Sophie Wessex's outfit for the state funeral included a very discrete tribute to the Queen today. Stitched into the calf length, pleated dress coat, it honoured her extremely close relationship with the late monarch.
Sophie, 57, married to Her Majesty's youngest son Prince Edward, 58, since 1999, and they share two children: the Queen's so-called 'favourite' granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James Viscount Severn, 14.
The Royal's custom outfit was designed by Suzannah Crabb, who revealed that Lily of the Valley flowers - Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite flower - were stitched into the panels.
"The coat dress was embroidered with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II favourite flowers, Lily of the Valley,” Suzannah Crabb told The Standard.
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"They are intertwined with inspiration of the flowers from within Her Majesty’s wedding bouquet.”
Sophie finished her outfit with a pair of suede, black high heels and a curved black hat embellished with black flowers. In a sombre moment before the ceremony started, she was seen comforting Prince George.
Sophie and the now Queen Consort were the only non-blood relatives to be at Balmoral after the monarch's death - with Sophie, 57, previously described as a 'second daughter' to the late monarch.
Her Majesty was also extremely close to Sophie's children, her youngest grandchildren - Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount James.
The monarch also invited her to several church services together and they enjoyed watching old movies together.
Last week, Sophie, who has a reputation as a peacemaker, was seen extending the hand of friendship to Meghan Markle.
Recounting her experience from inside Westminster Hall, royal writer Rebecca English said that there was a 'notable gap between Sophie and Meghan' at first, 'while the three working royals bunched together'.
She added: 'Meghan, 41, looked decidedly self-conscious from my vantage point, just above her in the 900-year-old building, the oldest on the parliamentary estate.
'Shoulders back, clutching her programme and bag, she was the most stylish and striking of them all. She wore a pair of pearl earrings given to her by the Queen as a wedding present.
'But there was something self-consciously awkward about her posture, demonstrating the depth of the rift between herself and the rest of the royal family even if you happened upon them without any prior knowledge of the acrimony of the past four years.
'Indeed Meghan, who was holding black leather gloves, seemed so lost for something to do that at one point she rested her left hand in her pocket.'
But Sophie, who has was the first royal to visit Meghan and Harry after Archie's birth, could be seen leaning over to chat.
Describing the sweet gesture, English added: 'Meghan, who had travelled in a car with Sophie from Buckingham Palace earlier - while the Queen Consort and Kate, as the two most senior women now in the royal family, went ahead together - a reason to move slightly closer to her husband's aunt.'
As the procession left Westminster Abbey today for Wellington Arch, members of the royal family watched on.
The Queen Consort, the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex were seen looking sombre as the King and his siblings marched off.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte stood in front of their mother, with George looking directly at the coffin as it passed.
