Kate Middleton paid a touching nod to Princess Diana as she arrived at the Royal Albert Hall for the Festival of Remembrance, her highest-profile appearance since undergoing cancer treatment.

The Princess of Wales looked radiant in a mid-length black dress with a deep v-neck collar, fitted to her slim figure, accompanied by a stylish black clutch purse.

The beaming royal wore her shoulder-length hair down and notably, a pair of stunning drop pearl and diamond earrings.

Sharp-eyed royal fans were swift to point out that the dazzling earrings were once worn by the late Princess Diana, who received them from Collingwood Jewellers in London as a wedding gift.

Princess Diana wore the pair on her wedding day, as part of her going away outfit.

The royal was spotted wearing the Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings again on numerous occasions, including tours of Australia, Canada and Italy and the United States.

She also wore them on a trip to Hong Kong in 1989 and most famously in 1994, when Diana wore her striking ‘revenge dress’ to a 1994 dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London just hours after Charles, then Prince of Wales, confessed to adultery.

Kate was seen wearing the distinctive jewellery at the centenary commemorations of Passchendaele in Belgium, in 2017.

She paired the vintage earrings with a stylish £128 Monica Vinader necklace.

Kate also wore a single poppy affixed to her dress and a silver military badge underneath.

The Princess of Wales has worn a trio of Remembrance Day poppies in the past, with theories ranging on the reasons why.

Some have speculated that they reflect each of the armed forces – army, navy and airforce – while others believe they were worn as a tribute to her three great-uncles killed in the First World War.

Footage taken outside the venue, showed the Princess of Wales stepping out of the royal car with Prince William repeatedly putting his arm behind her in a gesture of support.

The Prince of Wales sported the light beard he has worn in recent months and wore  an elegant cerulean blue suit.

At last year’s event, Kate wore a pearl necklace and matching earrings that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II alongside a brooch of 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, to which she was appointed Colonel-in-Chief last August.

Kate is the most senior female Royal in attendance tonight after Buckingham Palace confirmed the Queen – who is unwell with a chest infection – will not attend the event, nor the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph on Sunday.

A Palace spokesperson said that while her decision to not attend is ‘a source of great disappointment to The Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home’.

His Majesty, who became Patron of the Royal British Legion earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princess Anne arrived earlier this evening at the central London venue.

The Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucestershire and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence are seated in the Royal Box tonight, as those who put their lives on the line for King and Country are celebrated.

Once the event got underway, the King received a standing ovation as he took his seat, accompanied by a royal fanfare from state trumpeters of the household division.

Hosted by Adrian Lester, several British music icons will take to the stage to honour the servicemen and women, including Sir Tom Jones, Alexandra Burke, Jack Savoretti and many more.

Tonight’s event is likely to be especially poignant for Kate, who is recovering from cancer and King Charles III, who is having ongoing treatment for cancer.

She is also expected to attend the national commemoration at the Cenotaph tomorrow, marking the first time she has carried out two consecutive days of public official engagements since the start of the year.

Royal insiders have commented that her appearance at both tonight’s event and tomorrow is a significant step in her gradual return to public royal duties.

Ever known for her sense of style, in 2021 royal fans were not disappointed when Kate arrived wearing a stylish black bouclé dress by Eponine.

The mid-length dress featured a pointed collar, pleated skirt and four rhinestone buttons on the front.

In 2019, the Princess of Wales wore a dark dress with a bateau neckline and velvet belt trim, alongside an Alexandra McQueen clutch bag.

Earlier in the week, Camilla’s condition meant that she had to reluctantly withdraw from the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday with the Duchess of Gloucester, 78, standing in for her.

The Queen also had to cancel an appearance at a reception at Buckingham Palace honouring the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic stars the very same day.

Camilla is anticipated to return to work as soon as next week and is set to host a reception for authors shortlisted for this year’s Booker Prize at Clarence House.

She is also expected to attend the glitzy global premiere of Gladiator II at the Royal Film Performance in London’s Leicester Square next Wednesday evening.

CONFIRMED

Buckingham Palace announced the King and Camilla will meet the stars of the blockbuster, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Pedro Pascal, and director Sir Ridley Scott.

The events are taking place on the eve of the King’s birthday, with Charles turning 76 next Thursday.

Tomorrow the King alongside other members of the Royal family will attend the annual Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, which is the nation’s chief war memorial to those who died in World War I and II.

His Majesty is expected to lay a wreath designed to pay homage to his grandfather King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

The wreath of poppies will be placed on a bed of black leaves, bearing the monarch’s racing colours of scarlet, purple and gold – as is traditional for a Sovereign.

Queen Camilla’s wreath, which also bears her racing colours inherited from her grandfather and inspired by the Queen Mother, will be placed on her behalf by an Equerry from the Royal Household. Both wreathes were made by the Poppy Factory.

Prince William will lay the wreath previously placed by King Charles III, featuring the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

After the service, Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh will place a wreath at the Memorial and is set to take to the stage for an Armistice Day Service reading.

The events will conclude with a tour of the Arboretum.