on her way into church.
More about the service from Simon Perry’s story in People:
In a sweet nod to the other big celebration taking place on Sunday, after the family all took their seats, the organist played “Happy Birthday To You” in honor of the monarch’s big day.
Although there was no mention of the royal birthday in the sermon, the Dean did touch on the devastating fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris last week. He also read some Easter poetry by Christian socialist Charles Kingsley, author of The Water Babies, whose birth 200 years ago will be celebrated in June.
The service was led by the Right Reverend David Conner, the Dean of Windsor. Below, HM receiving flowers after the service.
People reports they were presented by “Rufus Travers-Brown and Edward Bland, the sons of adult members of the choir.”
Another view of the Queen, wearing a duck egg blue and hot pink ensemble. 
Crowds gathered outside the chapel serenaded the Queen.
Well-wishers broke into a spontaneous rendition of Happy Birthday as the Queen, who turns 93 today, left an #EasterSunday service.
There was only a slight falter over what to call the Monarch mid-song, with the crowd settling (mostly) on ‘Your Majesty’ 🎂https://t.co/nxc3MNUjwF pic.twitter.com/6fnujqPZw8
— ITV News (@itvnews) April 21, 2019
In this video you see the rest of the royal family members leaving after the Queen departs.
Earlier today there was a tweet from the Royal Family account showing a picture from each decade of HM’s life. “Happy 93rd birthday to Her Majesty The Queen! Our video includes a photograph from each decade of The Queen’s life, from an image of her as a baby in 1926, to her visit to King’s College last month. #HappyBirthdayHerMajesty pic.twitter.com/E2J8c5rziD
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 21, 2019
Now to what Kate wore for Easter Sunday services. She brought back a fan favorite, the dove-grey ensemble first seen on Easter Sunday in 2014 when the Duke and Duchess attended services at St. Andrews Cathedral in Sydney.
The tailored coat by Alexander McQueen features a funnel neck, concealed front fastening, inset pockets, and a back vent.
Views from 2014. 
And a side-by-side. 
We also saw the return of the ‘Lupin’ hat created by Jane Taylor. It was first worn for Easter 2014 and brought back for the Singapore state visit in October 2014.
Kate’s heels appear to be the Emmy London ‘Rebecca’ style in the Cinder colorway; most recently we saw them at the annual Commonwealth Service in March. UPDATE: It looks like this could well be the Rebecca in the Steel colorway, not the Cinder. Thank you to @DataDuchess2 on Twitter for noting this earlier today.
The clutch by Emmy London is one we have also seen before, initially carried to the 2016 Commonwealth Service. 
Kate wore the diamond acorn earrings by Robinson Pelham first seen at her 2011 wedding.
The Duchess brought back a brooch featuring oak leaves and four “acorns” crafted of gold and a pearl. The Middleton family crest features acorns. We first saw this piece at the Diamond Jubilee Luncheon in 2012, again at Christmas Services in 2015, and just this past Christmas.
It’s understandable why so many Kate fashion followers are fond of this ensemble; it is a sleek, chic look on the Duchess.
I’ll leave the post with this video from ITV’s Royal Family Channel.
LINKAGE:
- Learn more about the Chapel at this website; the Chapel Facebook page is here; you can see more details about the service in this PDF
- The Daily Mail has coverage here and also here; The Mirror’s story is here; The Daily Telegraph’s piece by Hannah Furness is here
- Town & Country‘s gallery is here; Hello! has a story here; People’s piece is here; Harper’s Bazaar has a gallery here; a PopSugar gallery is here
Kate looking gorgeous as ever she is such a pro at re wearing things and making them look fresh.
Kate looks beautiful here – I never tire of studying all her looks in absolute awe! Thank goodness for this fantastic site! These earrings are my favourites and I adore her hair now that the fringe has grown out and it’s not that really dark shade of brunette that she sometimes opts for.
