The Princess of Wales chose a navy blue ensemble for today’s Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey. 
Here is a video of the couple as they arrived.
The Prince and Princess of Wales.
🎥 Sky pic.twitter.com/u8G9HPUDJ7
— ChristinZ (@ChristinsQueens) March 9, 2026
The Prince and Princess joined King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the interfaith event, along with other senior members of the Royal Family.
Prince Albert of Monaco was in attendance today, although Monaco is not a member of the Commonwealth. 
The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. 
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh did not attend as they are in Italy for the 2026 Winter Paralympics. Below, flags of the Commonwealth countries are carried into Westminster Abbey ahead of today’s service. 
Here you can see Royal Family members greeting each other inside the Abbey.
Princess Anne greeting her brother, King Charles III, with a kiss and a curtsy, as they attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey 🥰❤️
🎥 Rebecca English pic.twitter.com/PsHoFvqRtR
— Princess Anne & Sir Tim Laurence ✨ (@TheLaurences_) March 9, 2026
The Royal Commonwealth Society notes, “Taking place on Commonwealth Day, the service is one of the most significant moments in the Commonwealth calendar, celebrating the shared values, culture and creativity of its 56 member nations.”
More from this story in The Times.
After a fanfare, the national anthem was sung and the royal family processed through the abbey, something of a personal achievement for the King and Kate, who were forced to miss the ceremony two years ago when they were both undergoing cancer treatment.
Clergy at today’s service. 
Royal Family members after they were seated. 
The service incorporates music, readings, prayers, dance, and other elements. 
The Commonwealth is home to more than 2.7 billion people. 
We return to The Times article for more on the King’s message this year.
In a written message to the Commonwealth, the King described the union as “a force for good” in an “increasingly fragmented” world.
He said: “In a world that can feel increasingly fragmented, this voluntary union of free association remains rare and precious — a forum for open and honest discussion and debate to help improve the lives of the nearly three billion people who call our member states home. Our Commonwealth of Nations hold untapped potential for prosperous trade between trusting partners.”
Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner spoke at the service.
More from The Evening Standard’s story.
In her “reflection” Halliwell-Horner highlighted how International Women’s Day fell on Sunday, one day ahead of Commonwealth Day events, and told invited guests: “As a young girl, it was creativity and education that gave me courage and confidence.
Halliwell-Horner, an ambassador for the Royal Commonwealth Society, which held the service, and the King’s Trust, said in her speech: “The Commonwealth at its best is a family of equals, different, yes, but connected by shared values and a shared responsibility.
The Telegraph reports the Princess seemed particularly interested in some of today’s dancing.
The Princess of Wales seemed particularly interested in a Bollywood and ballet dance performance by Sapnay Entertainments and the Royal Ballet in the Abbey aisles. She told dancers she had “wondered what the marble [floor of the Abbey] was like with bare feet”, adding that it was “such an amazing venue” to see them perform in.
After its conclusion, Royal Family members spoke with those who took part in the service. 
The Princess received flowers as she left the Abbey with Prince William. 
Chatting with one of the younger people participating in the service. 
Another view of the Princess outside the Abbey this afternoon. 
The Queen wore a vibrant red coat and dress by Fiona Clare, accessorized by a Philip Treacy hat. Her Palm Leaf Brooch by Cartier was created for The Queen Mother in 1938. 
The Princess Royal was in a coat I have seen described as British racing green and Edinburgh green, the color used by her father, Prince Philip, for his livery. She wore a diamond brooch believed to have been a gift from her parents for her 18th birthday. The Duchess of Gloucester was in navy with a red scarf, dress, and hat, with diamond and ruby earrings. 
Now, we turn to our look at what Kate wore, starting with her Catherine Walker coat. 
The design showcases a tailored bodice with peaked, padded shoulders, a full skirt with pleats descending from the hips, princess seaming, and flared cuffs. The garment incorporates elements of Catherine Walker’s Amarante and the Courchevel styles. 
The Princess brought back the Sean Barrett bespoke navy saucer hat, first seen at the 2023 Commonwealth service, updated with matching netting. 
She owns the style in three colors. 
She carried her Multrees Chain Wallet ($425) in croc-embossed navy by Scottish accessories maker Strathberry. It measures roughly 8″ x 4″ and has a removable chain strap so it can be carried as a clutch.
We saw the return of the Gianvito 105 in navy suede. The style is available at Gianvito Rossi ($850) and Farfetch ($795). 
The Princess also wore the Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings, part of a wedding gift from the ruler of Bahrain to Princess Elizabeth.
More from Tatler’s coverage.
The Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings were created by the then Princess Elizabeth from a cache of seven pearls, which she received as a wedding present in 1947 from the Hakim of Bahrain. The earrings are comprised of round diamond studs, from which are suspended round and baguette-cut diamonds in an Art Deco style, plus two of of the Bahrain pearls.
The Princess also wore her Susan Caplan Vintage 5-Strand Faux Pearl Necklace (£275, about $370 at today’s exchange rates). The necklace features five strands of faux pearls in graduated sizes.
The product description notes, “This is a slight colour variation of our original 5-strand necklace worn by Princess Kate. Our pearl necklaces are custom-made using original vintage faux pearls and with Swarovski crystal embellished clasps.” The necklace is now also available at Farfetch ($482) and Nordstrom ($535).
I will see you on Thursday, when the Prince and Princess visit the RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station located on the River Thames. Until then, here is one more photo from today. 
VIDEOS:
The Royal Family Channel offers 25-minutes of coverage in this video.
Here you see coverage of people arriving for the service.
