Commonwealth Day is marked each year to celebrate the ties of unity between the global network’s 56 member countries. In Britain, an annual service is held at Westminster Abbey to mark the day and is traditionally attended by the monarch and members of the royal family.
Since its formation, the head of the Commonwealth has been the British sovereign, first with King George VI, then his daughter Queen Elizabeth II, and now King Charles III (who was elected to succeed his mother by a members vote in 2018).
This year will mark Charles’ first Commonwealth Day as sovereign and head of the organization.
In recent years, the March service has become a focus of royal watchers hoping to catch a glimpse of the royals at their ceremonial best, with the fashion choices of the day being widely reported on.
From Queen Elizabeth to Queen Camilla and Kate Middleton to Meghan Markle, here, Newsweek looks at some of the royals’ top Commonwealth Day fashion moments.
Queen Elizabeth II attended the annual Commonwealth Day service in London each year if she was not abroad undertaking a state visit or foreign tour.
In 2011, the monarch attended wearing a pale peach ensemble of a bouclé tweed coat and matching hat, accessorized with a gold, diamond and pearl brooch.
The queen attended with Prince Philip, and singer-songwriter Annie Lennox spoke during the service about her experiences of the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa.
For her first time attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, Kate Middleton made a demure impression in a pale pink coat with Peter Pan collar and pearl buttons, paired with a matching hat.
The princess was pregnant with her second child, Princess Charlotte, at the time of the service. Her coat was designed by the maker of her 2011 wedding dress, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and her hat was by Jane Taylor Millinery.
Completing her look, Kate wore a pair of pink Prada pumps and matching Prada clutch bag.
For the 2019 Commonwealth Day service, Queen Elizabeth II wore a royal purple coat and matching hat ensemble with contrast piping and buttons.
The service was attended by a large number of royal family members including the newly married Meghan Markle.
For her first Commonwealth Day service as a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle opted for an elegant white coat over a statement monochrome printed dress from the designer Victoria Beckham.
The duchess was expecting her first child, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, at the time of the service and accessorized her look with a white pillbox hat, in a style favored by a number of high profile women, including the duchess’ late-mother-in -law Princess Diana, and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
The 2020 Commonwealth Day service marked an awkward milestone for members of the royal family as it was the last official engagement undertaken by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before stepping down from their working royal roles and moving to the US
All eyes were on the couple and their interactions with family members such as Kate Middleton and Prince William. For the occasion, Meghan wore a statement green look designed by Emilia Wickstead which formed part of the duchess’ colorful rainbow wardrobe for her last week in Britain.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who is married to the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward, has won the approval of the fashion press over the years for her simple, yet meticulously executed style choices.
For the Commonwealth Day service in 2020, the countess wore a white and navy blue midi dress from the designer Suzannah London, with pillbox blue hat embellished with an arrangement of net veiling.
Queen Camilla presented a regal appearance at the 2022 Commonwealth Day service, in what was to be her last in her capacity as Duchess of Cornwall.
Camilla wore a deep purple coat and matching dress with statement princess seam work adorned with floral brooches.
Commonwealth Day is marked each year to celebrate the ties of unity between the global network’s 56 member countries. In Britain, an annual service is held at Westminster Abbey to mark the day and is traditionally attended by the monarch and members of the royal family.
