The Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge had first joint engagement today
Kate, 37, and the Queen, 92, shared a blanket in the back of the car as they pulled up at King's College London, where they will reopen Grade II-listed Bush House.
The Duchess was elegant in a grey Catherine Walker coat, believed to be a new bespoke addition to her wardrobe, which she teamed with her new favorite Gianvito Rossi block heels and a black Mulberry clutch.
In a rare move for such an outing, Kate, 37, completed her outfit with a hat, which is likely to be a sign of respect to the monarch.
Meanwhile the Queen, 92, plumped for a rose pink coat by Stewart Parvin and matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat with beautiful floral detailing at the brim.
While the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge have attended dozens of events together, it is their first without any other member of the royal family.In 2012 the pair visited Leicester as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour but were joined by the Duke of Edinburgh. However they did make individual stops on the schedule without him, including watching a student fashion show.
The Queen unveiled a plaque marking the official opening of Bush House, King's College
The outing took place in March, shortly before William and Kate's first wedding anniversary. Later that year the Duchess of Cambridge joined the Queen at Fortnum & Mason for an event launching a military initiative, where they were joined by the Duchess of Cornwall.
Today the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge appeared in excellent spirits as they arrived at Bush House, which previously served as the headquarters for BBC World Service but is being leased by King's College London. It marks the newest building as part of the university's Strand Campus.
Kate and the Queen could be seen sitting with a blue blanket over their laps as they arrived in the back of a car. There was much fanfare, with well-wishers crowding outside the gates to the building and some even standing on bollards in the hope of getting a better glimpse of the royals.
Following royal protocol, Kate waited for the Queen to leave the car before exiting the vehicle herself. She continued to walk behind the monarch as they made their way into the building.
The Queen, who is patron of King's College and visited in 2002 and 2012, will tour the facilities with Kate and meet supporters of the development. They will view a robotics demonstration, including robotic surgery, and a demo showing how sensors made from textiles can measure useful information about the body.
They will also visit a virtual trading floor and meet students from the Entrepreneurship Institute, which supports entrepreneurial thinking, skills and experiences amongst King's students, staff and alumni.
The Duchess of Cambridge remained by the Queen's side as she officially opened Bush House
The Duchess of Cambridge followed the royal rule book today as she attended her first joint engagement with the Queen.
Kate, kept to her usual style in a smart grey Catherine Walker coat, as they both attended King's College to Open Bush House, but she also teamed her dress with black tights and a hat. Unless it's a special occasion Kate is rarely seen in hats for informal day events, so wearing a hat could have been a sign of respect to the monarch, who also wore a pink Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat with floral detailing at the brim.
In fact, the hat she wore today, was the same one she wore when she last had a royal engagement with the Queen - visiting the city of Leicester together in 2012 during her Diamond Jubilee tour of the UK.
William Hanson, etiquette expert said: 'Formal day dress always requires a hat and the Queen is rarely seen in public during daytime events without one. Catherine will undoubtedly have known that a hat was required if she wished to keep in the royal good books.' But it wasn't just a hat that the Duchess sported to keep in the Queen's good books, she also wore black tights, instead of her normal sheer tights and allowed the Queen to exit the car first.
Hanson adds about the Duchess: 'As a future queen, she completely understands the role and her current place in the royal pecking order. At today’s engagement in London she followed the royal rule book, as usual, to the letter.'
The Queen smiled warmly at the Duchess of Cambridge following a brief ceremony to officially open Bush House
Meanwhile the Queen, 92, plumped for a rose pink cashmere coat by Stewart Parvin and matching Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat with beautiful floral detailing at the brim. Although they have carried out a handful of public visits with other members of the Royal Family, it was the first time that they have been on one together in public, outside of Buckingham Palace.
In 2012 the pair visited Leicester as part of the Diamond Jubilee tour but were joined by the Duke of Edinburgh. However they did make individual stops on the schedule without him, including watching a student fashion show.
