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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Russell Myers & Jennifer Newton

Kate Middleton wears top to toe green and meets huge dog as she marks St Patrick's Day

The Duchess of Cambridge dressed head to toe in the traditional colour of Ireland and petted a huge dog as she marked St Patrick's Day today.

Kate and Prince William visited Mons Barracks in Aldershot to join the 1st Battalion Irish Guards for the annual St Patrick's Day Parade.

Kate opted to wear a new £3,200 coat in green by designer Laura Green, which had a gold shamrock brooch and a sprig of shamrock pinned to it. She also wore a new green hat by Lock & Co and dazzling emerald earrings.

William is Colonel of the Irish Guards and he and Kate have attended the annual event many times together in the past.

Kate gave the dog his own sprig of shamrock (REUTERS)
It is tradition for royal women to hand out shamrocks (Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

Unfortunately, last year's event was scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic while the 2020 parade was unable to go ahead as the majority of the regiment was overseas on deployment.

During Thursday's event, Kate presented sprigs of shamrock to the officers and guardsmen, who in turn issued it along the ranks - a tradition carried out by royal women since 1901.

She chatted and smiled with officers as she handed each their personal sprig of shamrock.

She told them: "Good morning, have some shamrock. Happy St Patricks Day."

Kate and William laugh as a young Gaia Money tries on her dad's bearskin hat after the parade today (REUTERS)
The royal couple seemed to enjoy the moment (REUTERS)

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She also presented the regimental mascot, a well-behaved Irish Wolf Hound called Turlogh Mor, also known as Seamus, with his own sprig of shamrock and ruffled his head,

Kate gave Seamus a salute as he was led off the parade ground with marching band.

Meanwhile William, who wore an Irish Guards uniform, took the salute during a march-past.

The Irish Wolf Hound is known as Seamus (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Kate wore a new green hat by milliners Lock & Co (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

However, it was adorable twenty-month-old Gaia Money who stole the show after grabbing two bouquets from the duchess.

Smiling Kate said: "Shall we swap. Now you have of both them."

Gaia's dad Lt Col Rob Money placed his bearskin hat over adorable Gaia's head.

Kate said: "That's so sweet. Do you fit inside it."

Mum Lorraine Money said afterwards: "The duchess was lovely. Gaia took both bouquets and she let them keep them. Gaia has been practising her curtsey at nursery school but failed!.

Kate receives flowers from 20-month-old Gaia Money, daughter of Commanding Officer Robert Money (PA)

"I am from Jamaica and we spoke about Jamaica as they are going there next week."

It is shaping up to be a busy week for William and Kate, after packing several big events in their diary.

On Monday they were at Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service along with all of the other royals.

Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, they will begin their eagerly-awaited Caribbean tour.

Kate with Prince William, who wore an Irish Guards uniform (AFP via Getty Images)

Buckingham Palace confirmed last month that they would be travelling to the Caribbean for a week-long trip to help mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The tour will take in Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas before ending on March 26.

A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: “Their Royal Highnesses are very much looking forward to the visit, which will be their first joint official overseas tour since the onset of Covid-19 in 2020.”

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