The Royals gave us a very interesting Easter parade of fashion yesterday! While not posted here, I did view a fun video on another site that showed the Royals chatting as they walked to St. George’s Chapel two by two, in three’s or in a family group. I enjoyed seeing the family members moving forward, seeing their side and back views. Very color coordinated -especially with the men in their navy suits and blue ties. The pops of floral on the ladies was refreshing. Kate’s McQueen re-wear looks as pretty as ever but I couldn’t help but see the similarities this year – surrounded by Royal women Kate’s age and younger and older – to the Queen also dressed in a light colored coat dress with a jeweled brooch on her left shoulder.
Gorgeous. Love it all. Beautiful and appropriate
Does any one else think she looks SO much like her mother Carole, in this outfit?
Very much so!
Striking resemblance.
I loved the outfit 5 years ago and it still looks great, and Kate is such a model for anything she wears, but surely on an occasion she could change to a new outfit. We all wish we were five years younger, but we look for inspiration to herself and Meghan for something current, and 5 years is a long time to be repeating an outfit. Kate has had a low profile for weeks now, so it would have been lovely to see something new. In order to promote fashion and keep it selling, particularly European fashion, and with all their wealth, it would be more fitting to promote what is currently in style. there is enough doom and gloom out there without the Royal Family having to do likewise. I love the Royal Family. I am from Ireland and enjoy everything Kate and Meghan, but I do think that the public put pressure on them to repeat outfits, but is anyone expecting them to repeat items from as old as five year
Kate mostly wears classic styles so she can repeat them years later. She is not one to wear the latest trend. And there is a lot of criticism of BRF women wearing European brands that are not British.
Paula, I think you make a very valid point. I too wonder why and how Kate makes her choices. And, while I think Kate looks amazing in this fabulous coat and hat, I would have loved to have seen her in a new outfit, especially if I had been on the grounds at Windsor on Easter Sunday!
This is a gorgeous ensemble for Kate, and actually looks kind of baby blue on my screen. Several have noted with surprise that some members of the royal family were wearing darker colors than one would expect for Easter. I wonder if wearing light colors on Easter Sunday is less of a tradition in the UK than in the USA? Perhaps because when Easter is in March/early April it could still be quite chilly there?
i wonder if she wears acorn jewelry on occasions when she is with her in laws for holidays — she wore it christmas without them and now easter without them — sort of keeping them in her thoughts on holidays? would love admins thoughts on this 🙂
That is an interesting question, Liz, one I will need to ponder. 🙂
Kate’s anniversary is coming up in a week, I wonder if that also prompted wearing her wedding earrings since we see them so rarely.
thank you! 🙂
Kate looks lovely, and I’ve been hoping for a rewear of this coat for ages, but I found it a bit strange that she would repeat it for the same occasion. Has she been known to do that? I wouldn’t have predicted a previous Easter outfit again.
I would say the only events that have led to “predictable” repeats are St. Patrick’s Day and Remembrance Day, and that seems likely because of the color association for each event. Although, I think only once was it “same-coat-same-event” for each. It just doesn’t seem to be something she does often.
It was Easter in Australia for the previous wearing not Easter at Windsor though.
Yes but she has lovely coats that could have done. I think she has a funnel neck baby blue Catherine Walker coat with white embroidery/lace at the lapel that would have given a similar look without being a dead-on repeat.
Definitely my favorite coat and hat. And, I really, really love those earrings. I wish she would wear them more often.
The Queen looks wonderful at 93 years old. I guess working really does keep you young.
This is a lovely outfit, even if it’s never quite excited me as much as many others. I do think that she looks beautiful in gray, and I like this hat quite a lot. The coat has never struck me as anything particularly special, but it certainly fits her well and is appropriate for the occasion.
I do wish the coat were a bit darker, to go with the tone of the hat and clutch. And the shoes add a third gray tone, a bit browner. I don’t think you have to be slavish about such things, but here the differing tones are reading to me as a bit of a mismatch.
I am enjoying all of the acorn jewelry.
One final note: I see that she wore this darling hat in 2014 with that perfect McQueen glen plaid coat dress. Has she every repeated that look? I remember thinking it was utter perfection.
As best I remember we’ve not seen that piece other than the one time for the state visit. 🙂
I think she was in early pregnancy with Charlotte then, so maybe she’ll tailor it and wear it again sometime!
