Kate Middleton

The couple made a previously-unannounced appearance in the darkness at the early service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberr, watched by tens of thousands there. With the memorial building lit up behind them, William and Kate quietly arrived at around 5am, the beginning of ANZAC day, the nation's special day of remembrance.Kate, 32, in a cream scarf and black coat and black leather gloves, stood beside William, her hands clasped in front of her as they listened to early readings which had started before they arrived. Pinned on his coat, William, 31, wore his two medals given for service to his grandmother the Queen marking her Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

Kate and William made a previously-unannounced appearance in the darkness at the early service at the Australian War Memorial

Soon after William and Kate arrived, a young servicewoman reminded those present that the names and faces of the 40 Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan were displayed on the memorial. Stretching out beneath them from the memorial and down towards Parliament House, tens of thousands of veterans, their families and ordinary members of the public gathered in the darkness to pay tribute. Some sat with candles. William and Kate and the others in the official party had small torches to read the order of service. After two wreaths were laid at the Stone of Remembrance, the Australian army chaplain Peter Willis led the prayers. He spoke of the extreme gratitude for those "who laid their lives down for our sakes", and added that we remember "with compassion those who still suffer" because of war. The couple bowed their heads as the Lords prayer was said to end the prayers. Both sang the hymn 'Abide With Me' before The Ode ending with "we will remember them" was read. As the Last Post was sounded a crescent moon that had been barely visible above the memorial in the night sky became clearer as the clouds eased briefly. The commemorative address was given by Corporal. Ben Roberts-Smith who praised the ANZAC spirit that lives on in servicemen and women and the emergency services, such as the firefighters who tackled bush blazes last year. Roberts-Smith is Australia's most decorated modern soldier and the couple met him at a reception in the capital last night.

The service concluded with the national anthem of Australia, and, as the sky lightened, the first birds could be heard above the low-level chatter of the congregation. The official service begun at 5.30am, but the readings had already started at 4.30am with thousands of people already in place, listening to readings, broadcast throughout the parkland. Families huddled under blankets, mums cradled babies and veterans sat to hear the remembrances. The couple had wanted to attend the dawn ceremony as they knew how special and moving memorial it is for Australia and New Zealand and felt it was appropriate to be there, a royal source said. ANZAC derives from the acronym used to describe the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC day began from the commemoration of the dawn landing by Australian and New Zealand soldiers, and those who lost their lives, at Gallipoli in 1915. Today is the 99th anniversary of that day.