The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a very tender moment with the Duchess of Cornwall on Monday as the royals reunited for the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
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It was the first time that William and Kate have been seen in public with Prince Charles and Camilla since the Queen expressed her desire for Camilla to become Queen Consort when her son takes the throne.
WATCH: Royal family attend Commonwealth Day service without the Queen
The Cambridges warmly greeted the senior royal couple, both bending down to kiss Camilla on the cheek as they waited for the service to begin.
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Kate sweetly bent down to embrace her step-mother-in-law twice, affectionately placing her arm with her left hand in a touching gesture.
Duchess Kate warmly embraced Camilla inside the Abbey
The royals were in high spirits at the event, with William seen laughing with Camilla while Charles and his daughter-in-law also seen having an animated discussion.
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Sadly, the Queen herself was not in attendance at the event. It was the first time Her Majesty had missed the event in almost a decade, and it would have marked her debut public appearance since reaching her Platinum Jubilee milestone in February.
The Queen has expressed her desire for Camilla to become Queen Consort
The last time the Queen skipped the service was in 2013, while recovering from a nasty bout of gastroenteritis.
The decision that the monarch, who has just recovered from coronavirus, should not to attend has been interpreted as a precautionary measure and a practical move, rather than a new health issue.
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As Head of the Commonwealth, this "family of nations" of 54 countries has played an important role throughout the Queen's reign.
It was the first time the Queen missed the service in almost a decade
The theme of this year's service was 'Delivering A Common Future' – the Commonwealth's continued commitment to delivering a peaceful, prosperous and more sustainable future for all. It also celebrated Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee Year.
Other guests in attendance at Westminster Abbey included Princess Alexandra, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Labour leader Sir Keir Stamer and David Walliams.
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