The Princess in Rich Red Ensemble for Commonwealth Day Service.

The Princess of Wales chose a vibrant red Catherine Walker design for today’s Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey.

The Prince and Princess joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other royal family members at the annual service. The Commonwealth is “a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific,” as described on the Commonwealth site.  

The Queen as she arrived for today’s service. 

Princess Anne. 
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The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. 
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Here, you see Royal Family members gathered inside. 
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Both the King and Princess of Wales missed last year’s service as they were dealing with health issues.

As part of his Commonwealth Day message, the King addressed the “selflessness and sacrifice” of Commonwealth Forces in World War II and the spirit of unity among Commonwealth nations.  

Below is a Buckingham Palace social media post. 

🌏 From Kenya to Kiribati, Canada to Cameroon: wishing everyone from the 56 nations of the Commonwealth a very happy Commonwealth Day today!

The day will be marked with a service at Westminster Abbey, the launch of The King’s Baton Relay and the countdown to the Glasgow 2026… pic.twitter.com/8CdbRfR5dv

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 10, 2025

Here, you see a portion of the parade of flags.

And a wider shot. 

More about today’s service from Simon Perry’s People story. 

Throughout the hour-long service there were musical performances from singer songwriter Joan Armatrading, who sang her 1970s hit “Love and Affection,” the Masai Cultural Arts team, the violinist and pianist siblings Braimah and Jeneba Kanneh-Mason and Errollyn Wallen, the Master of The King’s Music. 

Below, Ms. Armatrading performing. 
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The Prince and Princess.

The service also showcased musical performances that included traditional Masai singers, acrobats, percussionists, and dancers. The Prince and Princess looked like they thoroughly enjoyed the service. 

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The Prince and Princess greet participants after the service.

And the Princess is presented with flowers. 

A post about the service on the official Kensington Palace social media accounts. 

Now for a quick look at what some royal women wore for today’s celebration. The Queen chose a pink wool, crepe, and satin coatdress by Fiona Clare for today’s service, along with a Philip Treacy beret. 

The Princess Royal was in a familiar look. Here you see the Princess arriving at the 2023 service and again today. Today is just one of the many times the Princess has been seen in this ensemble.

I do not know who made her coat or hat, but Tatler has more on the brooch worn today. 

The stalactite brooch gleamed under Westminster Abbey’s vaulted ceilings, and the Princess’s choice to wear the eye-catching piece is no doubt all the more moving considering its emotional history. The brooch, crafted from cascading diamonds and yellow gold, has been in the Princess Royal’s possession since 1973, when she was gifted it before her wedding to Captain Mark Philips by her mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Here is a closer look.

The Duchess of Gloucester wore a deep purple velvet coat with a coordinating percher-style hat.

The Duchess of Edinburgh was not at today’s service because she is in New York. 

Now for our look at what Kate wore. 

Many immediately recognized her Beau Tie dress by Catherine Walker. It was first worn for the Together at Christmas carol concert in December 2021, then seen again during ceremonies for the South Korea state visit in November 2023.

The design is described as a “wool dress with pleats falling gently from the shoulder to tie into a romantic bow neckline.” It is available in several colors from Catherine Walker. The Princess also owns the design in black. 

The Princess brought back a Gina Foster hat dating back to 2014. 

The “Seaford” hat was first worn in 2014 for the official start of the New Zealand tour. The pillbox-style chapeau is done in velour felt with felt flower trim. 

We saw the return of the Princess’s red Miu Miu Clutch. 

And the Gianvito 105 pumps ($795).

The Princess wore the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Four-Row Japanese Pearl and Diamond Choker and the Collingwood earrings that originally belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Here is a quick review of ensembles worn by the Princess in previous years for the annual Commonwealth Service. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a soft pink ensemble by Alexander McQueen for her first Commonwealth Service in 2015, accessorized with a hat by Jane Taylor. For the 2016 service, the Duchess chose a grey Erdem coat with a hat by John Boyd. In 2018, the Duchess brought back a much-loved Beulah London maternity look, along with Lock & Company’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” hat. The Duchess repeated a Catherine Walker coat for the 2019 service with a hat that I believe is still considered UFO (Unidentified Fashion Object). At the 2020 service, the Duchess repeated a Catherine Walker coat and sported a hat by Sally Ann Provan. At the 2022 service, the Duchess debuted a vibrant blue Catherine Walker coat topped by a hat from milliner Sean Barrett. At the 2023 service, the Princess wore an Erdem suit with a hat by milliner Sean Barrett.

I’ll leave you with one more photo from today’s service. 

VIDEO: 

This appears to be the BBC’s entire broadcast of the service. 

The Royal Family Channel offers more than thirteen minutes of arrivals at the Abbey. 

 
Here is an additional six minutes of coverage from ITN’s Royal Family Channel.