Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondent
Prince William and Catherine have paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II on the third anniversary of her death, as Prince Harry laid a wreath on his return to the UK.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited a Women’s Institute event in Sunningdale, Berkshire, to meet members of an organisation with a long association with the late Queen.
On Monday morning, Prince Harry – who has travelled back to the UK for the first time in five months – privately laid a wreath and paid his respects to the late Queen in Windsor, where she is buried.
Prince Harry has arrived at the WellChild charity awards in London, the first in several planned engagements this week.
EPAQueen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, who died at the age of 96, had been president of the Women’s Institute branch in Sunningdale.
Over tea and homemade cake, Prince William and Catherine heard about the sense of community and support created by the Women’s Institute, which the late Queen had belonged to for 80 years.
“Three years ago my grandmother passed away, I know she was a big part of the WI and she used to talk about it a lot, so this is a huge honour for me,” said Prince William.
“I can’t quite believe it’s three years already,” he said.
Guests were reminiscing about the late Queen’s interest in racing and he said that she used to follow news about her horses on an iPad.
The prince chatted to guests about the value of meeting people in person rather than using social media. “It’s not the same as face to face with a cup of tea and a cake and having a chat,” he said.
The royal visitors also faced questions about their own children, saying they were at an age when they could “wind up” each other.
Prince William was wearing a dark jacket and tie, at a time of royal mourning for the Duchess of Kent, who died last Thursday.
PA MediaThis is also the anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Charles, who is spending the day in Balmoral in Scotland, where the late Queen died.
There has been speculation about whether Prince Harry will meet his father during his UK visit, with the two not having met face to face since February 2024, soon after King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
Prince Harry’s wife Meghan and their children have remained at their home in California.
At the WellChild awards Prince Harry is supporting a charity that helps seriously ill children and their families.
Harry is patron of the charity which wants to shine a light on the resilience of children with complex medical needs, with the awards now in their 20th year.
On Tuesday, Prince Harry will be in Nottingham where is expected to announce a significant donation to a Children in Need project and on Wednesday he will be at Imperial College London, to visit the Centre for Blast Injury Studies.
PA Media
