The Princess of Wales has once again shown her warm and affectionate side during a touching moment at her annual Christmas carol service.
Kate, 42, was seen sharing a heartfelt kiss with the Duchess of Edinburgh as she greeted her inside Westminster Abbey, where the Princess hosted the festive Together at Christmas service on 6 December.
© GettyThe event, attended by senior members of the royal family, brought together community heroes and charity representatives for an evening of music, reflection, and celebration.
Kate, resplendent in a festive red longline coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, greeted Duchess Sophie warmly, leaning in for a kiss on the cheek.
Sophie, dressed elegantly in a long dress adorned with a stunning purple paisley pattern and a white blazer jacket, beamed as the two shared a sweet moment.
© ShutterstockThe Princess and Duchess have reportedly grown closer in recent years, with Sophie emerging as a steadfast confidante for Kate. The two women are often seen laughing and chatting at public events and their shared commitment to royal duties has further strengthened their bond.
Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother & I, the Inside Story of the King and Our Late Queen, recently told HELLO!: "They have a sisterly bond and Sophie is like the older sister Kate never had.
© WPA Pool"They are both incredibly kind girls and have a caring side to them. They are both protective of their children. Sophie has had a young family, so she knows what it's like trying to protect them while being in the royal world.
"Sophie also has experience of life-threatening illness - she nearly died when her daughter Louise was born. She has been there in the background, as part of a private support network.
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"They have a huge amount in common having probably formed a bond very much at the beginning," she continued. "Sophie was there for Kate in an unofficial capacity because she had the same experience of being a commoner marrying into the family.
"They both had really long romances with their husbands-to-be and Sophie lived at the Palace. By the time they got married they had more knowledge than the royal brides before them about what they were getting into."
"In terms of marrying into the family, they share that experience," royal author Robert Hardman also told HELLO!. "They are both people who weren't in the royal orbit before and had to adjust to that.
"The Duchess is not that far ahead in her motherhood journey – her son is still at school. And the two families now live close to one another."
