Kate grips her hat at Archbishop of Canterbury’s windy unveiling,
One might have thought the new Archbishop of Canterbury’s gold mitre would be the most eye-catching headwear of the day.
But even that was put in the shade by the Princess of Wales’ striking black and white hat.
Gusty wind and rain forced Catherine, 44, to hang on tightly to her wide-brimmed Juliette Botterill number as she stepped out of the car at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent for the formal installation of the first female head and spiritual leader of the Church of England in 1,400 years.
The hat perfectly echoed her Suzannah London coat and was shown off to its best advantage by her elegant chignon. The Princess completed her outfit with pearl earrings and, naturally, a cross.
She was accompanying her husband, Prince William, who was there in his role as Prince of Wales.
While the monarch is Supreme Governor of the Church of England, traditionally it is the heir to the throne who attends in their place.
The ceremony instead features a mandate – a legal instruction – from the King, which was read by Principal Registrar of the Province of Canterbury, Darren Oliver, giving the monarch’s instruction to install Dame Sarah Mullally as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
It comes as Kensington Palace aides briefed that while William is not a ‘regular’ churchgoer, he does have a ‘quiet’ commitment to his faith and is keen to building a strong and warm relationship with the new Archbishop. It helps that like him, she is an Aston Villa fan.
Neither William nor Catherine had an active role in the service, instead taking seats as members of the congregation.
But Dame Sarah did stop and bow her head as she walked past the couple – William returning the gesture – and chatted happily with them at the end of the service.
Earlier, the 106th Archbishop had knocked on the Cathedral’s West Door three times using her pastoral staff – the traditional way to seek permission to enter.
She was questioned by local schoolchildren as to why she had been sent, to which she answered: ‘I am sent as Archbishop to serve you, to proclaim the love of Christ and with you to worship and love him with heart and soul, mind and strength.’
During the ceremony, she placed her hand on the St John’s Bible to swear the Corporal Oath, the first time this Bible has been used in this way.
The copy of the first Benedictine hand-illuminated Bible for more than 500 years was given to the cathedral in 2023.
Dame Sarah said she was ‘delighted to be with you today’ as she gave her first sermon in the role to a congregation of around 2,000 people.
Failures on safeguarding in the Church were also acknowledged, as she said: ‘In a world already torn by conflict, suffering, and division, we must also acknowledge the hurt that exists much closer to home.
We must not overlook or minimise the pain experienced by those who have been harmed through the actions, inactions, and failures of those in our own Christian churches and communities.
‘Today, and every day, we hold victims and survivors in our hearts and in our prayers, and we must remain committed to truth, compassion, justice and action.’
Dame Sarah also said she could never have imagined as a teenager – having become a Christian at the age of 16 – that she would one day become the first woman appointed to the Church of England’s top ministry role.
