It remains unclear whether Kate wore her engagement ring for Sunday’s service as she was wearing gloves, but it was clear that she chose poignant jewellery to mark the occasion.

Dressed in black in keeping with tradition, brave Kate looked the part in a netted hat, with her hair in a twisted chignon, and a military-style coat featuring black epaulettes, embellished at the neck with a black velvet bow.

The Princess also wore diamond and pearl drop earrings which belonged to the late Queen. She also wore her silver Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch – in a nod to her role as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief – beneath her three poppies. Kate also wore three red poppies, often rumoured to be in honour of her great-grandmother’s three brothers, who all lost their lives in the First World War.

It comes as Kate was tenderly comforted by Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, as they stood side by side on the balcony of the Foreign Office at today’s service. And body language expert Judi James noted the sweet moment both royals shared, as she explained to the Mirror: “Sophie was clearly in the role of temporary stand-in for William.

“She chatted to Kate on the balcony as the two women stood side-by-side and despite Kate’s impeccable appearance of confidence as she stood in the spot that used to belong to the late Queen, Sophie appeared to be keeping a watchful eye over her as Anne has clearly been keeping over brother Charles.

“It was the small touch or even pat on the back as Kate walked ahead inside the building that seemed to not only offer a form of maternal affection, caring and reassurance or even congratulation to her niece-in-law, but it also looked like the visible proof to William that Kate is in very safe and caring royal hands when he is not there by her side.