Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have honoured the late Queen Elizabeth II on the anniversary of her death, while Prince Harry marked the occasion separately on his return to the UK.
The Prince and Princess of Wales attended a Women’s Institute (WI) event in Sunningdale, Berkshire, an organisation with which the late Queen had a long and cherished association. Over tea and homemade cake, the couple spoke with members about the sense of community fostered by the WI – a group the Queen had supported for more than 80 years.
“My grandmother passed away three years ago, and I know she was a big part of the WI,” Prince William said. “She used to talk about it a lot, so this is a huge honour for me. I can’t quite believe it’s three years already.”
Guests reminisced about the Queen’s love of horse racing. William revealed that she used to follow the latest news about her horses on an iPad. He also spoke about the importance of meeting people in person, rather than through social media: “It’s not the same as face to face with a cup of tea and a cake and having a chat.”
The couple also shared light-hearted stories about their children, admitting they were at an age where they enjoyed “winding each other up.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry – back in the UK for the first time in five months – laid a wreath privately at Windsor, where the late Queen is buried. He flew in from California and is due to attend the WellChild charity awards later on Monday, the first of several engagements planned for the week.
This anniversary also marks King Charles’s accession to the throne. The King is spending the day quietly at Balmoral, Scotland, where his mother passed away at the age of 96.
Speculation continues over whether Harry will see his father during this visit. The two have not met face-to-face since February 2024, shortly after the King’s cancer diagnosis. Meghan and the couple’s children have remained in California.
Harry’s schedule includes a trip to Nottingham on Tuesday, where he is expected to announce a significant donation to a Children in Need project, followed by a visit to Imperial College London on Wednesday to see the Centre for Blast Injury Studies.
Prince William, dressed in a dark jacket and tie, also observed a period of mourning for the Duchess of Kent, who died last Thursday.
