British royals mark Mother’s Day

The British Royal Family celebrated Mothering Sunday on social media. 

Buckingham Palace posted three photos online. One of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother arriving at Westminster Abbey to attend the wedding of Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott to Mr Ian Hedworth Gilmour in July 1951.

The second is of a lovely shot of Queen Elizabeth II seated on a bench with a very young Princess Anne on her left and Prince Charles to her right. Susan—Elizabeth’s first Corgi—also makes an appearance. The throwback photograph was taken at Balmoral in September 1952, around seven months after the Queen’s accession.

Wishing Mothers everywhere, and those who might be missing their Mums today, a restful Mothering Sunday. pic.twitter.com/WxnZEktu7t

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 15, 2026

The third is a photograph of Queen Camilla with her late mother, Rosalind Shand. The Queen’s mother—born The Honourable Rosalind Maud Cubitt—was the daughter of the 3rd Baron Ashcombe and was a “Débutante of the Year” in 1939. Notably, her coming-out ball was attended by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother). She married Major Bruce Shand, who was a decorated World War II officer in the 12th Royal Lancers, in 1946. The couple had three children: Camilla Rosemary Shand in 1947, Sonia Annabel Shand (later Annabel Elliot) in 1949, and Mark Roland Shand in 1951. Rosalind brought up her children in a loving environment which nurtured their love of the outdoors. Sadly, Shand developed Osteoporosis. After a slow and agonising deterioration, Camilla’s mother passed away on 14 July 1994 in East Essex, London.

Kensington Palace shared a lovely unseen photograph of a two-year-old Prince William with his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, taken at Highgrove in 1984. The photo was accompanied by a very personal message from William himself,

Remembering my mother, today and every day. Thinking of all those who are remembering someone they love today. Happy Mother’s Day. W

Remembering my mother, today and every day. Thinking of all those who are remembering someone they love today. Happy Mother’s Day. W pic.twitter.com/7cfthU4uKm

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 15, 2026

Diana’s legacy is defined by her pioneering humanitarian work in championing causes that were often stigmatised and shied away from—most notably her physical contact with HIV/AIDS patients and her campaign against landmines. Often referred to as the “People’s Princess,” she modernised the public’s perception of the royal family, replacing traditional detachment ideals with emotional vulnerability.