Kate Middleton surprises fans for Buckingham Palace walkabout with Prince William, King Charles

With just one sleep until coronation day, Prince William and Kate Middleton have delighted thousands by greeting fans outside Buckingham Palace.

In London

The Prince and Princess of Wales have delighted royal fans camped out outside of Buckingham Palace with a surprise visit ahead of the coronation.

Prince William and Kate Middleton joined King Charles for the impromptu walkabout down The Mall, much to the excitement of eager royal watchers – some of whom had been camped out since last weekend.

The Princess of Wales hosted a walkabout on The Mall today outside Buckingham Palace.

Fans got to chat to Kate Middleton.

The crowd has swelled significantly across Friday, with thousands arriving to claim their spot ahead of Saturday‘s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

The trio stopped to shake hands and chat with people lining the barricades, thanking them for their support and sharing in their excitement for the weekend’s events.

“How are the kids doing? Are they very excited?” one woman asked Kate as she worked her way through the crowd.

“Excited, a bit nervous, obviously - a big day ahead. But can’t wait, actually,” the Princess of Wales responded, before joking: “Hopefully it’s like swans - relatively calm on the outside, a bit paddle-y on the inside.”

King Charles III was also at the walkabout. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

The pair stepped out ahead of the coronation tomorrow. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

At one point, the crowd erupted into a rendition of God Save the King.

The surprise royal walkabout came shortly after the King took part in a final rehearsal, where an audience of more than 2,000 will watch on from inside the Abbey on Saturday.

Thank you for being here! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/iBY2xhTDef

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 5, 2023

So pleased to see so many of you looking forward to the Coronation weekend! 👋 pic.twitter.com/4u8SL3AEfK

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 5, 2023

Hundreds of millions are expected to tune in to the broadcast globally, while hundreds of thousands will line the streets of London, hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal procession.

Charles, William and Kate’s outing came after the King hosted a special luncheon at Buckingham Palace for realm prime ministers and other dignitaries.

The royals were also joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh at the special event, along with Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

There are thousands of fans camped outside the palace. Picture: Toby Melville – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Friday‘s surprise royal walkabout came just one day after William and Kate caught the London Underground and showed up to a historic pub in Soho.

The Prince and Princess of Wales caught the swanky new Elizabeth Line train service to the Dog and Duck pub early on Thursday afternoon, local time, where the couple chatted happily and took selfies with excited members of the public.

Melbourne woman Anne-Michel Greenwood, 49, was one of the lucky handful who caught up with Kate as she made her way through the crowd.

“I feel like this is the best day of my life. I saw my opportunity and said, ‘I’ve come a long way from Melbourne, Australia,’” Anne-Michel told news.com.au. “She said ‘Oh my gosh, did you come for the coronation? And I said, ‘Yes, I’ve only come for this.’

It comes after the pair surprised a small pub in Soho on Thursday. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

“She asked me, ‘What else are you doing?’ And I said, ‘Nothing, I’m following you around all weekend.’ And she laughed. She’s very tall and more gorgeous than what I expected – and so friendly. She was lovely.”

William and Kate were visiting the centuries-old tavern – a former favourite watering hole of Madonna and Guy Ritchie, first established in 1734 – to meet with local business owners ahead of the UK’s coronation bank holiday.

The royal couple thanked the city’s hospitality workers while chatting with them about their plans for the weekend, before William tried his hand at pulling pints behind the bar.

Originally published as Kate Middleton surprises fans for Buckingham Palace walkabout with Prince William, King Charles