Kate Middleton looked every inch the princess at King Charles’ very first Trooping of the Colours in London on Saturday. Following her exquisite ensemble at the Coronation, where she led the royal family in fashion statements, the Princess of Wales, 41, was a breath of fresh air at the annual event that marks a monarch’s birthday. Kate stunned in an emerald green dress by Andrew Gn and matching hat by Philip Treacy.
The mother of three, who was flanked by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the horse-drawn carriage, completed the look with sapphire and diamond earrings that previously belonged to Princess Diana, according to People.
The royal beauty made sure her fashion was on point, as the event was a historical one. King Charles celebrated the June parade by bringing back a special tradition that hasn’t been seen in more than 30 years: arriving on horseback! “Marking the first time that the reigning Monarch has ridden at Trooping the Colour since 1986, when Queen Elizabeth II last rode, The King will join His Majesty’s Birthday Parade on horseback,” Buckingham Palace shared in a statement.
The presentation of the military’s regimental flags, called “colours,” was first performed during the reign of King Charles II, who ruled from 1660 to 1685, according to the British Army. The hoopla was then linked to a monarch’s birthday during the reign of King George II in 1748, who deemed his November birthday too cold for a soiree, per the Royal Museums of Greenwich. Although King Charles official birthday is Nov. 14, he continues the tradition of marking the big day during warmer weather months.
Sadly, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not make it to the festivities, as they were were reportedly not invited, according to PEOPLE. The Duke and Duchess currently reside in California with their two kids, Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2, and will not be trekking across the pond for Charles’ big day, which comes as tensions between royal family members still run amok. HollywoodLife has reached out to Harry and Meghan’s rep for comment.
King Charles’ birthday extravaganza comes six weeks after his coronation at Westminster Abbey, where he was crowned alongside Queen Camilla in front of Kate, Prince William and their three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
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This story originally appeared on Hollywoodlife