As Prince William and Kate take the underground ahead of the coronation, a look at royals on the tube

Kate Middleton and Prince William travelled on the Elizabethan line to the Dog and Duck pub in London’s Soho
Marina Licht
By Marina Licht
4th May 2023, 4:32pm

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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales travel on London Underground's Elizabeth Line in central London, on their way to visit the Dog & Duck pub in Soho to hear how it's preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort, on May 4, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - WPA Pool/Getty Images)LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales travel on London Underground's Elizabeth Line in central London, on their way to visit the Dog & Duck pub in Soho to hear how it's preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort, on May 4, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 04: Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales travel on London Underground's Elizabeth Line in central London, on their way to visit the Dog & Duck pub in Soho to hear how it's preparing for the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort, on May 4, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Perhaps there was no symbolism intended when Prince William and Kate Middleton decided to take the tube, and more specifically the Elizabeth line to the Dog and Duck pub in London’s Soho? However, ahead of the coronation this weekend, I hope it was in fact a deliberate gesture by the couple and their aides to pay tribute to Prince William’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

After all, Queen Elizabeth II, despite suffering from mobility issues at the time, made a surprise appearance to open the then-new Elizabeth Line in London back in May 2022. She was accompanied by her youngest son, Prince Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh.

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Sky News reported that “Holding a walking stick, the monarch emerged from a transparent lift and smiled brightly, looking resplendent in a Stewart Parvin double-wool crepe coat in sunshine yellow.”

Although it is not an everyday occurrence when the royals take to the tube, it has happened several times in the past. As well as opening the Elizabeth Line in 2022, Queen Elizabeth 11 also opened the tube link to Heathrow back in 1978.

Queen Elizabeth II passing though the tube gates at Heathrow Central, London, UK, 16th December 1977. (Photos by Maurice Hibberd/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Queen Elizabeth II passing though the tube gates at Heathrow Central, London, UK, 16th December 1977. (Photos by Maurice Hibberd/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II passing though the tube gates at Heathrow Central, London, UK, 16th December 1977. (Photos by Maurice Hibberd/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Going even further back in time than 1978, there is a wonderful black and white photograph on Getty, showing Queen Elizabeth 11, the then Princess Elizabeth, with her younger sister, Princess Margaret, Lady Helen Graham and their governess, Marion Kirk Crawford, taking the girls on their first ride on the London Underground in 1939.

British Princesses Elizabeth (second left) and Margaret are accompanied by Lady Helen Graham (left) and governess Marion Kirk Crawford (right) as they arrive for their first ride on an London Underground 'tube' train at St James's Park, London, May 15th 1939. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)British Princesses Elizabeth (second left) and Margaret are accompanied by Lady Helen Graham (left) and governess Marion Kirk Crawford (right) as they arrive for their first ride on an London Underground 'tube' train at St James's Park, London, May 15th 1939. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
British Princesses Elizabeth (second left) and Margaret are accompanied by Lady Helen Graham (left) and governess Marion Kirk Crawford (right) as they arrive for their first ride on an London Underground 'tube' train at St James's Park, London, May 15th 1939. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

In 1979, King Charles, then Prince Charles, visited Charing Cross Tube Station before its reopening after refurbishment.

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He started dating Princess Diana a year later and married her on July 29, 1981. 

Charles, Prince of Wales, visiting Charing Cross Tube Station before its new opening after refurbishment, London, UK, 30th April 1979. (Photo by Manwaring/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Charles, Prince of Wales, visiting Charing Cross Tube Station before its new opening after refurbishment, London, UK, 30th April 1979. (Photo by Manwaring/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Charles, Prince of Wales, visiting Charing Cross Tube Station before its new opening after refurbishment, London, UK, 30th April 1979. (Photo by Manwaring/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Now, back to the present day, well almost! Back in 2013, Queen Elizabeth 11, the Duke of Edinburgh and Kate Middleton visited Baker Street Underground Station.

In 2015, King Charles and Queen Camilla, the then Prince of Wales and Camilla, marked 150 years of the London underground by travelling from Farringdon to London’s Kings Cross. 

Britain's Prince Charles (Seated R) and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Seated L) travel on a Metropolitan underground train from Farringdon to London's Kings Cross as they mark 150 years of the London Underground on January 30, 2013. The London Underground was the world's first underground railway, then known as the Metropolitan Railway, unveiled its first stretch of track between Paddington and Farringdon on January 9, 1863, with passengers making their first journeys a day later. AFP PHOTO / CHRIS JACKSON/POOL (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Britain's Prince Charles (Seated R) and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Seated L) travel on a Metropolitan underground train from Farringdon to London's Kings Cross as they mark 150 years of the London Underground on January 30, 2013. The London Underground was the world's first underground railway, then known as the Metropolitan Railway, unveiled its first stretch of track between Paddington and Farringdon on January 9, 1863, with passengers making their first journeys a day later. AFP PHOTO / CHRIS JACKSON/POOL (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Britain's Prince Charles (Seated R) and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (Seated L) travel on a Metropolitan underground train from Farringdon to London's Kings Cross as they mark 150 years of the London Underground on January 30, 2013. The London Underground was the world's first underground railway, then known as the Metropolitan Railway, unveiled its first stretch of track between Paddington and Farringdon on January 9, 1863, with passengers making their first journeys a day later. AFP PHOTO / CHRIS JACKSON/POOL (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Although Kate Middleton and Prince William seemed to enjoy their London Underground experience today, this will of course not be their mode of transport for the coronation on May 6.

Kate Middleton also revealed today that the family were still getting ‘all of the ducks’ in a row before the momentous occasion takes place. 

Related topics:CoronationRoyalsPrince WilliamLondonKate MiddletonKing CharlesTubeLondon UndergroundThe Royal Family

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