The Princess of Wales cut an elegant figure as she joined her husband Prince William for the Commonwealth Day service on 13 March.
The royal couple were reunited with other senior royals, including the King and Queen Consort, the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne at Westminster Abbey – the same place she married William in April 2011.
Princess Kate was dressed to perfection in a floral two-piece peplum design by Erdem in navy blue which she reamed with a wide-brimmed hat, navy stilettos and a matching clutch bag. See her arrival at the Abbey here...
WATCH: Princess Kate wows in peplum design for Commonwealth Day service
Royal fans were no doubt hoping to see another stand-out style choice from the mother-of-three that same evening as King Charles hosted his first Commonwealth Day reception at Buckingham Palace.
But Kate was notably absent from the gathering – the only member of the original party not to attend.
The Princess cut an elegant figure as she joined her husband
Watchers were confused by her disappearance and took to Twitter to air their surprise. "Where's Princess Kate?" one asked. "Missing her at the Commonwealth reception." A second echoed: "Wish Kate had been there to give another masterclass in style."
TOP STORY: Sophie Wessex: Confusion over 'curtsy' to Meghan Markle following new title
DON'T MISS: King Charles's exchange with Duchess Sophie has royal fans all saying the same thing
A third said: "Why isn't Kate at the reception? And she's the only one missing. Very strange…"
The couple were reunited with other senior royals for the service
However, it's been revealed that the royal was never meant to be at the evening event.
In the original press release from the palace, Kate was included among the senior royals due to attend, but HELLO! understands that this was an administrative error and the Princess had never been due to attend.
DISCOVER: Which royal title could King Charles III give to Princess Charlotte?
MORE: When will Princess Charlotte wear her first tiara?
There's every chance that Kate was instead at home with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
William and Kate like to do the school run themselves
It's known that both Kate and Prince William are incredibly hands-on parents and like to do the school run themselves when possible in an effort to give their young family further stability.
REVEALED: Princess Kate's 'secret code' for calming her children at royal events
MORE: Prince William & Princess Kate's school night dinners for George, Charlotte and Louis
Out of the spotlight, the children’s lives include incognito visits to zoos, trips to the Natural History Museum, pizza making, and football in the garden.
Kate, whose work focuses on the early years, has said in the past that instead of aiming for perfection she tries to focus on simple pleasures with her family.
The royals are very hands-on parents
"I remember from my childhood – doing simple things, going for a walk together. That's what I try and do with my children because it strips away all the complications, all the pressures …. I've got one photo of Charlotte smelling a bluebell, and it's moments like that that mean so much to me as a parent."
LISTEN: What Prince William and Kate are really like behind the scenes
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to The Royal Explainer newsletter to receive your weekly dose of royal features and other exclusive content straight to your inbox.