Kate channels Diana in bespoke Alexander McQueen coat dress at Anzac Day memorial service.

 

Kate channels Diana in bespoke Alexander McQueen coat dress at Anzac Day memorial service.

The Princess of Wales paid a loving tribute to the late Princess Diana on Saturday as she paid her respects to fallen soldiers during the Anzac Day commemorations.

Kate attended the wreath-laying and parade at the Cenotaph on Whitehall to mark the anniversary of the landing of Allied Forces at dawn on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey in 1915.

But eagle-eyed onlookers may have noted a rather subtle nod to her late mother-in-law, as Kate opted to wear a bespoke Alexander McQueen coat dress that bore a striking resemblance to a Catherine Walker blue suit previously worn by Diana.

In 1995 the late princess wore the navy suit to present new colours to the Light Dragoon Guards Regiment in Bergen, Germany. 

Similar in both colour and style, the key difference between the two royal women's elegant outfits was their hair – with Kate opting to wear her long, wavy tresses down, while Diana's shorter haircut was in keeping with her signature look.

In an additional touching tribute, Kate's outfit for the Anzac Day commemorations was accessorized with a pair of Diana's sapphire double cluster earrings. 

Diana was spotted wearing the earrings on several occasions before her death in 1997 – including during a visit to Canada in 1991 and when she attended the 1996 Met Gala in New York City.

In recent years, Kate has frequently been spotted wearing the striking earrings to accessorise her outfits for public engagements, as well as re-wearing other pieces from Diana's collection.

During the Anzac Day memorial service, Kate wore a bespoke Jane Taylor hat and Gianvito Rossi pumps, alongside a DeMellier navy bag. 

She also wore a rarely-seen tanzanite and diamond necklace from G Collins and Sons, believed to have been a gift from her husband, Prince William, in 2015.

When Diana wore her navy skirt suit with white details, she opted for a pair of Collingwood pearl drop earrings.

They were given to Diana in 1981 as a wedding present and became a firm favourite – she wore them on royal tours of Australia, Canada and Italy. 

The gorgeous earrings were later passed on to Kate, who most recently wore them when she and William welcomed the president and first lady of Nigeria for a UK state visit in March. 

On Saturday, Kate paid her respects to fallen soldiers during the wreath-laying and parade at the Cenotaph alongside the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Hamish Cooper. 

The Princess of Wales then visited Westminster Abbey, where a service attended by veterans, royals and politicians including Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel was held.

In a touching moment after the service, Kate greeted two young boys and their serving mother, shaking their hands and chatting to them.

The service in London this year was also attended by Princess Anne, who laid a wreath at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, at 5am on Saturday morning.

The event also heard a reading of John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields and performances by members of the Ngati Ranana Maori Club London.

In March, Kate delighted royal fans by opting for a glamorous sentimental jewellery piece during her surprise royal outing with the Prince of Wales in London.

Teaming new £995 Jimmy Choo shoes with cropped trousers and a Catherine Walker checkered blazer, Kate and William enjoyed a jam-packed day in the capital ranging from a tour of Bermondsey's Beer Mile to a boat ride along the Thames.

And eagle-eyed onlookers may have noticed a rather touching detail to Kate's look: her Cartier Trinity hoops believed to have been a thoughtful gift from William to mark her 43rd birthday.

Priced at £3,200, Kate, 44, has been spotted wearing the chic earrings on five separate occasions this year alone – with the gorgeous jewellery piece featuring three intertwined bands in an 18-carat white, yellow and rose gold.

Created by Louis Cartier in the 1920s, the earrings are Kate's sixth jewellery item from the Trinity collection, with the three intersecting hoops thought to be a nod to her three children.

The jewellery piece is also believed to be a loving tribute to her beloved mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was a firm fan of the collection and famously frequently wore a distinct Trinity ring on her pinky finger.

Tags: Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Louis, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Meghan, Lilibet

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