While visiting concert rehearsals at Cardiff Castle, Prince William and Kate were joined by Prince George and Princess Charlotte to bring the Platinum Jubilee celebrations to Wales.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with their children George, eight, and Charlotte, seven, met the cast and crew of a special Platinum Jubilee Celebration Concert held within the castle grounds.
As they arrived in the Welsh capital, William and Kate appeared to encourage their shy-looking youngsters to shake hands and introduce themselves to officials, however Charlotte was soon beaming.
It’s the young royals’ first official visit to Wales, and one of the first occasions they’ve met and engaged with ordinary people.
Prince Louis, who stole the show when he stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with his family and the Queen following the Trooping of the Colour event on Thursday, was missing.
The couple and their children will attend rehearsals and meet some of the performers, including Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, who will perform at the festival.
Bonnie was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last week for her contributions to music.
Charlotte, seven, smiled and grasped Kate’s hand as the duchess waved to well-wishers in a stylish navy frock coat and blue Mary Jane shoes with white ankle socks.
As she arrived at Cardiff Castle for her first royal engagement, the young princess demonstrated that she is following in her mother’s economical footsteps by wearing her navy £140 Amaia coat, which she had previously worn at Prince Philip’s memorial in March. As the duchess waved to well-wishers, the seven-year-old royal grinned and clutched Kate’s hand.
The duchess wore a long red coat that matched the color of the Welsh flag’s red dragon.
As William placed his arm around his eight-year-old eldest son, George, who is anticipated to be awarded the title of Prince of Wales one day, joined his family as they talked with hordes of royal fans.
The baby prince was spotted smiling while William stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, sporting a miniature imitation of his father’s blue suit and open-necked shirt.
Charlotte grinned at her brother as she conducted musicians with her hands, while George worked the controls of a technical desk.
She sat with her parents and George while they listened to an orchestra perform a variety of songs, including Sweet Caroline, and was especially ecstatic when the song from the animated film Encanto came on.
When the future king and his sister joined their parents on a walkabout, the seven-year-old princess collected bouquets of flowers – as did her eight-year-old brother.
George wore a fine navy suit with matching brown shoes, just like his father Prince William, as he joined the Duke of Cambridge for his first official engagement in Cardiff.
Kate, his mother, looked stunning in her bespoke Eponine orange coat, which is only available on request. The mother-of-three is a fan of the London boutique, having previously worn a £1,650 coat and a £1,200 top and skirt from it in 2016.
She accessorized her orange coat with black heels and a DeMellier £295 small handbag. Kate styled her brunette hair in a high ponytail and sported a natural make-up look that included a pink lip gloss, smoky eye, and light foundation layer.
The Queen eventually met her great-granddaughter in a secret meeting at Windsor, according to the Daily Mail.
Charlotte’s outspoken demeanor has made her a fan favorite among royal admirers. On a family stroll, the princess was photographed making hilarious faces, waving to photographers, and even sticking her tongue out.
Today, though, the young princess was noticeably more reserved, possibly reflecting the solemnity of the occasion, reaching out to shake hands only after some urging from her mother Kate.
She proceeded into the castle hand-in-hand with the Duchess, who appeared to be assisting her daughter in adjusting to her first public appearance.
Meanwhile, Prince George appeared a touch shy today, crouching behind his father and clutching Prince William’s hand as he posed for a photo.
‘Both Charlotte and George also appear to have had training in the art of the royal smile,’ Judi James told FEMAIL.
‘While Kate certainly excels at this, the art of faking facial expressions to be polite may be difficult for tiny children, especially when they are in public and in front of the camera.’ Even if their looks reveal some trepidation beneath the budding smiles, both children appear to be giving it their all.’
Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, is among the performers performing at Cardiff Castle.
Aled Jones and Shan Cothi, who both host the show, as well as Mike Peters from The Alarm, singer Bonnie Tyler, West End performer John Owen Jones, drummer weatherman Owain Wyn Evans, and the Pendyrus Male Voice Choir, are among the other guests.
The visit is one of several that members of the royal family are making across the UK to commemorate the Jubilee.
Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex arrived in Northern Ireland while the Cambridges were in Cardiff.
Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, are set to be absent from today’s Jubilee celebrations as they celebrate Lilibet’s first birthday at Windsor and maintain their low-profile.
According to Omid Scobie, they will mark the birthday ‘together privately as a family’. The Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla and the Cambridges all wished Lilibet a happy birthday through their social media accounts.
Later, during a star-studded Jubilee event outside Buckingham Palace, William and his father, Prince Charles, will take center stage in front of a throng of 22,000 to pay tribute to the Queen.
On the third evening of the four-day Jubilee festivities, the father and son, both future monarchs, will speak separately in honor of the monarch at the BBC’s open-air Party at the Palace event.
Despite the fact that the event did not begin until 8 p.m., royal enthusiasts began arriving at The Mall as early as 8 a.m. to secure the finest place.
The Queen is rumored to be unable to attend the concert.
She is also not likely to attend today’s Epsom Derby Day, but will instead be riveted to the television, watching the events unfold in Windsor.