Kate Middleton’s Striking Look Sends a Message at Royal Concert on VE Day Anniversary

Kate Middleton and Prince William are continuing VE Day celebrations with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

On May 8, the Prince and Princess of Wales made a surprise second appearance of the day, attending a celebratory concert at Horse Guards Parade concluding the U.K.’s VE Day (Victory in Europe) commemorations.

Princess Kate, 43, stood out in an all-white ensemble, mixing timeless glamour with a modern edge in a structured blazer and feminine skirt. She carried a black clutch and pulled her hair back into a half-up style, accessorized with a statement bow. For jewelry, Kate paired oversized stud earrings with a multi-strand pearl necklace.

After spending most of 2024 out of the spotlight amid her cancer diagnosis and treatment, the Princess of Wales returned to royal work this year. The concert marked her third appearance of the week as the royals commemorated VE Day’s 80th anniversary and a confident return to the spotlight.

Prince William, 42, and Princess Kate joined the King and Queen Camilla among the concert’s 12,000 attendees, heading to their seats in the royal box. Also in the exclusive seating area were six veterans, Londoners who had been evacuated from the city as children during the war and 102-year-old Loretta Boston, who entertained in the forces during the war.

Upon arrival, William and Kate spoke to some of the veterans in attendance, including a 107-year-old bomber pilot who took part in 62 missions, per the BBC.

The members of the royal box — led by King Charles, 76 — stood in tribute after presenter Zoe Ball praised the veterans in attendance.

The network said that VE Day 80: A Celebration to Remember will combine music, storytelling and tributes “in a moving salute to those who served and sacrificed during World War II.” The star-studded lineup of performers includes Samantha Barks, Fleur East, John Newman and Calum Scott, plus cameos by Joan Collins, Mary Berry and Brian Cox.

The festivities are expected to echo the historic celebrations of VE Day 80 years ago, when Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, announced via radio that World War II was over in Europe amid victory by the Allied Powers. A young Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, even secretly slipped out and joined the crowd to celebrate, a scene reimagined in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.

Thousands of members of the public will be welcomed into the audience for the special event, which will include music from the era and highlight the stories of veterans from World War II.

The concert marks the second appearance of the day for King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate. Earlier on Thursday, the royal couples stepped out for a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey. The church service commemorated the sacrifices of the World War II generation on the historic anniversary, and it was also attended by Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

King Charles and Prince William both laid wreaths, and the royals joined the congregation of 1,800-strong in a two-minute silence reflecting and remembering the war.

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The palace previously announced that the British royals would honor the landmark 80th anniversary of VE Day in a major way with a series of key events throughout the week. The programming kicked off on May 5 with a military procession and RAF flypast at Buckingham Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales brought their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, along in a surprise appearance.

Following the flypast and parade, Prince George also joined his parents for his most formal royal duty to date by tagging along to the palace tea party for members of the World War II generation and their families.

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