I hope everyone had a lovely weekend celebrating Passover and Easter!
Does anyone else think the neckline might have been reworked? It appears in the side by side photos that the collar might be taller in the earlier photo, and has a deeper V and shorter collar in yesterday’s photo?
Thanks so much for your wonderful posts, they are always a fun treat after an appearance!
Yes! The neckline was much higher yesterday and the collar shape looks different. To me it looks as if more was done to it than simply moving up the fastening. I have to say I wish she didn’t tamper with it as I prefer the original.
I do not like the new neckline. The different accessories w/ shade variations are also a bit distracting!
I think that she simply closed up the top more, not that that the collar and fastening were re-designed. May have been a bit chilly or a bit of a wind and she opted for a more cosy wearing.
This has always been one of my favorite outfits on the duchess and I was hoping last week that we would see it again soon. I think it is a lovely color and I love the clean simple lines. I also like the shoes worn this time better than the ones worn on the initial outing.
I do not like the higher neckline this time—I actually thought the slightly more open neckline the first time helped add to the clean and unfussy look/lines of the coat. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the higher and more cinched in neckline this time detracted somewhat from the gorgeous tailoring that I loved so much the first time. I also think her hairstyle from 2014 worked slightly better with the overall look.
I am happy we got to see her wedding earrings again–they are lovely and I hope she starts wearing them more often.
Agree with you about the neckline. Something was lost with this current alteration.
This is one of the all-time favorites for me. Dove gray (and ice blue) are always knockouts on Kate, and it’s wonderful to see this outfit again. Perfect accessorizing with the acorn earrings and brooch.
Actually, I wonder if this coat is dove grey or ice blue. It is described here and on other sites as grey, but on my laptop and tablet, it looks blue in some photos and elsewhere it is described as blue. Nevertheless Kate’s look is perfection.
Love this look! And, like others, I enjoyed seeing the fashions of the other royals and OMG HM looks fabulous!!
Just wondering if we have any idea how the Duchess stores/manages all of her clothing, especially her hats? Given that she rewears them but, in many cases, does so only once in several years….can you imagine what the storage is like for all of that?!?
I would ADORE to see her wardrobe/clothes storage and understand the management of her clothes!!!
I have thought of the storage many times, especially the hats and even gowns as they require more space. Can you imagine the Queens storage? Just the volume and her hats are bigger! I read many years ago Princess Diana has a system: every piece of clothing (suits, hats, shoes,etc) has an index card stating where it was worn and with what. The DoC must have the whole top floor of KP for her clothes storage. I’d love to see it!! Lol
I bet they have those pull out hangers where you can see coats and dresses as though pulling out a file cabinet. I saw it on bonkers closet, and it also stores it in the right temp, moisture, etc.
I wonder what her regular closet looks like and whether it’s all in one place. She’s not fussy when dressing off duty, just some nice jeans, a sweater, sneakers- she probably has enough opportunity to dress up, haha.
I don’t remember a time when there was so much agreement among the commenters. This was a very popular coat. I much prefer this sheath style coat to the fit and flair style the DoC wears often. This style sets the Dutches apart from the crowd, it draws attention, it steals the show. Can you tell I love it? I probably have missed this along the way but is the brooch she is wearing from the Queens’ vault?
The outfit is awesome but I think the hairstyle that goes with the hat could have been better
Sorry a little clarification: shouldn’t William have followed the monarch into church? Prince Andrew went before him but William is senior in rank, I thought?
I noticed that too but they don’t seem to have been following precedence at all, except for Her Majesty of course. Andrew preceded William, Anne and Zara preceded Harry – they seem to have entered any which way.
As the eldest son of the sovereign present Prince Andrew would take precedence & accompany his mother into church.
Beatrice even went before the Queen. It’s private event.
NOTE: admin edit
You are absolutely correct – Prince William is senior in rank to Prince Andrew. However, now that Prince Philip has retired from public life, the Queen’s son Andrew often accompanies his mom at royal events. He is the perfect choice as he does not have a spouse he has to worry about walking with as his brothers Charles and Edward do. When someone formally accompanies the Queen, he or she takes on the Queen’s seniority in the pecking order just for the specific time that he or she is accompanying the Queen just for the practical reason that he or she needs to be by her side to accompany her.
