Kate Middleton cut an elegant figure today as she arrived at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant alongside her husband Prince William and their three children.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, stunned in a pink custom Stella McCartney when gathering outside Buckingham Palace in the royal box to watch today’s spectacular £15million two-mile procession through central London.
Seated next to her children, Prince Louis, four, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince George, eight, Kate appeared effortlessly stylish in the long-sleeve dress, which featured cinched waist detailing and a flared skirt, for the last of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
Kate was joined by Charles, Camilla, Zara and Mike Tindall, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands in the royal box, set at the end of the 2½-hour procession. It is not known if the 96-year-old Queen will make an appearance at today’s pageant, after she pulled out of two Jubilee events amid concerns for her health.
The pageant is split into four acts: For Queen and Country with a military parade; The Time of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion; Let’s Celebrate telling the story of the Queen’s life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy and Glorious musical spectacle.
Kate Middleton cut an elegant figure today as she arrived at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant alongside her husband Prince William and their three children
The Duchess of Cambridge (left), 40, stunned in a pink custom Stella McCartney when gathering outside Buckingham Palace in the royal box to watch today’s spectacular £15million two-mile procession through central London
Seated next to her children, Prince Louis, four, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince George (pictured sitting in the front row), eight, Kate appeared effortlessly stylish in the long-sleeve dress, which featured cinched waist detailing and a flared skirt, for the last of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations
Royals including Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Zara and Mike Tindall, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the royal box
With her hair down, Kate kept her accessories to a minimum and sported diamond earrings, while opting for a smattering of glamorous makeup to complete her look.
Her daughter Charlotte appeared just as stylish in a £140 Razorbil Summer Coat from Amaia Kids, while Louis and George looked smart in a jumper and suit, respectively.
During the pageant, celebrities will travel in decorated open top double decker buses for the decade-by-decade celebrations.
A peloton of 300 cyclists, riding vintage bikes from across the seven decades of the Queen’s reign, is to travel down The Mall led by Sir Chris Hoy and cycling golden couple Dame Laura and Sir Jason Kenny.
Close to 200 national treasures will take to the stage to serenade the Queen by singing the national anthem at the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee festivities. Stars including Sir David Jason, Harry Redknapp, Sir Cliff Richard, Sandie Shaw, Felicity Kendal, Joe Wicks and Holly Willoughby will join Ed Sheeran in a mass rendition of God Save The Queen outside Buckingham Palace at the end of the pageant.
Among the cast of colourful characters preparing to take part in the Jubilee parade on Horse Guards is a group of Daleks from the sci-fi television programme Doctor Who, threatening passers-by that they will be ‘exterminated’ as they roll along with cultural icons from the 1960s in the decade-by-decade Time of Our Lives act of the pageant.
Last night the Prince of Wales called the Queen ‘Mummy’ and described how ‘you laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us’ in a moving, personal tribute to Britain’s longest-serving head of state after the Buckingham Palace concert.
The monarch received affectionate tributes from the Prince of Wales and national figures during Saturday night’s Platinum Party at the Palace that saw Sir Rod Stewart, Diana Ross and Duran Duran perform for thousands in The Mall.
With her hair down, Kate kept her accessories to a minimum and sported diamond earrings, while opting for a smattering of glamorous makeup to complete her look
Kate Middleton appears to stroke the back of Prince Louis’ head in the royal box, June 5, 2022
Prince Louis is seen playing in the royal box as his mother Kate Middleton watches the pageant, June 5, 2022
Mike Tindall jokes with Prince Louis as Kate watches on in the royal box, June 5, 2022
And in a comic sketch that delighted the nation, the Queen had tea with Paddington Bear and revealed, like the furry character, she is partial to a marmalade sandwich.
Paying tribute to the monarch after his son the Duke of Cambridge’s rallying cry for climate change action, Charles, who was joined by his wife Camilla, said: ‘You pledged to serve your whole life – you continue to deliver.’
