The mini-tour aboard the Royal Train wrapped up at Windsor Castle tonight. 
Above you see HM, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex on the steps of Windsor Castle. After 1250 miles aboard the Royal Train, this was Kate and William’s final stop.
The occasion was a socially-distanced family visit combined with personal ‘thank you’ sentiments for local volunteers and key workers. Below you see the Duke and Duchess arriving with the Earl and Countess of Wessex. 
Lizzie Robinson of ITV shared a video of HM arriving with Princess Anne.
🎥 The grand finale of the #RoyalTrainTour 🚂 The Queen, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Princess Royal joined together to thank volunteers and key workers in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/TgJgbdu147
— Lizzie Robinson (@LizzieITV) December 8, 2020
The two couples. 
More from Victoria Ward in her Daily Telegraph story.
In wintry conditions, the Queen stood on the steps of the Equerry’s entrance and listened as the Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army played Christmas Carols, her relatives stood, socially distanced, around her.
The Queen’s appearance marked the first time she has been seen in public with the Prince of Wales and senior members of the Royal Family since before the coronavirus pandemic.
HM was wearing a ‘Christmas Red’ ensemble and hat by Angela Kelly, with thanks to Emily Andrews for that info. 
The Duke and Duchess with HM. 
Rebecca English of The Daily Mail shared a cute anecdote:
At the end of the performance, featuring O Little Town of Bethlehem, the Queen, who could be seen singing along, chatted to her family and as she turned to walk up the steps back inside the castle, William could be heard to say: ‘Bye gran’.
The royals wanted to thank local volunteers and key workers who will be volunteering or working to help others over the Christmas holidays. Below, The Princess Royal. 
Here you see the Earl and Countess of Wessex with The Queen. 
More about tonight’s gathering from Victoria Murphy’s Town and Country story.
It is the first time since March that all the royals have been in one place. Their last joint engagement was to the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9 when Harry and Meghan were also in attendance.
I believe HM is chatting with Commissioners Anthony and Gillian Cotterill of the Salvation Army in this photo. They are the organization’s Territorial Leaders for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
In this video from Emily Andrews, you can hear the Salvation Army Band.
🎶🏰The Queen, in Angela Kelly ‘Christmas red’ hat & coat, Charles, Camilla, Kate, William, Sophie, Edward and Anne enjoy O little town of Bethlehem pic.twitter.com/j4hFoHEObi
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) December 8, 2020
A tent was set up on the grounds as seen in this photo from ITV’s Chris Ship. 
The Prince of Wales chatting with guests. 
The Duke and Duchess talking with a kindergarten teacher named Sarah Cottle.
Emily Andrews shared a video of the duo speaking with her.
William and Kate chat to nursery headteacher Sarah Cottle, who runs three maintained nurseries for the local council. They chatted Early Years, how Kate chided her parents to complete her #5BigQuestions survey and kids’ reactions to the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/KmDrYpYhTo
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) December 8, 2020
Another view from tonight’s event. 
You can see the Wessexes speaking with guests on the left in this photo. 
Now for our look at what Kate wore this evening. She was in a Catherine Walker coat. 
It was first seen when Kate and William arrived in Dublin this March. 
For tonight’s event, a faux fur collar was added. 
It’s possible Kate is wearing the Faux Fur Lapel Collar ($86.77) in ‘forest green’ by Troy London.
The Duchess has updated a coat with a faux fur collar before. Below left, the Hobbs Celeste coat worn as it was originally purchased, and on the right, with the addition of a collar.
Kate appeared to be carrying the same clutch we first noted at the Festival of Remembrance in November 2019. The bag is by Alexander McQueen, and very similar to the brand’s ‘Beetle Box’ clutch, but the clasp has been changed to one like that shown below right. 
Kate’s gloves look like her ‘Alice’ merino wool pair ($137) by glovemaker (and royal warrant holder) Cornelia James. 
It looked like the Duchess wore her ‘Katie and Millie’ print (£15) mask by Amaia Kids. We first saw it in March at a World Mental Health Day event. 
