In honour of the Queen’s (purple!) reign: Kate mirrors late monarch’s colourful wardrobe and wears her pearl earrings and necklace

Princess of Wales, II. While attending the reception held at Buckingham Palace for Elizabeth’s 100th birthday celebrations, she paid tribute to the late Queen with her choice of outfit today.

Possibly reflecting the late Her Majesty’s colorful wardrobe, Kate, 44, looked gorgeous in a custom-made mauve dress from her favorite London-based brand, Emilia Wickstead.

She paired the elegant number with a nod to her mother-in-law by wearing the Queen’s three-strand pearl necklace and Bahraini pearl drop earrings.

The second precious royal heirloom was made from pearls that the Ruler of Bahrain gifted to Elizabeth for her wedding to Prince Philip. Earrings became her favorite in the early years of her marriage.

The late Queen later lent them to Princess Diana and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. But since Remembrance Sunday in 2016, Kate has worn them exclusively.

Meanwhile, the pearl necklace is worn regularly by Elizabeth, and Sam Cohen, the Queen’s former assistant private secretary, previously told People: ‘She wasn’t interested in material things at all. ‘She wore the same pearl necklace every day.’

Kate, Queen Elizabeth II She joined Prince William and the King and Queen Camilla at today’s reception, designed to celebrate Elizabeth’s life and legacy on the anniversary of her birth.

Guests included some of the UK’s oldest citizens, who celebrated their 100th birthday on April 21, and Charles personally presented the centenary cards.

Princess of Wales (pictured right), II. She paid tribute to the late Queen (pictured left, 2003) with her choice of outfit today, as she attended the Buckingham Palace reception for Queen Elizabeth II’s 100th birthday celebrations.

Charities and organizations associated with the late Queen were also invited, including Cancer Research UK, the Jockey Club and the Army Benevolent Fund.

Unusually, the King was accompanied by all the working royals, from the youngest to the oldest: the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Crown, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and even the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra – the latter two aged 90 and 89 respectively.

The historic Marble Hall at his London home, one of the only public spaces still open during the final stages of the palace’s renovation, was decorated to look like a street party, with bunting and paintings hanging from the ceiling.

It was previously used at last year’s VJ Day commemorations and was made by the house staff from old historic curtains and drapes.

Guests were treated to champagne and a special QEII ‘tribute’ cocktail made from his favorite Dubonnet. Traditional gin has been left out as it is a ‘daytime’ thing and has been replaced by lemon juice, rosemary and tonic.

Stands displaying portraits of the late monarch visiting charities lined the halls, and the Household Cavalry Band played a range of cheerful modern tunes.

A Paddington Bear features three Queen Elizabeth II flowers created by Harnkness Roses in 2021, gifts for honored birthday guests of the Royal Horticultural Society. Elizabeth could be seen peeking out from behind her rose.

As the band played, the King and Queen ushered the royal party through the gardens and encouraged guests to sing a poem from Happy Birthday.

The Princess of Wales at a reception to commemorate the Queen at Buckingham Palace

The Princess of Wales meets guests at a reception at Buckingham Palace today

The Prince and Princess of Wales during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London today

Possibly reflecting her late Her Majesty’s colorful wardrobe, Kate (pictured), 44, looked dazzling in a custom-made mauve dress from her favorite London-based brand, Emilia Wickstead.

He leaned over to speak to birthday girl Mary Wood, from Yatton in North Somerset, who tried to get up from her wheelchair to greet him.

Born in Wolverhampton, Ms Wood trained as a nurse at Corbett Hospital in Stourbridge and went on to have a lifelong career in nursing. She had two sons, David and Nicholas, with her late husband Victor.

‘Is it your birthday today?’ He asked as he handed her a card. ‘Oh how wonderful. Same as my mother. ‘This is amazing!’

Queen Camilla said to him: ‘You don’t look old enough to be a hundred!’

Mrs. Wood told him the secret was to eat well in his youth. ‘Good food when I grow up,’ he said.

The Queen told him that he had also eaten ‘good plain food’ in his childhood.

Mrs Wood later said: ‘I came here to meet the late Queen, who celebrated her 80th birthday on the same day as mine. And now I met his son. It was wonderful and very unexpected. ‘I’ve followed the Royal Family all my life.’

The King and Queen were followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who leaned over to chat with the three centenarians.

The King and Camilla then helped birthday lady Joan Hollingworth cut the cake made by the palace’s pastry chefs.

Holding the knife, she said: ‘It’s hard to cut this cake.’ Camilla tried her hand first, then Charles offered her his hand with the knife and said: ‘Let me do this with you.’

John Jervois, who served with the Royal Signals in the Second World War in the Far East, stood to greet the King.

Charles was heard wishing her a happy birthday and they had a warm conversation.

Kate paired this elegant number with a nod to her mother-in-law by wearing the Queen’s three-strand pearl necklace and Bahraini pearl drop earrings.

Kate, Queen Elizabeth II She joined Prince William and the King and Queen Camilla at today’s reception, designed to celebrate Elizabeth’s life and legacy on the anniversary of her birth.

The Princess of Wales at a reception to commemorate the Queen at Buckingham Palace

Speaking later, John said he received many gifts as a child because everyone remembered his birthday was the same as the Queen’s.

‘It was very valuable,’ he said.

When he met the King and Royal Family at Buckingham Palace he said: ‘This is extraordinary. I didn’t think this would happen to someone like me.’

He also recalled being a young man who climbed to the roof of a building in Regent Street to watch the Queen’s coronation.

Joan Hollingworth was wished a happy birthday by all the senior royals.

William jokingly told him: ‘I can’t believe you’re 100 years old! ‘Do we need to call security, did you sneak in?’

Later Joan said: ‘I said to Camilla ‘I’m deaf’ and she joked ‘join the club’. ‘The Prince of Wales said I looked good for my age and asked what my secret was.’

The royal family spent an hour in the Marble Hall, which hosted 200 guests from the late Queen’s protégés.

The Princess of Wales hugged an emotional George Cross hero.

Tony Gledhill, 88, who won the top prize for chasing and catching gun-toting crooks, looked emotional as he shared a tender moment with Kate.

Speaking later, the man said that his wife had recently died and that before she died, he told her that he had to attend the palace event. And he said of Kate: ‘She was amazing.’