This has always been my favorite look, ever since Australia. I like it much more with the lower neckline as in the first wear, and I think she filled it out a bit better then but still an absolute smash hit. Adore it!
I thought that all of the royal ladies looked wonderful today. I was a bit surprised that some of them wore darker colors. I would have guessed that they would all show up in pastels.
The Countess of Wessex dress pattern reminded me of the reworked floral gown that Kate recently wore to the National Portrait Gallery Gala.
now for my question. Do we actually think Kate is wearing a dress underneath there? Or could there just be a modesty panel sewn into the front slit of her dress? I do not see any fabric at the neckline on either occasion that she has worn this.
I believe she is in a matching dress that is cut precisely to work with this coat. No way to really know, but that’s what I think she is wearing beneath the coat. 😊
Happy Easter to everyone!
I thought that all of the royal ladies looked wonderful today but was a little surprised at the darker colors on some of them. I was sure they would all turn out in pastels.
The Countess of Wessex floral pattern on her dress reminded me of the reworked gown worn by Kate at the latest National Portrait Gallery Gala.
I have a question about Kate’s outfit today. Do we actually think there is a dress underneath there? Or could that just be a modesty panel going across the front slit? We have never seen any fabric towards the neckline of this coat dress to indicate that there might be a coat underneath it.
Happy birthday to Her Majesty
Has Kate reworn her wedding earrings before? I feel like I haven’t seen her rewear them before, but I could have of course missed it. It is her anniversary coming up next week!
She did re-wear them, it was at Order of the Garter in 2016, always held here at St. George’s Chapel. 😊 https://whatkatewore.com/2016/06/13/kate-in-rich-red-pieces-diamond-wedding-earrings-for-order-of-the-garter/
I love this look, but I do wonder why she was wearing a coat when most everyone else wore dresses sans coats. It was supposed to be quite warm today in the UK, maybe a more late spring look could’ve been worn?
Ceci, The Queen wore a coat, as did Zara and also Autumn Phillips. So I’d say, some wore coats, some didn’t.
Actually the majority of the women are wearing coats (Anne, Queen, Zara, Autumn, Beatrice). It is really only Sophie and her daughter that didn’t wear coats. It made me wonder if they were suppose to wear coats since all the other royal ladies did. 🙂
I loved this outfit. It’s the perfect line for Kate.
And surely I’m not the only one who would welcome a third addition to the blog family focused on Sophie? THAT DRESS!
According to Michelle of @ReplicateRoyals on Twitter notes it is a repeat of an Oscar de la Renta design. 😊
I recommend this blog by Anna about Sophie – https://hrhthecountessofwessex.wordpress.com/
Thank you for sharing the link to Anna’s site, Alisa! She does a fabulous job.😊
I, too, would love a blog devoted to Sophie–and you are the best source!
Thank you, Tamara! Ann is truly the expert and has an amazing archive of photos and info, I could never get close to her level of insight. 🙂
Yes absolutely! I do think Sophie almost always looks brilliant. She’s very stylish. I also love her dress.
The Cambridges made quite an elegant pairing today. Kate’s outfit is graceful and streamlined, with just the right touch and color of accessories. I really feel like no one can wear a hat like she does, and I especially like the closeup of her with Zara. I also tend to enjoy Zara’s hats, which I feel are also always appropriately proportioned and angled.
Kate’s more casual hair adds the right balance to what would have been too severe a look if she had worn one of her low updo’s that age her. When I saw the first photo in this piece what struck me was a resemblance to her mum!
I also enjoyed the variety of patterned dresses and as usual think that Sophie cuts a wonderful figure in the crowd. And HM . . . what can be said except for how does she always manage to look amazing at any age, and wearing any color?
Gosh, so pretty!! Understated elegance, timeless!
Kate looks so pretty! Her skin looks flawless and glowing, the makeup is very pretty today. The hat is nice and the tailoring of the Mcqueen coat is perfection. I like the way the seam lines up with the pockets, maybe theres a fancy term for it? I dunno, its just really fabulous! The color is a great choice for Easter. These earrings have been a favorite of mine since she wore them on her wedding day, so much that I bought a knock off replica pair years ago on either QVC or HSN (I cant remember which). I love acorns and trees and nature themed details like that.