The future king, who began his heartfelt speech with ‘Your Majesty, Mummy’ just as he did at the Diamond and Golden Jubilee pop concerts, told the Queen: ‘You have been with us in our difficult times. And you bring us together to celebrate moments of pride, joy and happiness.’
He added: ‘You have met us and talked with us. You laugh and cry with us and, most importantly, you have been there for us, for these 70 years. You pledged to serve your whole life – you continue to deliver. That is why we are here. That is what we celebrate tonight.’
Charles reflected on the Queen’s every-growing family, which now stretches to 12 great-grandchildren, and on her dual role as sovereign and royal matriarch. He said: ‘Your family now spans four generations. You are our Head of State. And you are also our mother.’
Prince George and Princess Charlotte stand in the royal box during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, June 5, 2022
Princess Charlotte ahead of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant outside Buckingham Palace, June 5, 2022
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, standing in the royal box outside Buckingham Palace, June 5, 2022
Boris Johnson sits next to his wife Carrie Johnson in the royal box outside Buckingham Palace, June 5, 2022
Zara Tindall laughing as she talks to London Mayor Sadiq Khan as she takes her seat outside Buckingham Palace
The Princess Royal attending the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in front of Buckingham Palace
And in a touching moment, Charles spoke of his ‘much missed’ late father the Duke of Edinburgh, calling him ‘My Papa’ and saying the Queen’s late husband Philip was there ‘in spirit’.
Last night the Duke of Cambridge hailed the Platinum Jubilee concert as full of ‘optimism and joy’ as he praised the Queen for her ‘hope’ in the future of the planet.
William paid tribute to the positive outlook of his grandmother during a segment of the Platinum Party at the Palace dedicated to the environment and featuring Sir David Attenborough.
He echoed the Queen’s words from her speech to the Cop26 UN Climate Change summit, when she said working together in a ‘common cause’ always gave rise to hope.
The duke highlighted the efforts of ‘visionary environmentalists’ and went on to name broadcaster and naturalist Sir David and spoke about the pride he felt for ‘my grandfather and my father’, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince of Wales, who have championed the natural world.
Original golden coronation carriage with hologram of the Queen is seen during the Platinum Pageant on June 5, 2022
Original golden coronation carriage with hologram of the Queen is seen during the Platinum Pageant on June 5, 2022
Members of the Military march along the Mall during the Platinum Pageant on June 5, 2022
Speaking on stage to thousands gathered in The Mall, William said: ‘It’s my firm hope that my grandmother’s words are as true in 70 years’ time as they are tonight that as nations we come together in common cause, because then there is always room for hope.
‘Tonight has been full of such optimism and joy – and there is hope. Together, if we harness the very best of humankind, and restore our planet, we will protect it for our children, for our grandchildren and for future generations to come.’
Before the duke spoke, a pre-recorded message from Sir David was played featuring spectacular imagery of the planet with the Hans Zimmer orchestra playing a version of the Planet Earth II Suite as dancers from the Royal Ballet performed.
The crowds heard archive recordings of the Queen speaking about the future of the planet in 1989 during her Christmas Message: ‘The future of all life on earth depends on how we behave towards one another and how we treat the plants and animals that share our world with us.’
Some 10,000 people including a cast of 6,000 performers are involved in staging the spectacular two-mile carnival route from Horse Guards, along Whitehall to Admiralty Arch and down The Mall to Buckingham Palace
And an extract from the monarch’s Cop26 video message speech: ‘None of us underestimates the challenge ahead but history has shown that when nations come together in common cause there is always room for hope.’
William said it was ‘great to see Buckingham Palace turned into a giant Imax screen’ after video and audio from the Cop26 message was projected on to the London landmark alongside images of Philip and Charles.
He went on to say: ‘While no-one’s grandmother thanks them for talking about their age, my own grandmother has been alive for nearly a century. In that time, mankind has benefited from unimaginable technological developments and scientific breakthroughs.
‘And although those breakthroughs have increased our awareness of the impact humans have on our world, our planet has become more fragile.’