The Duchess wore the Queen’s Diamond Frame Earrings, oft-seen, and believed to be on ‘permanent loan’ from HM. 
If you missed our post on the day’s earlier engagements, click here. 
A beautiful coat but the faux fur didn’t add anything for me!I also like her chic yet simple hair too.
I actually like this coat much better with the faux-fur add on. Was not a fan of the way it looked with the high-neck green dress underneath (which I think is Alessandra Rich) and headband. Overall an okay green coat but not her best green coat, a bit on the too long side.
I actually like Sophie’s coat better and I really like HM’s scarf.
Rightly, the Queen stole the show at Windsor in the red ensemble and it was great to see her looking healthy and happy to see the family and visitors, and sing carols. Kate’s dark green coat also looked festive but didn’t compete to draw the eye from Her Majesty. I love this about the Duchess. Thanks for the super coverage of the last few days.
Not totally on topic, but you might enjoy this article about the Queen’s color choices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-queen-elizabeth-should-be-your-style-inspirationseriously-11604512283?fbclid=IwAR1SPW8t6vSR0nuj3sNLR4BlvkalZD5se1wKnEMOTsdzNRy_zXnNklrChHI
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you Susan for such great coverage of this short but intense tour. William and Kate seem to be in their element on this tour and looked to be really enjoying it. And what a fun way to travel, on the train. I loved seeing Kate in the red coat again, with the tartan skirt and scarf, well done Kate. WKW has been such a fun spot to go to this year for all. Merry Christmas to all the readers here from the heart of the USA—the great state of Kansas!
Merry Christmas to you in the Sunflower State! 🙂
This mini-tour was such a treat! Thank you for the great coverage.
Surely this formal portrait will be illustrated repeatedly in future books on the royalty and in Windsor Castle guide-books. It is a ready-made stock photograph summarizing the current state of the royal family in an historical setting. The lighting was so well-done and the rhythmic repeat of the figures fits the architectural setting perfectly.
I found this mini-tour charming and enjoyed reading the posts about it. The Duke and Duchess looked wonderful. I was especially happy to see the red plaid skirt again and love the green coat with the faux fur collar – appropriate and festive!
Thank you, Susan!
What a beautifully fitting conclusion to such a fun, meaningful, cozy holiday train tour! Hard to find fault with anything Kate wore during this adventure. Perhaps it would have been fun if she had included one outfit that wasn’t a coat ensemble, but being outside in chilly weather made what she wore not only beautiful but also appropriate for the event and practical. Agree with others’ comments that the queen looks joyously happy – must be a delight for her to have some Christmas cheer and see her family.
Love Kate’s look for this final train stop at Windsor. Beautiful holiday green, which subtly complemented the Queen’s Christmas red without overshadowing. And the faux fur embellishments were spot-on.
There are quite a few photos on the Kensington Palace instagram account about this recent mini tour by train. Today a short video was posted to sum up the tour.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CInruymlG7e/
How heart warming this entire mini tour was!
Thank you Susan for your wonderful coverage!! Thank you for your hard work for all us readers all year long, and especially this year when I think it’s safe to say we all especially enjoyed the escapism of WKW!!
And thank you to the entire community here at WKW who come together over a common interest and know how to build each other up over it through their comments, even when opinions may differ!
What a year we’ve all passed together!
Xo to all.
Thank you, Crystal! It really is something I love doing, so I am very fortunate, indeed. 🙂
The whole tour was a treat, but my favorite part was how tickled the Queen looked to see her family.
Truly so precious! Queen Elizabeth looks absolutely gorgeous!! You know she had to be excited to see family again in real life!
Merry Christmas 🎄 Royal Family!’
