Kate Middleton and Prince William's awkward Easter faux pas they might've repeated at the King's coronation

Easter is the only other time of year besides Christmas when we get to see a mass gathering of the Royal Family. Working and non-working royals alike come together at Windsor Castle and walk to St George’s Chapel for the Sunday service. It’s a private family occasion rather than an official appearance, meaning it’s relatively relaxed.

However, there are still certain protocols in place and William and Kate’s awkward faux pas in 2018 famously broke one of these. The couple were pictured arriving at the chapel and happily greeting the Dean of Windsor before going inside - but Queen Elizabeth was already there. It’s understood that the royals traditionally arrive at events in reverse order of rank with the most senior - the monarch - arriving last.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly held up on the journey to Windsor from Kate’s parents’ house due to roadworks, meaning that Queen Elizabeth was already inside when they got there in 2018. This is a pretty relatable reason for their Easter faux pas and it’s possible they managed to get a message to the Queen.

She looked completely unfazed when they left the chapel afterwards and at least it was a small occasion, compared to the coronation where the Wales family were widely speculated to have been late. King Charles and Queen Camilla ended up waiting in their golden coach outside Westminster Abbey for William, Kate and their children.

“Unbeknown to them, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their two younger children are running a minute and a half late,” writes royal author Robert Hardman in Charles III: The Inside Story. “The Waleses are supposed to be there eight minutes ahead of the King and Queen. Yet they will now arrive after them.”

Many theories have been put forward as explanations, from the children delaying Prince William and Kate, to their coach getting caught behind Charles and Camilla’s early one. Whatever the reason, it meant that the original plan had to be adjusted and William, Kate, Charlotte and Louis walked behind the King instead of being seated ahead.

In the grand scheme of things, two late arrivals is actually not at all bad given how many events, ceremonies and engagements the Prince and Princess of Wales attend every year. They’re also unlikely to be delayed by traffic again at Easter, at least if they’re coming from home - as they live at Forest Lodge on the Windsor estate.

Prince William, Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis have celebrated the past two Easters privately, rather than with the rest of the Royal Family. I can’t help feeling that they will all be at Windsor this year following a difficult start to 2026 for The Firm. Their presence alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla and the others would project a sense of family unity amid the ongoing scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

It’s also a great chance to catch up with the other royals and Prince George, Charlotte and Louis get on particularly well with Zara Tindall’s children who are often there too.