PRINCE William beamed as he hosted his first star-studded garden party of the year - while an "excited" Kate shared a work update.
A jubilant Wills, 41, laughed as he greeted guests at the lavish royal event at Buckingham Palace this afternoon.
The royal looked relaxed as he mingled with crowds of A-listers and famous attendees at the glitzy bash.
He was met by adoring fans and the drizzly weather didn't put a dampener on festivities.
William was pictured alongside the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester as Princess Eugenie chatted with fellow attendees.
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She donned an elegant Fuchsia dress and sheltered from the downpours under an umbrella.
Her sister Princess Beatrice also made an elegant entrance, while Zara and Mike Tindall also made a star appearance elsewhere.
The royals milled with some of 8,000 guests.
Ant McPartlin, 48, grinned despite the downpours just days after the announcement of the birth of his baby boy, as he joked with comic sidekick Declan Donnelly, 48.
Wills, in a claret and blue tie - the colours of his favourite football team Aston Villa just days he celebrated their qualification for the Champions League - spoke to guests from many of his and Kate's many patronages.
These included unsung heroes from his project Homewards working to end homelessness and RAF Valley, Anglesey, where he served as a search and rescue pilot for three years from 2010 to 2013.
He did his best to keep spirits high when he chatted to Douglas Whitlam, president of Swim England of which William became patron in 2007.
Wills said: “If this weather carries on it will be perfect for swimming."
Mike and Zara stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the prince as he wooed guests including Rowan Aderyn, the equality, diversity and inclusion lead contributing to the heir’s Homewards programme in Newport, Wales.
The wannabe author, who was homeless in her 20s, handed her self-penned book about the life of a boy living on the streets.
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Taking the copy, William gushed: "This is great, so inspirational.
"I'll read this to Louis tonight at bedtime."
William shared his umbrella with many guests who had not come so prepared for the downpours.
And in return shared cookies with Reverend Squadron Leader Chrissie Lacey, of RAF Coningsby, in Norfolk.
William said: "I promise you that wasn't a fishing expedition but I will take them all the same, this is amazing".
William also revealed his son George, 10, would love to visit the base as he is a "potential pilot in the making".
The Prince of Wales last hosted a garden party to celebrate community stalwarts last May, alongside his wife the Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal.
Kate, 42, is undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment and will not return to duties for the foreseeable future and until she is cleared to do so by doctors.
It comes as wife Kate shared an update on keeping up with work behind the scenes amid her preventative cancer treatment.
The princess was hailed a "driving force" behind a new early years project - but won't return to work until doctors give her the "green light".
She is yet to return to her public role four months after undergoing hospital surgery and later revealing her diagnosis.
A senior royal aide said she will only resume those duties once she has the "green light from doctors".
But, Kate has read a 60-page report on her early years project and is tracking the work - published today.
The mum-of-three launched The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood in March last year.
A senior royal aide confirmed: "The Princess of Wales was the driving force behind the business task force.
"She has been kept up to date since the inception of the task force and she has read the report and been briefed on it."
In a speech at Natwest HQ the royal mum-of-three said it was time to think "radically" in order to create a workforce that is "resilient, flexible and able to work through differences with each other".
She added: "The healthy development of our children relies on healthy adults."
The report published today suggested investing in early years could add at least £45.5bn to the national economy each year.
Eight major firms - including Iceland, Ikea, Lego and Natwest - have signed up to follow the findings.
A spokesman for the Princess of Wales said: "This should not be seen as the Princess of Wales returning to work.
"The work of the prince and princess's projects are always on. That is no different at The Centre for Early Childhood Over the past five months there has been a huge deal of progress.
"However, early childhood is a huge priority for the Princess of Wales.
"She has been kept fully up to date throughout the process and the development of the task force's work and she has seen the report."
Kate set up the task force last year and left it in the hands of businesses to develop the report for the Royal Foundation.
Christian Guy, executive director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said: "She feels passionately about the transformational impact of getting this right, together with business both for current and generation and many more to come.
"She's excited by it, to have eight of the most significant businesses in Britain come forward to make the case to their fellow business leaders is vital and exciting for her and priority going forward for our centre and her work."