It looks like the Princess Royal Anne had borrowed the mask from her mother, as it is red and black, matching with the Queen’s outfit
Absolutely loved this mini tour… especially since it was a gorgeous coat tour! You should do a graphic with them all lined up 🙂
There might be one of those in the works….! 😊
Normally, I would complain about how I feel the traditional coat-dress with the add-on fur is dowdy, and how I would prefer Kate to opt for younger and more modern looks, but not today! I can’t imagine a more perfect outfit for this occasion. Kate looks perfect. The tour, despite some Scottish and Welsh gripes, was a triumph. My respect for this couple has grown infinitely. Her Majesty the Queen looks the most beautiful of all. I feel this tour showcased the very best of what the royal family can do the the country. Bravo!
Agree, the dowdy vibe really works here the 👍👍
Hehehee! Exactly!! 🤗
It was nice and normal to see the royals on the steps of Windsor Castle
As always as a women you like to see what the women are wearing
Including Her Majesty . Good Health to them all
Thank you the excellent coverage throughout! It has been a real treat to see so many colorful outfits on this well-planned and delightful mini tour. Brilliant idea to use the royal train, a nice mix of thoughtful and fun visits, and a family event cap it all off. It’s been great to watch.
This Royal family can do good work, ie, charity, public appearances, to show how much they love their country. It is simply fantastic. William and Kathryn represent the Queen, and they exude grace, during this festive holiday season
I loved this coat when I first saw it in the spring and like it also with this winter green accent. It was such a bright spring color in March, but the faux fur stole in “forest green” was a brilliant winterizing touch.
I was interested in the fact that the tune the brass played was sung to “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in England. Here in the US we usually sing those words to a different tune. So tonight I learned that the American tune (as it was originally an American hymn) was the original tune set to the lyrics. But that great curator and arranger of English folk tunes, Ralph Vaughan Williams, set “O Little Town of Bethlehem” to the English folk tune “Forest Green” for the English Hymnal in 1906.
I first heard THE BRITISH NATIONAL ANTHEM in the US but different words, I was very surprised…( being British) …
Yes we sing that tune to My Country ‘Tis of Thee. You know what’s funny is that when I visited Switzerland I was playing some of my hymn arrangements for piano in a church and I had incorporated that tune into a medley. I mentioned the tune as a patriotic American hymn. Afterward someone came up to me and told me that it used to be the Swiss national anthem! Tee hee hee I guess a lot of people think the tune is grand. I should have done my research but this was before the days of internet when looking stuff up was not so easy.
Thanks for the carol update!
You’re welcome!
Like others, I’ve enjoyed seeing all these coats again, styled in new ways. I thoroughly enjoyed every outfit! I found interesting the Duchess’s color choices for their stops: azure from Scotland’s flag, navy from the UK flag, red from the Red Dragon of Wales, and green to celebrate the beginning and end of a Christmas tour – wonderful sentiments! In showing appreciation for others on this beautifully-crafted tour, the Duke and Duchess have spread joy to so many, me included. Susan, please know that you have done the same since the beginning of WKW. Wishing you, and the WKW community, a happy holiday season and new year, good health, and something new and beautiful to wear!
Thank you so very much, Linda, and the same wishes back to you.🤗
Could someone find out more about the Queen’s scarf? It is so perfect! Could we have a repliqueen scarf? And yes, thank you for all the coverage. Wonderful and inspiring. It looks very cold in all the stops, so good on all for braving the weather!
HM’s scarf is likely by Hèrmes, she frequently wears their designs. I’ve not had time to look for it but will try to later tonight. 😊
Susan, your posts really do bring joy in such challenging times–thank-you from a long-time reader. Given that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have withdrawn from public life, would you consider a site “What Sophie Wore”? She is playing an increasingly prominent role, and she showcases some lovely outfits.
Thank you for the lovely compliment, Tamara. I have long thought about a Sophie site, as I’m quite a fan, but fear I wouldn’t have time to do a good job with it. 😕
One of, the many, things that I love about this blog is that you post pictures of “behind the scenes” that we don’t always see on IG or other royal blogs. I greatly appreciate it and love your photo selection. Keep it up and thanks for all of the hard work!
Thank you, Bethany. 😊
Ditto! This website is wonderful, I always look forward to the posts!
