The Princess of Wales counted on the support of the Duchess of Edinburgh as she attended one of the most poignant events of the year.

Kate made a rare appearance at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph – a sign of both her gradual return to duties following her cancer diagnosis – and watched the wreath-laying ceremony from the balcony of the Foreign Office. In the absence of Queen Camilla, who was recuperating at home with a chest infection, Kate, a future queen consort herself, was due to take to the central balcony alone. But Sophie was switched from her originally planned position with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on a neighbouring balcony to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kate in support.

Kate chatted with and smiled at Sophie at the start of the proceedings. And a lip reader believes she has uncovered what the pair were saying to each other. Lip reader Kayleigh Harris told The Sun that Kate said to Sophie: “She will be supported in this.” And Sophie replied: “Yes, and especially…” It remains unclear who the two royals were referring to.

It comes after a body language expert also said that Sophie sent a secret message to Prince William with a touching gesture towards Kate. As the two royal ladies retreated from the balcony at the ceremony’s close, Sophie was seen to place her gloved hand on Kate’s back in a comforting gesture.

Body language expert Judi James 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.