Kate Middleton's sweet gesture to the Queen for their festive family gathering
Prince William and Kate Middleton ended their three-day tour of the UK at Windsor Castle, having visited cities in Scotland and Wales to meet with frontline workers.
This is the first time the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla, Kate and William and Prince Edward and Sophie have been photographed gathered publicly together since the beginning of the pandemic (they did attend the National Service of Remembrance Sunday but were on separate balconies).
It's also likely that it will be the only sort of festive gathering they will have this year, with the Queen and Prince Philip spending 'Christmas quietly in Windsor' while Prince William and Kate Middleton spend it in London with their children for the first time (Meghan and Prince Harry are also spending a paired back Christmas).
Whether on purpose or not, the Duchess of Cambridge chose to pay tribute to the Queen in a subtle way, by wearing her earrings.
Her stunning chandelier diamond earrings stood out against her red coat, and are one of her favourite pairs. She wore them to a reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2016, and must have only received them from the Queen in recent years, as Her Majesty was spotted wearing them as late at 2012, to a State Opening of Parliament.
Kate has worn them several times since then, and they are the perfect party season accessory. Their origin is unknown, though some have speculated it used to be a brooch of Queen Mary's, later transformed into earrings.