Good to see the Royals in the Christmas mood
The addition of the faux fir collar added some festive cheer to the coat. I’m happy to see real earrings after so many faux pearls and electroplated gold. The coat is still too long but looks much better with boots than heels and hose.
It was lovely to see so many working royals together after such a long Covid-induced break.
It’s nice to see this beautiful green coat again. Normally I’m not a fan of fur- real or faux- but this collar looks very cozy and appropriate for a festive outdoor occasion like this.
This might sound silly but how does a faux fur collar that is sold separately like this stay attached to the coat? Is it sewn on like a kind of minor/reversible alternation? I can’t imagine that it’s just draped on. I can see that one side of the faux fur collar is tucked under, just the way a regular lapel would be, so it looks like it added with some care.
I actually like the coat better with the addition of the faux fur, as I didn’t care for the lapels back in March, they were a little wide for my taste. I keep looking at coat as worn in March and comparing it to now and wonder if the lapels were reduced in size, as the faux fur collar looks narrower than the original lapels, but it might just be the angle that the photograph was taken. The Duchess wears blue a lot more, but I think emerald green is one of her best colours. I love jewel tones, and think if you have the colouring to pull them off you should wear them often, as not everyone can.
The floodlit castle gives such a splendid backdrop to the final stage of this terrific tour which has gone to the heart of a nation and beyond. The commitment and dedication to service of the royal couple has shone out with clear inspiration at a time when many face grim struggle.
Kate’s Catherine Walker recycle is another tailoring masterpiece in the long, princess-line style which favours her so well. The exaggerated collar reveres look well against a bodice free of other detail, with just a minimum of buttons, before reaching bold angled pocket flaps. It is a fabulously executed piece
I’m no fan of fur collars myself, but think it a brilliant touch, both to dress up the coat in an evening context, and to provide a richer backdrop for the stunning diamond frame earrings. Wonderful too that the beautiful half up-do should transfer so happily to this final engagement. I’m happy that Kate is becoming accustomed to the value of elegant gloves. Her jewelled clasp McQueen clutch and the beautiful Ralph Lauren boots all contribute to the thoroughly polished look of an increasingly accomplished performer.
I also thought the floodlights were a brilliant touch and gave a joyous occasion quite the ethereal feel!
They added the finale vibe!
Just lovely. Clever update with the faux fur collar. Just perfect for the festive season, down to every detail. Wonderful to see the family together at Windsor topping off this moral boosting tour. Well done Catherine and William!
First, it is wonderful to see the Queen looking so well and so happy.
It is amazing to see how the inexpensive fur collar changes the whole look of the Catherine Walker cost. I love it.
It has been a treat seeing the tour this week. Thank you, Susan, for all of your hard work. Merry Christmas (or Happy Christmas as they often say in the UK) to all WKW readers.
Thank you, Barbara! Happy Christmas to you as well. 😊
I love the addition of the fur collar to the coat. I loved the Duchess’s hair in the outings today too. Thanks as always Susan for another wonderful post! It is so nice to see the members of the Royal Family doing what they can to try and boost the spirits of those who are working so hard on the front lines, and to continue to bring awareness to mental health.
I would have commented on the earlier post, but I knew this one was coming. So I waited.
I prefer the two coats worn today as opposed to the Bianca coat worn yesterday. The lengths seemed to fit the outfits the DOC wore.
I love tonight’s coat! There’s something about brown hair and dark green that is just gorgeous. And the collar added just a touch of regal elegance.
It’s wonderful to see HM out and about again.
Oh how beautiful the Queen looked. She stole the show and at 94 is it?? It was such a beautiful setting in front of Windsor castle. I loved her bright smile with the red lipstick and bright cream background scarf that just lite up her face! The whole family all together. A really nice touch to really start the holidays off to a wonderful start.
I loved the Duchess red skirt and festive matching scarf. I also think she is so beautiful with her hair done this way, 1/2up and 1/2 down. What a beautiful woman she is. The green coat and faux collar was also so festive and all looked so good next to the Queen. Im sure some real thought went into all of that!