This video offers a mix of coverage.
Shannon
Thursday 12th of March 2026
Stunning colour and an interesting chic style
Nora
Thursday 12th of March 2026
It would be a rare occurrence if Catherine wore something I disliked. This ensemble is appealing to the eye in color, shape, flow, fit, everything. Very fitting for the occasion and she looks fantastic. Thanks for including info about the Commonwealth, I do enjoy the history and background of these events. Thank you for a wonderful, informative post.
Nicky!
Thursday 12th of March 2026
Absolutely lovely. A classic, timeless look. The pleating on the hips of the coat is an interesting detail that gives the coat a lot of swing, which is very nice. I'm not sure about how far toward the front the extend because the coat ends up with a panel down the middle of the lower front that is reminiscent of a loincloth. Am I the only one seeing this? Regardless of where my mind goes, Catherine looks lovely. The hat is the perfect proportions for her height. The Bahrain earrings are visible, a little bling but good for the daytime. I'm not sure why people don't like the necklace. The style is timeless, and it is a statement while at the same time it highlights the pearls in the earrings.
Zell
Wednesday 11th of March 2026
The Princess of Wales looks so beautiful in her extremely elegant Catherine Walker coat, that is a lovely shade of dark blue. Her entire look is the height of sophistication, and I love every element of her look. She has not erred in any way, from her costume pearls (who can really tell the difference? Especially in photos) to the glamorous coat, with its peaked shoulders, nipped in waist and flaring, pleated skirt.
Her broad blue hat with the netting is also perfection.
Really, I have nothing critical at all to say here and I'm glad, because I'd much rather praise than be nit-picky. I don't mind when we do that, because we do it out of love for the clothes and the fashion, not in any way to be critical of Catherine, herself, but the fact is, she has never Not looked good in Any outfit she's worn, from casual to fancy, over the years, and that is a real sartorial accomplishment.
Fortunately we regular people are not held to the sky high standards that Catherine is, but even when I'm not fond of some of her outfits (all the brown, for instance) I still think she looks well put together and beautiful.
At first, with the Catherine Walker coat, I thought I didn't like the long, central panel of cloth that flows down from the jacket part of the coat to the hemline, like a river. I thought it looked a bit odd, but now I see it as an innovative and exciting touch. The entire coat looks so wonderfully high fashion, but without being pretentious or silly, as so much of fashion can be.
The pleated skirt of the coat is actually a work of genius, in my humble view. The entire coat gives the initial impression of being a smart jacket paired with a pretty skirt of pleates. I love this! It is So Unique and the coat is Beyond Glamorous while also not trying too hard.
The Bahrain Pearl Drop Earrings and Susan Caplan vintage costume pearl necklace are alsl gorgeous. Her necklace looks like real pearls to me, and I'm convinced that if we weren't informed it was of faux pearls, we would never know the difference. It would take an experienced jeweler with a loupe to tell it was not of real pearls. Some maybeneed to relax a little, about the faux pearls, but sure, I like the real jewelery - And I like faux and vintage. I Love that Catherine wears it all, and mixes real with faux, as so many famous and prominent women have done, such as Jackie Kennedy, who wore both real and faux pearl necklaces, and Princess Diana, who also never shied away from wearing real gems as well as costume jewelry.
To finish up with my comments I will conclude by saying that Catherine looks Fabulous, from head to toe! And her hair is very lovely too!
Total thumbs up for Catherine's beautiful blue ensemble!
Zell
Thursday 12th of March 2026
@Nicky!,
I'm not 100% sure I know exactly what you are getting at, and that is my fault, not yours, Nicky!, but I'm glad you like my description of the center panel of the coat's skirt looking like a river (I'm sure the color of the coat being blue helped me see it that way)!
Zell
Thursday 12th of March 2026
@Lexi,
Thanks for sharing your wonderful knowledge on Coco Chanel and pearls, it was fun and also informative to read what you wrote, Lexi!
Zell
Thursday 12th of March 2026
@Caroline,
This style of multi-strand necklaces were popular back in the 1950s & 60s, so, to modern eyes, they might look strange, but, "everything old is new again," as the saying goes. But also, we all like what we do or don't, and that's ok too!
Nicky!
Thursday 12th of March 2026
@Zell, I think the pleating on the coat adds movement and is an interesting, unexpected detail. But, because the pleating extends around to the front (to the edge of what I think is a peplin?), I immediately thought of a loincloth!! I like your description of a river better! Perhaps if the pleating was only over the outer hip? Though I think this would make the bottom of the coat too busy. As it is, ending at the midline edge of the peplin, there are less lines in the bottom to distract the eye. I hope this is clear!
Lexi
Thursday 12th of March 2026
@Zell, I really agree with you about the pearls. I do, with all respect to everybody, believe many people would change their minds, if they did not know the set is not real.
And please do not forget the woman who made pearls "the thing" and everyday wear, Coco Chanel! Most of the pearls she wore, were paste, as it was called then and she was not shy about it. She could easily have afforded real ones and/or the most expensive of all, the real Tahiti coloured one's. She has been quoted saying she loves pearls and she wants every woman to be able to wear them.
In her time, when pearls were worn from a single row paste on an office girl, to a 10 row set on a Duchess before lunch, everything went.
Maybe Catherine knows this, she does have a MA in history of art, after all, a very broad subject.
Susan B.
Wednesday 11th of March 2026
Love this coat, and the whole look. The color is perfect for her and I love the way the is simple in the front and then the pleats give it a little pizzaz. Thank you for the post Susan!
admin
Wednesday 11th of March 2026
My pleasure, Susan! ☺️