The Prince of Wales said that he ‘can’t believe it has been three years’ since the death of his grandmother as he paid tribute to the late Queen on the third anniversary of her death.
Joined by his wife the Princess of Wales, who was a surprise addition to the schedule, Prince William was speaking as he visited the national federation of the Women’s Institute (WI) in Sunningdale, Ascot; just a 16-minute drive away from Windsor Castle, where the Duke of Sussex was understood to have visited his grandmother’s grave today.
Over tea and cake, William heard stories of the late Queen and shared some more recent memories of his own family life.
Asked if his children were back at school, William replied: ‘Thankfully, yes!’
Nina Derrick asked: ‘Is Louis a bit of a handful?’ to which William appeared to defend his youngest son, saying that Louis was ‘a very good boy’.
He said: ‘He’s a character but he’s a very good boy. He likes to wind his brother and sister up. ‘
When it was pointed out that George appeared to be the sensible one, the prince smiled and replied: ‘when George is behind closed doors it’s completely different. George just knows how to behave.;
He added, by way of explanation, that there was ‘five years difference’ between his two sons.
Originally only William had planned to attend the event to mark his grandmother’s passing, but sources said Catherine was keen to join her husband to commemorate and celebrate the life of the late Queen
William and Kate smiled as they both made an appearance at the engagement in honour of Elizabeth
The princess said that she and the children had been ‘crafting in every corner of the house’ over the summer holidays, and spoke to the women about her bee-keeping, and the importance of ‘making and crafting’ and ‘community’.
Speaking to one group, William acknowledged that it was his grandmother’s anniversary. ‘I can’t quite believe it has been three years already,’ he said.
He said that the late Queen, who had been a member for more than 80 years, had ‘loved’ the WI.
Acknowledging his proximity to the Ascot racecourse which hosts Royal Ascot each year, he said: ‘I think she would have loved a few more wins. She was very upset that she couldn’t win a few more times.
‘She used to have an iPad so that she could watch all the foals being born, so wherever she was in the country she could see. She was very dedicated.’
He added that he was ‘swotting up on my racing knowledge. You’re testing my limits.’
William spent time speaking to Sally Pellow, who showed the royal couple a picture taken in August 1961 of her husband’s grandfather Hedley Pellow, who worked at the docks during the Second World War, meeting Queen Elizabeth II and a young Princess Anne and a young Prince Charles at Southampton docks.
Sally Pellow , 64, had some more recent family recollections to share, too, saying that her daughter had served the Princess of Wales in a French Connection shop in Reading and how, around five years ago, she bumped into a young Prince George in an interior design shop in the area.
The Princess of Wales has unexpectedly joined Prince William on an engagement to mark the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death
‘I had popped in to pick up some wallpaper samples and Prince George had gone in with his granny, Carole Middleton’ Mrs Pellow said. ‘He was beautifully dressed and sitting at a desk eating bits of orange.’
Margot Gosney, 65, a retired professor of medicine at the Royal Berkshire hospital, recalled meeting the late Queen in 2006 when she came to the hospital.
Gosney said: ‘She had had an accident the week before and had a cut on her leg so she was laughing that she was in a hospital.’
Gosney told William that she was also a trustee of the London Air Ambulance and he told her ‘I miss it,’ referring to his time as a helicopter pilot with the East Anglican Air Ambulance.
He said that there was ‘an insane’ amount of money needed to keep the air ambulances flying and that he was ‘looking at plans’ to bring the different air ambulance services together.
The prince said he was enjoying ‘having a natter’ with the subject turning to matters close to home, as the couple live a short drive from Sunningdale.
He said that he often went past the Datchet WI group and ‘feeling very jealous’ that they were inside having cake and tea and would often wave at him as he passed.
He added: ‘I said to Catherine we should cycle down there and stop for some cake.’
William and Kate, pictured, were both friendly as ever as they chatted with staff during the visit today
At the start of the visit, Kate and William were welcomed to the small room where the WI meetings are held by Trish Kilgour, chair of the Berkshire federation of the WI.
She asked if the couple had been on the school run and William replied: ‘Yes, got them off’.
‘I remember those days – they’re never easy,’ Trish said as the couple were shown inside where the women were already seated round several tables with cups of tea and plates of cake.
Noting that he was the only man besides Trish’s husband, David Kilgour, William said: ‘We know our place!’
