Kate Middleton Makes Solo Appearance to Commemorate ANZAC Day In Emotional Ceremony
Anzac Day is observed every year on April 25, and is one of the most significant national days of remembrance.
Kate Middleton stands out for her royal demeanor and style at public appearances. She has stepped out alone for several royal engagements, highlighting her significant role within the monarchy. For instance, a while ago, she hosted a reception for England’s women’s rugby team at Windsor Castle, making it her first solo appearance of 2026. More recently, on Saturday, April 25, Princess of Wales once again made a solo visit to an annual ceremony in Central London, but this time for a very different reason. She reportedly led the Anzac Day commemorations by laying a wreath at the Cenotaph during an emotional ceremony.
Anzac Day is observed every year on April 25, and is one of the most significant national days of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. It marks the anniversary of the 1915 Gallipoli landings of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops during World War I, as reported by The Mirror. Over time, the day has evolved to honor all the servicemen and women who served and lost their lives in the war. On Saturday, as Kate arrived at the venue, a woman in a New Zealand military uniform handed her a wreath, which the princess then laid at the foot of the national war memorial on Whitehall.
The wreath was made of poppies topped with white flowers, and carried a note signed 'Catherine and William.' It read, “In memory of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom." Following Kate, the High Commissioners for New Zealand and Australia, Hamish Cooper and Jay Weatherill, walked side by side to lay their wreaths. Amid all of this, reverend Dr Lyndon Drake delivered a reading from The Fallen by English poet Laurence Binyon. He stated, “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
While there, Kate also joined the attendees in singing the hymn O God, Our Help in Ages Past, before all the servicemen and women in uniform marched off along Whitehall. Soon after the conclusion of the ceremony, the Princess of Wales travelled to Westminster Abbey to join a service for the commemoration and thanksgiving alongside veterans and other dignitaries. Anzac Day is a public holiday in both Australia and New Zealand, two Commonwealth nations where King Charles serves as head of state.
The members of the royal family regularly take part in commemorations each year, and this time, it wasn't just Kate; Princess Anne also attended her first Anzac Day service, appearing at the Dawn Service at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner. This ceremony included readings, the sounding of the Last Post, a period of silence, and national anthems, before concluding with the laying of wreaths, as reported by People Magazine. Kensington Palace previously announced Anne and Kate’s plans to mark Anzac Day on April 15.
