Catherine, the new Princess of Wales, appeared contemplative as she participated in the funeral procession and religious service for the late Queen at Westminster Hall today.
Since the announcement of her grandmother-in-law’s passing last Thursday, the 40-year-old princess has stood by her husband’s side.
Today, she walked solemnly behind the Sovereign’s Coffin as it was transported from Buckingham Palace to Westminster.
Joining her were other members of the Royal Family, including King Charles III, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York, and the Earl of Wessex, who followed the Queen’s Coffin on foot during its journey through London.
The Duchess of Cambridge, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall, maintained a somber demeanor as she followed the procession in a car, wearing an elegant Catherine Walker dress.
To accompany her attire, she donned a pair of pearl-dropped earrings and a matching pearl brooch.
This marks the final occasion on which the Queen’s body will be moved before her funeral on Monday at Westminster Hall.
Following the ceremony, her remains will be taken to her beloved Windsor Castle, where she will find her final resting place.
Kate exuded grace in her black dress, accentuated by a brooch adorned with three striking pearls and a stem that complemented her earrings.
It is believed that the Queen wore this brooch during her visit to South Korea in 1999, while Kate wore it in Belgium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Paskendael in 2017.
The earrings themselves once belonged to Princess Diana and were a wedding gift from Collingwood jewelers for her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981.
Kate has worn them on several occasions since her wedding to Prince William, even featuring them in her official 40th birthday portraits.
Her hair cascaded down, and she wore a delicate veil over her eyes during the afternoon.
For William and Harry, this solemn event will undoubtedly evoke painful memories of walking behind their mother Princess Diana’s coffin in 1997 when they were just 15 and 12 years old, respectively.
Over one million people are expected to queue in central London for up to 35 hours to pay their respects to the late Queen.
However, experts predict that only 400,000 individuals will make it inside, leaving approximately 600,000 disappointed.
The procession of well-wishers filing past the coffin will mark the beginning of four-and-a-half days during which the Queen will lie in state.
A round-the-clock vigil will be conducted beneath the catafalque by officers of the Household Division, the King’s Bodyguards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, and the King’s Bodyguard, the Yeoman of the Guard.
This vigil will remain open 24 hours a day until 6:30 am on Monday.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the streets, paying their respects to the Queen.