Princess Kate Middleton has displayed her exemplary curtsy form yet again.
The Princess of Wales, 41, quickly genuflected to her father-in-law, King Charles III, as the monarch, 75, shook hands with South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol at the Horse Guards Parade in central London on Tuesday, November 21. Kate smiled and kept her upper body perfectly still while bending her knees.
The royal greeting kicked off a state visit aimed at strengthening trade and defense ties between the United Kingdom and South Korea. Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, and Kate’s husband and heir to the throne, Prince William, also attended the ceremony.
Kate wore a scarlet Catherine Walker coat dress for the occasion with a matching wide-brimmed hat and Gianvito Rossi pumps. She completed the look with a pair of sapphire drop earrings that previously belonged to Princess Diana and wore her hair in a low chignon.
Kate and William, 41, met Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, at their hotel in London before attending the formal welcoming ceremony, which included two ceremonial gun salutes. Yoon and Kim then joined Charles, Camilla, 76, Kate and William in a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace.
Kate has demonstrated her curtsying prowess on several occasions over the years. At the annual Order of the Garter procession at Windsor Castle in June, Kate expertly balanced in high heels as she tucked one leg behind the other, paying her respects to the king and queen.
The ever-poised princess had a chance to cut loose earlier this month when she and William — who share sons Prince George, 10, and Prince Louis, 5, and daughter Princess Charlotte, 8 — attended Charles’ 75th birthday party at Clarence House.
The duo were seen driving away from the festivities together with William behind the wheel. The prince donned a white shirt and black blazer while Kate wore an emerald sequined gown.
William’s brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, were noticeably absent from the gathering. The pair previously claimed they hadn’t received an invite.
“In response to UK media headlines, there has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty’s upcoming birthday,” Harry’s spokesperson told Us Weekly nearly one week before the party was set to take place.
Harry, 39, has been at odds with his father and brother since he and Meghan, 42, announced their decision to step back from their royal duties in 2020. During a January interview on 60 Minutes, Harry said that he was willing to reconcile under the right circumstances.
“Meghan and I have continued to say that we will openly apologize for anything that we did wrong, but every time we ask that question, no one’s telling us the specifics or anything,” he said. “There needs to be a constructive conversation, one that can happen in private that doesn’t get leaked. This all started with them briefing daily against my wife with lies to the point of where my wife and I had to run away from my country.”
Harry and Meghan now live in California with their children: son Archie, 4, and daughter Lilibet, 2.
