The ‘very thoughtful’ hidden detail in the Princess of Wales’ outfit worn on the first anniversary of the late Queen’s death

On Friday, the one year anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales laid a floral tribute of white roses at St. David’s Cathedral in Wales. The Princess of Wales opted for maroon, rather than the traditional mourning colour of black, rewearing her Eponine London Midi Coat Dress in Burgundy and she wore a pair of the late Queen’s earrings. However, her hat actually has a special connection to the history of the Royal Family - and are a token of many of the initiatives they have championed in the past.

• During a special service to honour the late Queen Elizabeth in Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales paid subtle tribute to the Queen in more than one way
• While she wore a pair of the Queen’s earrings, her hat was made by a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, a special initiative set up to support a diverse range of British craftspeople
• In other royal news, King Charles shares touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth on the anniversary of her death

Catherine, Princess of Wales made a sweet tribute to the late Queen on Friday as she joined Prince William for a special service at Wales.

The Princess of Wales’ low-key tribute in her choice of earrings has been widely reported, with many aware of the touching significance of the chosen accessories.

For the occasion, Catherine wore a pair of beautiful earrings featuring a diamond stud from which a single creamy white pearl is suspended. These were the late Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee earrings that she wore in 1977.

Kate has previously worn these particular earrings in the days following her late grandmother-in-law’s passing. Last year the Princess of Wales opted for the earrings for a visit to Sandringham where she and Prince William viewed floral tributes to Her Majesty.

However, what many have missed is the detail behind Catherine’s choice of hat. The maroon design matched her Eponine coat dress perfectly and is the work of Sahar Millinery.

Sahar Millinery is an award-winning millinery label by Sahar Freemantle, one of London’s couture hat designers. Sahar hand-crafts each hat to create original and unique pieces designed to flatter the wearer.

Sahar has worked in film and TV as well as the stage, to make millinery for various productions including Downton Abbey, Katy Perry, and Paloma Faith.

Sahar is one of the recipients of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), which supports the “training and education of talented craftspeople.”

The QEST, as per their website, “supports the training and education of talented and aspiring craftspeople through traditional college courses, vocational training, apprenticeships and one-to-one training with a master craftsperson; helping to support Britain’s cultural heritage and sustain vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts.”

Since it was created in 1990 – partly to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the scholarship has awarded over £5.5M to almost 800 individuals working across the UK in 130 different craft disciplines.

QEST was founded by the Royal Warrant Holders Association in 1990 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Association and the 90th birthday of HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

In 2017, King Charles – the then Prince of Wales – was named patron of the trust.

Wearing a designer supported by the trust is a touching way the current Princess of Wales recognised the late Queen’s passion for investing in British talent and supports other causes near to the likes of her own husband, as the QEST also focuses on sustainability and diversity.

When the details of the hat were shared on X account @WhatKateWore, one fan praised Catherine's "very thoughtful" choice of outfit.