 Solution

Let $e=u-u_h$. Subtracting the two weak formulations gives Galerkin orthogonality, $a(e,v_h)=0$ for every $v_h\in V_h$. Since $a$ is the first-order Sobolev inner product, for every $v_h\in V_h$ we haveIf $e\ne 0$, division proves $\Vert e{\Vert }_1\le \Vert u-v_h{\Vert }_1$; if $e=0$, the same conclusion is immediate. Thus the Céa lemma has constant one in this case.

Use the quadratic nodal interpolant $I_{h}u$. The assumed $H^3(\Omega )$ regularity gives continuous nodal values by the Sobolev embedding theorem, and its zero Sobolev trace makes the nodal values on ${\Gamma }_D$ zero. The quadratic Lagrange triangle construction then gives $I_{h}u\in V_h$. The allowed quadratic finite element interpolation estimate on a shape-regular mesh iswhere $C_I$ depends on the fixed triangle and shape regularity, but not on $h$. ThereforeThis step uses the inclusion $I_{h}u\in V_h$ explicitly permitted by the question. Arbitrary smaller vector subspaces without the same approximation property would not give this rate.