The Princess of Wales watched the Garter Day procession through the grounds of Windsor Castle and gave a beaming smile to her husband, William.
Procession Highlights
Kate had a front row position for one of the highlights of the royal calendar, the Knights of the Order of the Garter walking through the grounds of Windsor Castle after their annual lunch. Thousands of spectators lined much of the route from the royal residence in the upper ward down to St George’s Chapel, where the annual service in celebration of the ancient chivalry order was held.
Among those in the procession were the King, the Queen, traditionally at the rear of the Knights, while further ahead was the Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Royal. Other Garter Knights included former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, Lord Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, and West End musical impresario Lord Lloyd-Webber – all in their blue velvet mantles and black velvet hats with white ostrich plumes.
Kate's Interaction
While waiting for the procession to begin from her vantage point of the chapel’s Galilee porch entrance, Kate acknowledged the waves from the public with her own, as did the Duchess of Edinburgh. The princess wore a wide-brimmed pale yellow hat by Jane Taylor, a matching Patrick McDowell coat dress, and earrings by Robinson Pelham. She stood patiently with Sophie, chatting to clergy and a nearby policeman on duty for around 15 minutes before the Garter Knights appeared, their way led by heralds in their colourful tunics.
William walked beside Edward and looked over at his wife, who gave him a loving smile in return. When the King passed a few moments later, he looked over at Galilee Porch where Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also stood. Kate curtseyed, as did Sophie, and Sir Tim bowed his head.
Notable Absences and Investitures
The disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor attended last year’s Garter lunch but not the public elements of the day. He has since been stripped of his Order of the Garter honour in light of his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and was not among the royals. During the St George’s service, three new Garter Knights were invested – historian and former journalist Lord Peter Hennessy, ex-Cabinet secretary and head of the Civil Service Lord Gus O’Donnell, and former chief justice Lord Ian Burnett.
All knights and lady companions of the Garter are chosen personally by the sovereign and tend to honour those who have held public office, contributed in a particular way to national life, or served the monarch personally. The order was founded by Edward III in 1348 after he was reportedly inspired by the tales of King Arthur.
New Knights
Lord O’Donnell is likely the best known, as he was at the heart of government for successive prime ministers, from Sir Tony to Gordon Brown and Lord David Cameron, and earned the nickname “GoD” because of his initials. Lord Hennessy is an academic specialising in the history of government and previously worked for The Times, the Financial Times, and BBC Radio 4, while Lord Burnett became the youngest lord chief justice since 1958 when he was appointed in 2017, aged 59, serving until 2023.
After the service, the royal family enjoyed a carriage ride up the hill back to the castle in brilliant summer sunshine. Charles and Camilla’s coach travelled at pace, followed by William and Kate, then Anne and her husband sitting with Sophie and Edward, and finally the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
