There’s Likely a Poignant Reason the Women of the Royal Family Color Coordinated in Green at Yesterday’s Easter Service

King Charles, Queen Camilla, and several members of the royal family attended Easter Mattins service yesterday at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, and many of the women—including Camilla, Princess Anne, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York—chose to wear green for the occasion.

All three women wore different shades of the hue, the Queen in a regal emerald green coat dress by Anna Valentine, the Princess Royal in a mint green coat and a matching feathered hat, and the Duchess of York in a kelly green-hued dress. 

The reason the three women color-coordinated might be even sweeter than you think: the Princess of Wales—who recently revealed she is battling cancer and who missed the traditional Easter service yesterday along with her husband Prince William and kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—counts green as her favorite color. 

In addition to it being Kate’s favorite color, the color is “traditionally associated with nature, spring, and new life,” Hello reports.

Royal women actually color coordinate all the time, like at Kate’s Christmas carol concert in December 2022, when royal women all wore burgundy in a show of support. Speaking of green, the royal women banded together in that hue to attend Prince Philip’s memorial service, as his favorite color was Edinburgh green, a nod to his role as Duke of Edinburgh.

The Wales family of five typically attends the Easter service, but are currently at their country home, Anmer Hall, digesting the news of Kate’s diagnosis as a family. The choice by Camilla, Anne, and Fergie (who is also battling cancer) to wear green may be a silent statement of support for Kate, who, though not present physically, was close in spirit.

“Green represents growth, symbolism that is especially apt during the Easter season, when themes of sacrifice, resurrection, and new beginnings abound,” personal stylist Francesca Cairns told The Daily Express. She said that green “represents optimism” and added “It evokes feelings of hopefulness. Green is also associated with renewal and hope. I have noticed that the royals do match colors at certain events when they come together and want to make a statement.” 

The King, who is also battling cancer, was on hand for the service, and Buckingham Palace described the outing as “very encouraging” in terms of Charles’ cancer treatment progress, as the King greeted crowds gathered to wish him well.