On the eve of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s crowning ceremony, Kate Middleton and Prince William attended a Buckingham Palace lunch on Friday.

The event was held to welcome Governors-General and Prime Ministers of the realm who travelled to London ahead of the coronation.

The royal couple coordinated in black and white for the occasion, where they mingled with several dignitaries, including Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

Kate wore the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings, which contain seven pearls gifted to Queen Elizabeth from the ruler of Bahrain for her 1947 wedding.

The earrings also feature a large round diamond with a smaller circle diamond hanging below it.

Princess Diana had also worn these jewels on several occasions, including for Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021 and Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022.

King Charles was also present at the event and appeared to be in high spirits as he chatted with guests.

Earlier that day, several members of the royal family attended a rehearsal for the coronation service at Westminster Abbey.

The monarch left the venue through a side door at Dean’s Yard, looking cheery and shaking hands with his escort before getting into the back of his car, just as the rain started pouring down.

Prince William also attended the Friday morning rehearsal, and his arrival caused a stir among the crowd.

As the heir to the throne pulled up in a Range Rover, police blew whistles to alert the traffic and pedestrians that a VIP was coming.

William’s car drove through the gates of the Dean’s Yard, and as he exited, the crowd cheered and waved.

Throughout the week, rehearsals for the coronation have taken place, with Prince William and Kate bringing along their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to the practice on Wednesday.

During their visit to the Dog & Duck pub in Soho on Thursday, Kate told a well-wisher that her kids were ready for the event.

“‘I asked if the kids were excited about the coronation, and she said, they’re very excited.

They had their rehearsal yesterday so they knew what they’d expect,’ Mandy Lefheit of Seattle, Washington tells PEOPLE of her exchange with Kate.

“‘She said she’s more nervous than the kids are since it’s such a big event for the kids to be part of.

She said Louis will be there and that he’ll remember it,’ Lefheit added.

The coronation will be a momentous occasion for the Wales family, as Prince William and Prince George, 9, are the next two people in line to the throne, and both will have official roles in the ceremony.

Prince William will step forward to pay homage to his father, while Prince George adorably serves as a page of honor to his grandfather.

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace previously said, “‘We’re all very excited about Prince George’s role in the coronation, it will be an incredibly special moment.’

The rehearsals have been taking place at Westminster Abbey, a venue that has been used for British monarchs since 1066.

The coronation ceremony will take place on Saturday, and it is expected to be a grand and historic event.