Kate Middleton recycles polka dot dress for VE Day service with nod to Princess Diana

A huge to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day at Westminster Abbey today. and Queen were joined by the Prince and , Prime Minister Sir , veterans and others at Westminster Abbey to recognise the milestone.

First to arrive were the Duke and who were followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Also present were the Duke and and the Duke of Kent. William and Kate then arrived with the princess wearing a white polkadot dress by Alessandra Rich, she wore on Garter Day in 2023, and hat by Juliette Botterill, and earrings which belonged to William’s late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

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The prince was dressed in a lounge suit with Household Division tie and his Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Neck Order.

The King and Queen then arrived at the abbey to the sound of a trumpeters’ royal fanfare. Charles was wearing a lounge suit with medals and neck order. Camilla was dressed in a white crepe silk dress and white coat with black stitching by Anna Valentine, with a black and white hat by Philip Treacy.

The service today comes 80 years to the day that the nation celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day with church bells ringing out across the country and people gathering to revel in the end of hostilities, with crowds famously gathering outside calling for King George VI. After almost six years of fighting against Hitler’s Nazi regime peace was declared, with only the conflict against Japan to be concluded.

At the start of the service, Charles left a floral tribute at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, close to Westminster Abbey’s west door, on behalf of the nation and Commonwealth, during a poignant moment. A handwritten message from the King, recognising those who fought and died in the Second World War, read: “We will never forget.”

A national two minutes silence was observed before the simple ceremony, and among the congregation were veterans of the conflict who helped to defeat fascism on the continent during a war that lasted almost six years. The Abbey fell silent and the sound of London traffic could be heard as all stood motionless in quiet contemplation.

The Prince of Wales left a wreath a few moments after his father, in a tribute to Second World War veterans and the generation who lived through the conflict. Both wreaths featured flowers which would have been in bloom in May 1945.

William and his wife left a handwritten note with their wreath which read: ”For those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War. We will remember them.” Standing beside them was Ken Hay, 99, who served in the 4th Dorset infantry regiment.

The King joined members of his family, including the Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales, to stay behind after the Abbey service, meeting veterans and their families. The Princess was seen chatting to Marie Scott, who was just 13 at the outbreak of the Second World War.

Four years later she joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRENs). Working on the communications frontline, she later worked in the deep tunnels of the switchboard, playing a vital role in Operation Overlord, the the code name for D-Day. was seen bending down chatting to other veterans and their families, sharing stories of their memories of the end of the war.

Outside the abbey, Kate joined Camilla and other royals in laying flowers at the Innocent Victims’ Memorial in tribute to all victims of war and oppression as the proceedings draw to a close.

Four days of events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day will culminate on this evening with a concert in London’s Horse Guards Parade attended by the King and Queen, with performances by The Darkness, Toploader, and classical singer Sir Willard White.

The royals were also at the heart of VE Day commemorations earlier in the week. On Monday royals, including the Waleses and their children, sat with veterans as the current crop of servicemen and women, including Nato allies, marched past in recognition of those who served to defeat Hitler’s Nazi regime and bring peace to Europe.

Afterwards, they all appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the incredible RAF flypast. Prince Louis, who in past public appearances has stolen the show, did not disappoint royal fans, pulling faces as jets thundered overhead, and during the parade stuck out his tongue and playfully tried to get his father’s attention.

Later that day, carried out his biggest royal duty to date when he joined his parents and the King and Queen at a tea party for veterans inside the palace. During the tea reception, William told 101-year-old Alfred Littlefield his son George was “interested” in learning about veterans.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Camilla visited the Tower of London, where she described a special poppy display as 'beautiful'. Camilla visited the historic fortress on Tuesday to launch The Tower Remembers, marking VE Day and the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The new installation features 30,000 ceramic poppies from the 2014 Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red artwork, now redesigned to flow from the White Tower.