And happy birthday to her majesty!! 🎂
There were many lovely outfits worn by the royal family this Easter Sunday, but I feel that Kate shone the most. Her coat is a masterpiece of fine tailoring and Kate’s height and slimness showed it off so well. I love the addition of the grey accessories which give a monochromatic look, but being darker, are a very elegant contrast.
Seems that on occasion Kate follows the Queen’s example and wears a brooch on her coat. This oak leaf piece, plus the earrings are a nice tribute to the Duchess’ family. Perhaps at some point more brooches from the jewel vault will be available for Kate to wear.
Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Happy Birthday, Happy Spring. What a wonderful time of year!
Does anyone else agree that the aubergine coloured coat worn by Kate on Christmas Day 2011 and credited to an ‘independent British designer’
https://whatkatewore.com/2011/12/25/kate-in-aubergine-for-christmas-day-services/
bears a striking similarity to this coat? I have always loved both coats and suspect the aubergine one was an early prototype for the grey/lilac version but because Sarah Burton wasn’t named as the designer my theory is hard to prove.
Definitely! I looked back at the 2014 post and the aubergine coat is mentioned as a similarity. I think your theory is valid! I love that aubergine version and hope to see it again someday.
Yes, the two coats are practically the same design. I wish she would wear the former again as well. Loved the hat too.
I loved that Christmas 2011 hat too, as well as the grey one. Two stylish coats and two stunning hats.
One of my favourite outfits, simple, elegant and so stylish. Will go down in history as one of Kate’s timeless look.
I don’t usually like Kate’s McQueen coats but this is a winner for me. It is sleeker and more modern than the usual McQ coats she sports, and I like this color (actually Zara’s ensemble is one I would expect to see on Kate, and I am not a fan, zzz). I also like that it requires her to go with grey accessories rather than the nude ones that I haaaate.
I quite like the patterns on Sophie and Louise’s dresses as well. Autumn Phillips is usually a favorite for me but I am not really into the huge buttons on her dress (coat?).
I have to say, this is the first time I have heard of duck’s egg blue (saw it in the Daily Mail story as well). I had heard of robin’s egg blue but not duck’s egg blue…I thought ducks had white eggs?
SG, duck eggs are usually white, but some lay pale green or pale blue eggs. It can vary with the breed of the duck or the genetics.
Good to know! Was a new one for me. I will file it away for when I make Jeopardy 🙂
I absolutely love this outfit!!! I was thinking to myself yesterday how much I would like to see Kate rewear this outfit. I was very excited to see that she did.
Same! I was hoping to see this exact outfit for Easter today!
This ensemble has been in my top ten for a long time. So happy to see it again, and I very much like these shoes and bag with it. She looks wonderful. I have to say, though, yet again, a bracelet-length sleeve needs a bracelet.
Looks like Zara has the same Goat coat as Catherine. She also looks lovely in it.
Chic, chic, chic. McQueen done right for the Duchess. Appropriate, flattering, classic and not dowdy! This should be the goal line for her bespoke items!
Kate looks absolutely stunning – the acorn accessories are a wonderful accent yo this outfit. This can easily be one of Kate’s signature looks!
HM looks radiant in the blue with a pop of Fuschia!
Outside of Kate, I have to say patterns stole the show. I adore Sophie’s patterned dress. Lady Louise looked very pretty too The lady at the end ( and driving away with HM) – this pattern looks wonderfully intricate and beautiful. Beatrice’s dress was very lovely as well. In my opinion, the others were rather drab in my opinion
Thanks for the post!
She looks great in these icy cool colors and the style is flattering and very appropriate for the season and occasion. Her hair looks nice too… A little more relaxed and natural looking. I wish she had worn a cross in honor of Easter.
Almost everything she wears looks excellent and polished on her. She has it down to an art plus she’s so slim and definitely a hat person. I’m totally obsessed with her collection of hats, they are all SO gorgeous! Makes you want to dress up yourself. Inspiring.