Shown to a table set out with several cakes, the Princess chose a slice of chocolate chip cookie cake while William helped himself to a chocolate brownie and a piece of orange and Campari cake before being introduced to the women who made them.
Kate said: ‘We should have brought some for you!’ and sat down to try hers which she said was ‘delicious’.
William said the Campari cake had ‘got a good punch to it, a good kick’ and there was high praise for the brownie, saying: ‘And I know my brownies.’
Kate said: ‘William is very fussy about it.’
Kate, who sported a frock from Alessandra Rich, donned tartan print to the event this morning, as she joined her husband
The Prince and Princess of Wales (back right) pictured during their visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institute
He declared it to be a good recipe because it didn’t contain nuts.
‘Never put nuts in a brownie,’ he added emphatically, which prompted Kate to joke: ‘I had to learn the hard way.’
The Princess of Wales was asked if she was a member of the WI and replied: ‘No, but I should be!’
William asked if the organisation might consider him to join as an honorary male member but was told by Hilary Fraser ‘No, not unless you can put on a skirt.’
Without hesitating, the prince replied: ‘Well, for a chocolate brownie, Hilary, you never know what I’ll do.’
William and Kate heard how the group provided an opportunity for women across Berkshire to get together, learn new skills and engage in community projects.
The prince said that while he was the ‘least crafty’ of his family, he had made sloe gin and damson gin.
‘You love foraging,’ Kate said to her husband and added: ‘It’s great for families.’
Kate appeared to be in good spirits as she and her husband chatted with the members of the WI today
When the royal couple heard that the local WI had set about making 600 sets of scrubs and masks for health workers during the pandemic, Kilgour said: ‘We’ve come a long way since the days of jam and Jerusalem.’
The reference to the title of a BBC sitcom about the WI by Jennifer Saunders about the jam-making days of the organisation when Jerusalem was its unofficial hymn seemed lost on William.
William said he hadn’t heard that before and admitted to ‘a generational gap.’
The WI is the largest women’s organisation in the UK and was supported by the late Queen Elizabeth II who joined the organisation in 1943 and serving as President of the Sandringham branch from 2003 until her death in 2022.
In a speech to the WI In 2009 she said: ‘In this time of change and uncertainty I think the W.I’s traditional values of playing your part through education and public debate are just as important as ever.’
As an active member, her late majesty regularly attended their New Year meetings in January and hosted a reception at Sandringham House in 2022 for volunteer groups, pensioners and fellow members to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
Originally only William had planned to attend the event to mark his ‘Granny’s’ passing, but sources said Catherine was keen to join her husband to commemorate and celebrate the beloved monarch.
Catherine wore a black, grey and white tartan dress from Alessandra Rich – teamed with tonal heels – and warmly greeted members as her husband, dressed in a smart suit and tie, joked with the ladies about the amount of cake waiting for them.
The couple were all smiles as they enjoyed hearing from members at the WI – an organisation close to Elizabeth’s heart
The couple also chatted with support staff and trustees from across the Berkshire Federation of Women’s Institutes (BFWI) to hear about their work and the different opportunities its gives women.
Some of the women they were introduced to had met or interacted with the late Queen herself. William was, it is understood, particularly keen to hear their stories and the impact she had on the WI.
Queen Elizabeth, who died at Balmoral Castle on September 8 2022, was a member of the WI for 80 years, joining in 1943 and serving as President of the Sandringham branch from 2003 until her death. She often attended a meeting in early January while staying in Norfolk for Christmas.
The sweet tribute comes as the Duke of Sussex has returned to Britain for the first time in five months amid speculation over whether he will stage a reunion with King Charles.
William’s brother touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but has made the transatlantic trip on his own while Meghan stays in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
Harry’s trip to the UK, which includes four days of official engagements, will be his longest since he and Meghan visited in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died.
It is understood he visited his late grandmother’s grave at St George’s Chapel, at Windsor Castle, moments after touching down as he marks the third anniversary of her death.
The duke was last in the UK in April when he lost his legal challenge over the level of security protection he receives from the Government while he is in Britain – after he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to California in 2020.
The pair were very animated as they chatted with others over tea and cake – in a visit commemorating the late Queen
Harry was appealing a ruling dismissing his challenge to the level of police protection he receives in the UK – but Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos ruled the duke’s ‘sense of grievance’ did not ‘translate into a legal argument’.
