Kate and William missed the Royal ascot for this touching reason

So lovely

Kate and William miss royal ascot for this touching reason
(Image credit: Getty Images)

So lovely

The Royal Ascot is not a day to be missed. The dress and the drinks are just as important as the racing itself, as Princess Beatrice showed us in her stunning Ascot dress, (which is on sale btw)

The Queen has long been a lover of the Royal races, but this year the monarch wasn’t the only one to miss the first day of the Royal Ascot - Prince William and Kate Middleton missed the event too, and it was for a very touching reason. 

Instead of enjoying themselves at the races, the Cambridges spent the day with Grenfell United and paid their respects to the Grenfell Tower victims. The tribute marked five years since the tragic event took place, and the Royal couple made sure to show their respect. 

The Duke and Duchess had the “honour” of spending time with the survivors. The couple shared touching photos of Kate spending time with the supporters on Instagram, with the caption stating:

“We joined survivors in remembering those lost. It was an honour to meet the people of Grenfell United who organised the service and played a vital role providing pastoral care for those affected and advocating for families to ensure that such a tragic event is never repeated.”

A photo posted by on

Grenfell Tower tragically set alight back in June 2017 and 72 people lost their lives in the fire. 

Grenfell United organised the ceremony at the base of what used to be Grenfell Tower and a special service also took place, with the royal couple joining members of parliament and other famous faces.

The scene was a sea of green as supporters wore green in honour of the Grenfell victims. 

After the special ceremony, supporters, mourners and fire fighters joined in on the annual Silent Walk. In a silent protest, the group joined together to walk around the old Grenfell Tower. Five years on, the enquiry into those responsible is ongoing.

Kate and William miss royal ascot for this touching reason

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge laid flowers at the ceremony instead of joining Prince Charles and Camilla at the races.

The couple, and (fingers crossed) The Queen are set to join in the fun later this week.

For now, Justice for Grenfell.

Dionne Brighton

Dionne Brighton is a writer at Marie Claire UK, specialising in all things shopping, beauty and fashion. Born and raised in North London, she studied Literature at the University of East Anglia before taking the leap into journalism. These days, you can find her testing out the latest TikTok beauty trends or finding out what the next full Moon means.