You meant matins, not mattins, right?
No, I meant to use mattins. I opted to go with the spelling used by St. George’s. Thank you for checking, though, because heaven knows there have been plenty of times where things were inadvertently spelled differently or incorrectly! 🙂
The Duchess of Cambridge looked absolutely gorgeous today as did all of the Royal Family. Everything was perfection, from her hair and hat to outfit and accessories. But the best, was that the Duchess of Cambridge had a lovely smile on her face which is truly the best indicator of a life enjoyed and well lived.
This is absolute perfection! I’ve been hoping for a repeat of this coat since she first wore it in Sydney, and she couldn’t have pulled it off any better than she did today. I LOVE that she’s worn the hat with three entirely different hairstyles, and the gray accessories are so elegant. Great to see her wedding earrings again too!
I know that some people wonder why Kate would buy the same piece in multiple colors (like the Preen dress or Charlotte christening coat). Let me go on record saying Kate could own this particular coat in 25 colors, and it still wouldn’t be enough for me. It’s simply a beautiful piece that elevates the concept of a formal coat to a new level.
I like the way her hair is styled today, more around her shoulders, softening the pronounced horizontal plane of the shoulders of the coat. That plane is emphasized by the slight upturn at the shoulder seams. It’s evident this hat was made to be paired with this coat, so its return is a solid choice, especially with the subtle switch-up of the other accessories. The addition of the brooch is one of those changes that I quite like. The sleek elegance of the coat creates a nice “canvas” to highlight the intricacy and sparkle of the brooch.
As opposed to other pieces we see restyled, I won’t say this iteration is “better” or “worse” than the previous. They were both stunning looks; and getting to see this coat again seems just an embarrassment of riches to someone who loved it the first time.
“Let me go on record saying Kate could own this particular coat in 25 colors, and it still wouldn’t be enough for me.”
I love the way you phrased this, and couldn’t agree more! Definitely one of the best, most elegant pieces in her wardrobe.
Agreed! It is the perfect coat for her figure and her style preferences. So sleek and simple, yet stunning. I love the shape of the shoulders and collar.
Loved it before and loved it even more today with wedding earrings and hair down.
This seems very suitable for the occasion, and well-acessorized. I would prefer to see the Duchess’s hair pulled back to valance her hat. Her hair often looks lovely when worn down, but here it just looks sort of unfinished to me.
If I had to pick one outfit that is my favourite, this would be it. This coat with the matching dress or skirt underneath is so well tailored, the colour is perfect, and the addition of the broach seals the deal. Fabulous and with with her wedding earrings to boot! Love, love, Love it!
This remains one of the most beautiful coats I’ve ever seen; I was smitten when we first saw it in Oz and my admiration remains undimmed. It’s utter perfection for clean, elegant lines, with deftly executed touches like structured shoulders, funnel neck, and slightly flared cuffs, which maintain its fashion credentials and subtly reference the trademark swagger that first made McQueen’s name.
It’s wonderful how the whole of the front fastening is closed keeping the emphasis on the flattering, lean princess-line. And I think the switch-up in accessories is spot on, I found the previous nude tones a bit washed-out. I love the soft grey Emmy clutch and shoes, they give a welcome touch of definition.
The hat is also a perfect repeat, another winner with clean modern lines in the main piece and just the right amount of whimsy on the embellishment; flair without careless excess. The brooch also is wonderful, the coat is really lifted by it. It’s interesting how Kate has her neckline secured higher this time, giving the brooch a larger canvas. Last time she added a touch of sparkle with a lower neckline and pendant peeking through. Classy as ever.
I wonder if maybe Kate had to coat retailored to have it taken in? Maybe by moving the hidden fastening so that the coat cinches tighter (don’t know if that’s the right word)? And that has maybe caused to funnel neckline to be higher?
I noticed the secured neckline being a bit higher this time but hadn’t connected it to the jewelry choice. It’s when those subtle details come together that her ensembles stand out. Thanks for calling attention to that!
A beautiful outfit! I loved the coat the first time and still do. Lovely accessories. So elegant!