Significantly, however, Harry was spotted being picked up at Heathrow by a serving Metropolitan Police officer from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Squad, suggesting he is receiving bespoke police protection in the UK.
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months.
But recently there has been signs that the fractured relationship is easing and that a reconciliation could be within reach.
The father and son last met in February 2024, when Harry flew to the UK after it was announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Prince William, who has taken a much firmer line on rekindling of relations with his brother, has official engagements elsewhere on every day of Harry’s visit.
Harry was earlier pictured arriving at LAX airport, while a Range Rover driven by a serving Met officer appeared to be escorting him out of Heathrow Airport this morning.
The duke was whisked away to Windsor Castle, where The Sun reports he paid his private respects to Queen Elizabeth II by visiting her final resting place at St George’s Chapel.
The couple were paying tribute to the three-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death this morning
Kate looked to be in high spirits as she joined her husband for the visit to pay homage to Queen Elizabeth
Catherine, 43, accompanied her husband on a sweet and moving visit in Sunningdale, Berkshire
The couple visited the Women’s Institute (WI) branch close to Windsor Castle , to which the Late Queen had a close connection, having been a member for 80 years and serving as president to the Sandringham branch
Catherine wore a black, grey and white tartan dress with tonal heels and warmly greeted members as her husband, dressed in a smart suit and tie, joked with the ladies about the amount of cake waiting for them.
Harry will later attend the WellChild Awards in London, a charity which supports youngsters affected by terminal and serious illness and their families.
He has been its patron for 17 years – even after stepping down as a working royal – and will present an award.
On Tuesday he will visit the Community Recording Studio in Nottingham. His team says he will use the visit to announce a ‘substantial donation’ to charity Children in Need to support its work tackling violence impacting young people.
Harry has engagements on Wednesday and Thursday with other charities he is involved in, including the Invictus Games and the Diana Award.
The King has spent most of the summer at his Balmoral estate in Scotland, but is set to be in the capital mid-week for his cancer treatment.
Currently, there is no specified window for a meeting with Charles. However, The Mail on Sunday reported that should an invitation to meet be extended, Harry would drop everything to attend.
A source said: ‘A meeting with Charles is not off the table but the only people who would know about it are Clive Alderton [the King’s private secretary] and Charles and Harry.
‘If anything is planned, then he is keeping this extremely close to his chest. It certainly is part of his intention to see his father.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales speaking to members during a visit to the National Federation of Women’s Institute (WI) in Sunningdale
Kate looked to be in high spirits as she joined her husband, William, for the engagement this morning
Both William and Kate looked to be enjoying the spread of cakes available at the engagement today
‘If it’s on Wednesday, then he would make it work.’
Meanwhile, it’s been a busy week for William and Kate, with the Princess this weekend watching England’s Red Roses take on Australia in the Rugby World Cup.
The royal, who is Patron of the Rugby Football Union, had joined crowds at the Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium on Saturday for the group stage match – and was seen fully embracing the crowd’s enthusiasm.
At one point, the Princess even took part in a Mexican wave, as she expertly put her hands in the air and raised out of her seat, perfectly fitting in with the movement of the rest of the crowd.
Throughout the match, she was seen beaming and looking delighted as she cheered the England team to their 47-7 victory.
It seemed Kate couldn’t hold back her laughter as she chatted with those around her, apparently enjoying her return to work and official engagements after the summer break.
It’s perhaps not surprising that the royal mother-of-three was clearly so invested in the game, as she’s known to be a huge fan of women’s rugby, and women’s sport in general.
In footage shared on the Wallaroos Rugby Instagram page, the future Queen was seen making a surprise visit to the Australian locker room, shaking hands and offering encouraging words.
The Duke of Sussex (seen at High Court in London in April) touched down at Heathrow Airport this morning, but Meghan has stayed in California with their children, Archie and Lilibet
Buckingham Palace is remaining tight-lipped on whether the King, who is currently at his Scottish residence in Birkhall, will meet his estranged son for the first time in 19 months
Afterwards, the team looked as though they could not believe their luck after getting the opportunity to speak to the princess face-to-face.
In the clip, the mother-of-three could be heard speaking to one of the players, telling the team she is a ‘massive supporter’ of women’s sport.
