Princess Anne’s sweet nod to her absent nephews Prince William and Kate Middleton was a heartfelt moment as she hosted a grand royal event.
As a senior member of the extended royal family, the Princess Royal has assumed an even more important role as the Queen’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee weekend approaches. Princess Anne, who is already one of the hardest working royals, once again demonstrated her dedication to her duties when she hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 12. The Queen, which traditionally takes place every summer in London and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland, has canceled her garden parties for the past two years due to the pandemic.
Now they’re back in full swing and while the Queen sadly hasn’t shown up, the Queen’s children have stepped up. Prince Charles hosted the first garden party on her behalf with Princess Anne joining him.
A day later, the Princess Royal took part in another one and made Prince William and Duchess Kate a special honor with their spring outfit.
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As Royal Patron of the Not Forgotten Association, Princess Anne hosted the event, which was attended by over 3,000 guests from military organisations, charities and care homes. The Queen was absent, although she gave her permission for it to take place in the grounds of Buckingham Palace and be hosted by her daughter, according to The Independent.
Founded in 1920, the Not Forgotten Association provides leisure and recreation for wounded, injured or ill servicemen and veterans. Princess Anne is the latest Princess Royal to be Patron, with Princess Mary, then Princess Royal, being appointed the charity’s first Patron.
For the utterly meaningful occasion, Princess Anne opted for a purple and green floral patterned coat with bold purple cuffs that add an extra touch of detail to the sleeves.
(Credit: Photo by Peter Cziborra – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
She went all out with the shades of the floral theme, complementing the look with an ornate purple hat and what appeared to be a purple dress. And eagle-eyed royal fans might recognize this special outfit from Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. Princess Anne wore this floral coat and skirt to see the now-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge say “yes, I do” in 2011.
Although she wore a different hat in a different complementary shade of purple at the time, the overall outfit was the same.
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With her nephew and niece-in-law also absent from the garden party and attending engagements in Scotland, Princess Anne’s sweet nod to her big day is extra special.
This comes just weeks after Kate Middleton and Princess Anne’s first engagement together. And if fan reaction is any indication, many are hoping these two royals will get together more often in the future…