What a fun mini tour. She looked beautiful, graceful and professional. Such an asset to the royal family.
Thank you for wonderful coverage, I am sure I will review the whole thing all over again. Fun to have a contest of favorite train outfit.
Thanks for your delightful coverage Merry Christmas to everyone !!
Ugh that photo of Charlotte is the most precious. Her cheeks! And Catherine looked gorgeous. I love it when she does those collars on coats.
First, the Queen looks smashing in that red with the festive scarf!
I have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of William and Kate’s tour, including this great reminder of her excellent and inspiring coat collection. There were some I liked more than others, but only in the sense has that has to be a good, better, best! All were lovely, festive, appropriate and the whole tour, right down to the royal train, felt very Christmas-y to me.
Kate looks really nice in her faux-fur collar – this is a great evening addition to her coat.
But I think the Queen’s outfit is the winner here – a festive red with interesting trim, accessorized with a killer scarf and brooch! I love it.
Well, except for the one blue day, this was a red/green tour. Great to see Kate wearing all repeats with the exception of the new Fair Isle sweater. I like this green Catherine Walker coat, but I really don’t like the faux fur collar. I don’t wear real fur for ethical reasons and am very glad that Kate doesn’t either. However, this fake collar looks very cheap and is green at that. It might have worked as a fun piece on a causal jacket, but not with this obviously very expensive coat. The contrast between the two is stark. I felt the same way when she wore the wine coloured faux fur collar. Another long scarf or a shorter tucked in neck scarf would have looked much better. The black accessories are fine.
The Queen looks just marvellous…what a grand lady! Anne looks very alone in the photo and I wish her husband could have accompanied her.
Thank you Susan for what must have been a few hectic days for you. Your work brings a shot of joy to us all.
Thank you, Bonnie. And special thanks for everything you contribute to the community. 😊
Love the change to the original coat. I don’t know why I first thought it was her green coat with black fur trimmings.
On another note, how festive doe the Queen look! Almost like a candy cane.
What a dramatic shot of a historic gathering in unusual times.
This green coat was gorgeous in Dublin and it gained an extra dose of luxury with that added collar.
The duchess is demonstrating my point in an earlier post…she should keep wearing her extensive and fabulous coat collection on rotation, and style them accordingly as the fashions and outfits change.
She must have hundreds of coats at this point in her duchess career. They are all classic pieces.
I so agree about the (number of) coats! We have seen Catherine re-wear some but not nearly enough, in my opinion. As a couple of the engagements on this mini-tour showed, the addition of an artfully draped scarf or faux collar makes a coat look like a whole new item.
We will continue to be restricted in the UK with regard to gatherings, etc, so I imagine that physical engagements will be far and few between over the next few (winter) months, more re-wears would be just the ticket….
Like you, I posted that I thought the faux fur was a good touch: it seems to have polarised opinion as being either/or, no half measures!
Star of the show: Her Majesty! Stunning red outfit.
I rather like Catherine’s coat with the faux fur collar, gives it a nice ‘lush’ look for a chilly winter’s evening, and totally transforms it. Brilliant way to get ‘two for the price of one’.
Also, for those of us lamenting a lack of feature on the blue Edinburgh coat, we can be happy for an accessory this time.
Susan, it’s been lovely having all these posts. Thank heavens Catherine swapped coats, etc., each time, it was almost like having a week-long tour to somewhere: we’ve all missed it!
What a nice way to spread some x-mas joy around the UK and to us too. The Duchess looked lovely, and great to see those beautiful coats again – I was hoping she would rewear that red plaid skirt so was thrilled to see it. 🙂 Thanks for all the hard work and happy holidays.
I’d like to add my own thanks to Susan for making this wonderful community possible and for all her many labours chasing up the details that make her posts so special. She’s a star!!
Thank you, ElizaMo, and a Tip of the Tiara for all you contribute to the community! 🤗
Yes, seconded! Best Kate fashion site around!