‘How has it been playing away from home? Is it ok?’ she asked kindly, before adding: ‘You played really well, you gave us a run for our money at the beginning, it was nerve-racking!’
She added: ‘For women’s sport across the world, it’s so fantastic to see crowds like this and stadiums like this.
‘I am a massive supporter of women’s sport, so well done – and good luck for the rest of the tournament.’
Both Kate and William have shared personal messages to their respective Women’s Rugby teams on social media in recent weeks.
Posting in Welsh, then in English, William wrote: ‘Good luck to Wales Women as they kick off their Rugby World Cup campaign against Scotland today! Pob lwc, Cymru – ewch amdani! W.’
While Kate’s message read: ‘Wishing the Red Roses the very best as they kick off their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign tonight.
‘I look forward to cheering you on and seeing the team rise to the challenge on home soil! C.’
Kate took over the role with the RFU from her brother-in-law Prince Harry in 2022, who was forced to give up the patronage as part of the Megxit agreement.
The Princess of Wales, who grew up watching rugby with her family, is known as one of the sportiest members of the Royal Family, and has gamely taken on her husband in everything from dragon boating to wind buggy racing at royal engagements.
She has played tennis and hockey from a young age and is already royal patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and is a frequent visitor to the Wimbledon Championships.
While her love and passion for hockey has been well publicised, less well known is her family’s love of rugby.
Her sister, Pippa, wrote in Vanity Fair magazine in 2014: ‘Rugby was a big thing for our family, we’d plan our weekends around the big matches.’
In the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential podcast, Jo Elvin joked that the Wales family ‘may need a referee in house’ for the game – which forms part of the Six Nations Championship.
It’s unclear whether the royal children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six – are also split on which team they support: Wales for William, or England for Kate.
In fact, on Mike Tindall‘s podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, Prince William did joke that the question of which team the children support has become ‘quite the thing’ at home.
He said: ‘It’s become quite the thing in the house. [Catherine] is quite into it. I’m trying to stay out of it.’
Prince William meanwhile, attended the Wales against Fiji game in Exeter, seeing his team narrowly miss out on victory.
The couple’s decision to attend their respective games comes amid a tricky time for the royal family after the sad announcement that the Duchess of Kent died this week at the age of 92.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a loving tribute to the Duchess of Kent, after the news was announced around Friday lunchtime.
William and Kate said the Duchess – who became the oldest living member of the Royal Family when Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022 – would be ‘much missed’.
The future king and queen described how she had ‘worked tirelessly’ in her life to help others.
The Duchess died at Kensington Palace on Thursday night, surrounded by members of her family. She is survived by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and their three children.
In a statement signed ‘W & C’, the Prince and Princess of Wales said: ‘Our thoughts today are with The Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George, Helen and Nicholas.
‘The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music. She will be a much missed member of the family’.
A spokesman for Prince Harry said he had sent his condolences privately to the Kent family.
Earlier this week, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Natural History Museum in London as they returned to duties after their summer break.
Kate, who studied art history at university and has been patron of the attraction since 2013, was seen with her newly blonde locks on display after spending a summer in the sun.
The Prince of Wales also showed a hint of tan during their day out in the capital following their traditional break, which was this year said to include a trip on their superyacht to Kefalonia, sailing around the Greek islands.
Kate, who has apparently dyed her brunette locks a few shades lighter, looked stylish in a fitted tweed ‘Hacket’ blazer from Ralph Lauren, paired with a white Boyfriend Shirt from sustainable British brand With Nothing Underneath, smart dark green tailored trousers and £199 tassel loafers from Pretty Ballerinas.
Alongside gentle waves in her hair, the princess opted for a natural sweep of make-up and added her £495 alphabet necklace from Daniella Draper – which features the initials of her three children, George, Charlotte and Louis – as well as Princess Diana‘s sapphire engagement ring and £850 Kiki McDonough pear drop earrings.
They dodged downpours as they kicked off their own ‘autumn term’ and visited the site’s newly transformed gardens, meeting children and young people taking part in learning programmes.
As they arrived at the venue, the supportive Prince was seen placing a hand on his wife’s back, making for a sweet display of affection.
The princess appeared firmly in her element as she laughed with school pupils as it began to pour with rain during their time in the gardens – even sweetly helping one child to shelter under her umbrella.
