Princess Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, paid their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II at the monarch’s funeral.
The Middleton family honored the queen during the Monday, September 19, funeral service at Westminster Abbey. According to the Daily Mail, the duo arrived at the church two hours before the service was set to begin, entering around the same time as Queen Consort Camilla‘s son, Tom Parker Bowles.
Carole, 67, wore a black coatdress and hat, while her husband, 73, wore a traditional morning suit. The Princess of Wales’ parents, who have frequently attended royal events, paid tribute to the longest-reigning sovereign in British history following her death on September 8.
“RIP Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the duo wrote via their Party Pieces company’s Instagram account. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen. For over 70 years she dedicated her life to service for the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.”
The Middletons added: “We offer our heartfelt sympathy to The Royal Family at this time of great sadness.”
After the conclusion of the State Funeral Service, the queen’s coffin will travel from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch. It will then move to Windsor Castle, where Her Majesty will ultimately be laid to rest in St George’s Chapel with her late husband, Prince Philip. The chapel also contains the ashes of Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret, as well as their parents’ coffins.
Elizabeth, who died on September 8 at age 96, will be “buried together” with the Duke of Edinburgh, the official royal website states. The couple — whose four children King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward have been publicly mourning the loss of their mother — were married for 73 years before Philip’s death in April 2021. He was 99 years old.
The procession of Elizabeth’s coffin began on Saturday, September 11, when it left her Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and traveled to Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it was greeted by the Princess Royal, 72. From there, the casket was brought to London — first to Buckingham Palace, then to Westminster Hall, where the casket was lying in state until Monday morning.
Elizabeth and Philip’s children and grandchildren — including Prince William and Prince Harry — will say their final goodbyes to the monarch during the Committal Service.
“I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real,” the Prince of Wales, 40, shared in a heartfelt statement two days after the queen’s death.
