Today, the royal family gathered at Westminster Abbey to pay their respects to a longtime friend and philanthropist, Sir Donald Gosling.
Prince William joined Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Charles’s younger brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex at the site of his 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton to remember the family’s late friend. The thanksgiving memorial (no, not that thanksgiving), celebrated the memory of Sir Gosling, who amassed a multimillion-dollar fortune by running a popular parking garage company in the United Kingdom. As a philanthropist and WWII vet, he gave large sums of money (upwards of $130 million) to naval charities and other various causes. He passed in September at the age of 90, leaving behind a warm legacy.
Interestingly, all of the royals except Prince Charles (who was in military dress) matched in navy blue outfits for the ceremony. There’s no telling whether it was a strange coincidence or planned. However, British etiquette authority Debrett's states that the specific hue of blue is appropriate for a service like Sir Gosling’s. “Black is still the usual colour of mourning, but it is not essential to wear unbroken black. A dark colour, such as grey or navy blue, is acceptable,” the etiquette company’s website reads. Although the thanksgiving ceremony technically wasn’t a funeral, it’s possible that may be the reason for all the navy.
