The Princess of Wales spoke on behalf of the nation yesterday, telling loved ones on the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death: “We all have wonderful memories of her. We must preserve them.
Her poignant words came as she and Prince William attended a service of remembrance at St Davids Cathedral in Wales, laying a bouquet of white roses in front of a portrait of the late monarch – a mother, a grandmother and a beloved great-grandmother – before bowing. heads in quiet contemplation.
The moving solemnity of the occasion was in stark contrast to Prince Harry, who was photographed by a tourist as he secretly visited his grandmother’s grave at St George’s Chapel in Windsor yesterday morning, alone, before leaving the country at lunchtime.
In a sign of the current depth of the family divide, he left without seeing his estranged brother, who was probably less than half a mile away at his home at Adelaide Cottage, on the Windsor estate, at the time of his visit, before taking a helicopter to Wales. He also didn’t take the time to see his father in Scotland.
Dressed casually – and looking slightly disheveled – in an open-necked shirt and trousers, the 38-year-old slipped through a side door and was taken to the Queen’s final resting place Elizabeth by a member of the chapel staff while her bodyguard waited near a Range. Rover parked outside.
The Princess of Wales spoke on behalf of the nation yesterday on the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Her poignant words came as she and Prince William attended a service of remembrance at St Davids Cathedral in Wales.
He was then taken straight to Heathrow Airport, where he took a lunchtime flight to Düsseldorf to attend the Invictus Games. He will spend the week in a five-star hotel, where he will be joined by his wife, Meghan, who has chosen not to visit the UK at all.
Buckingham Palace would not comment on Harry, but officials seemed at pains to suggest the visit was on his own initiative. One said a few members of the royal family had “found individual ways to pay their respects separately at the chapel this morning”.
The Mail understands this included the Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who later attended a special evening marking King Charles’ accession to the throne.
The Queen was buried privately in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, built for her late father, after the public elements of his funeral ended last year.
She rests next to her beloved husband, Prince Philip, who died in 2021, as well as her parents, King George and Queen Elizabeth, and the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret. Four floral tributes lay on Queen Elizabeth’s headstone yesterday, described as “family flowers”.
The largest was a huge display in an urn at the back of the chapel, brought by the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward, along with another from Andrew.
When asked which one was from Prince Harry, a staff member replied: “One of them will be.” I hope.’
In Wales, William and Kate were greeted enthusiastically by the crowds, who stood for hours in the heat to see them and applaud them.
In Wales, William and Kate were greeted enthusiastically by the crowds, who stood for hours in the heat to see them and applaud them.
The princess looked elegant in a burgundy coat from Eponine and a hat from Sahar Millinery
The Princess of Wales speaking to young children during a visit to the RNLI lifeboat station in St Davids
After a seemingly quick change to more casual clothing, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Car-Y-Mor seaweed farm in St Davids yesterday.
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive at St Davids Cathedral
The princess looked elegant in a burgundy coat by Eponine and hat by Sahar Millinery, a nice touch given that designer Sahar Freemantle was a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust student.
She and William attended a poignant service complete with encores, including a Henry Purcell hymn played at the Queen’s funeral. The Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St Davids, said afterwards: “In many ways our job today was to give them the space to remember.
Kate chatted to members of the 20-strong congregation about how she remembered the Queen with great affection, telling flight instructor Patricia Mawuli Porter: “We all have wonderful memories of her, we must preserve them, cherish them.”
Mrs Porter, 35, from Haverfordwest, said afterwards: “It was lovely to speak to the princess personally, she was like an old friend, she can chat to anyone.”
After a seemingly quick change to more casual clothes, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Car-Y-Mor seaweed farm in St Davids yesterday and then met crew members from the lifeboat station in St Davids.
Kate received a bouquet from four-year-old Isla Evans-Kohler, daughter of assistant coxswain Judd Kohler and crew member Ellen Evans.
She asked Isla: “Were you on the lifeboat?” The little girl shook her head and her mother explained that she was on the boat but not on the water.
