The Princess of Wales has made a glamorous re-appearance at the annual Order of the Garter service at Windsor as she donned a white Self Portrait dress for today’s ceremony.
Catherine, 43, sadly missed last year’s event – one of the highlights of the royal calendar – after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
But she returned this afternoon to watch her husband, Prince William, parade alongside his father, King Charles, Queen Camilla and other senior royals at the historic occasion, dressed in blue velvet cloaks and hats with plumes of ostrich feathers.
The royal mother-of-three repurposed the £400 Self Portrait Boucle and Chiffon midi – that Catherine first debuted in 2021 – for the occasion.
For accessories, Catherine picked her five-strand faux pearl necklace and matching earrings – both from Jewish designer Susan Caplan – that she previously wore to the VE Day 80th Anniversary Concert in March.
The Order of the Garter is Britain’s oldest order of chivalry.
It was set up in 1348 by King Edward III who, inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table, created his own group of honourable knights.
The Knights, now both male and female, used to be limited to aristocracy, but today – 700 years later – they are chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service and include former Prime Minister and senior military figures, as well as members of the Royal Family.
The Princess of Wales has made a glamorous re-appearance at the annual Order of the Garter service at Windsor as Kate picked a white Self Portrait dress for today’s ceremony
The future Queen repurposed her ivory Self-Portrait Tailored Boucle and Chiffon Midi for the occasion
There are a maximum of 24 members at any one time, demonstrating the exclusivity of the Order.
Following a private lunch at Windsor Castle, The King, who is Sovereign of the Garter, leads a dazzling parade down to St George’s Chapel.
The Princess of Wales and Duchess of Edinburgh watched from the chapel’s Galilee Porch as the procession – which also included Prince Edward, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, walked past for the order’s annual church service.
Afterwards the royal party, accompanied by all the other Knights and Ladies of the Garter, will take open-top landaus back up to the royal residence to the delight of the crowds.
The one notable absentee again was the Duke of York, who while forced to step back from all public royal duties over the Epstein scandal remains a member of the Order.
He is no longer permitted to join the procession but is not barred from attending the private lunch, should he so wish.
Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally – such as former Prime Ministers and senior military figures.
The patron saint of the Order is St George, its motto is ‘Shame on him who thinks this evil’, and its spiritual home is the chapel here at Windsor.
Catherine, 43, sadly missed last year’s event – one of the highlights of the royal calendar – after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing preventative chemotherapy
The Household Cavalry Band musicians make their way past the Lower Ward ahead of the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
Every knight is required to display a banner of his arms in the chapel, together with a helmet, crest and sword and an enamelled stallplate.
These ‘achievements’ are taken down on the knight’s death and the insignia are returned to the Sovereign. The stallplates remain as a memorial and these now form one of the finest collections of heraldry in the world.
The appearance comes just a day after the Princess of Wales joined her husband Prince William and their three children at Trooping of the Colour in London.
William and Kate were joined by Princes Louis and George and Princess Charlotte as they celebrated the King’s official birthday.
Kate, 43, looked resplendent in an aquamarine coat dress from her late mother-in-law Princess Diana’s favourite designer Catherine Walker – complete with a wide-brimmed hat by Juliette Botterill.
The mother-of-three accessorised with the Irish Guards regimental brooch as well as the Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings in a sweet tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
They were crafted from pearls gifted to the Queen and Philip from the ruler of Bahrain at the time of their wedding in 1947.
Her mini-me daughter Charlotte also paid tribute to the late monarch by rewearing the Diamond Horseshoe brooch she wore to her great-grandmother’s funeral.
Kate was a vision in white as she arrived at Windsor Castle for the Order of the Garter ceremony
Prince William at the Order of the Garter ceremony, dressed to the nines in his blue velvet cloak – complete with a hat adorned with plumes of ostrich feathers
The brooch, which has been in the Royal Family for generations, had been a gift from her ‘Gan-Gan’ the Queen, and was a fitting nod to Her Majesty’s love of horses.
Meanwhile, the boys, George and Louis, wore matching suits with striking red ties to match their father’s scarlet military tunic.
The King, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, led the royal appearances on Saturday as they watched a flypast involving aircraft including the Red Arrows, Chinook helicopters and a Lancaster bomber, a model that was used during World War II.
But it was the Wales Family – particularly little Prince Louis – who stole the show on the Buckingham Palace balcony where they were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as the Princess Royal and Sir Timothy Laurence.
The late Queen’s cousin the Duke of Gloucester and his wife also watched the flypast, alongside Prince Michael of Kent.
Cheeky Prince Louis captured the hearts of the nation once again as he waved to the gathered crowds with a large beaming smile.
Earlier, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were seen bowing their heads in respect as the royal family led a minute’s silence to remember the 270 people so far known to have been killed in the Air India disaster.
Prince William and Catherine’s children watched on from a nearby balcony after taking part in the Trooping the Colour parade from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guard’s Parade while their parents carried out official roles during the ceremony.
Led by a regal Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, the youngsters joined the rest of the royals in a quiet moment of reflection to remember the lives lost in the disaster.
Fans gathered early on the Mall on Saturday and braved the rain while hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal family. A small group of protesters carrying placards reading ‘Not my King’ was also in attendance.
The procession was led by a carriage carrying the Duchess of Edinburgh and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, ahead of a second in which the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will travel.
The Prince of Wales, Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh followed behind on horseback.
It is the first time Princess Anne has ridden in public since she suffered a head injury, thought to be caused by a horse, at her home last year.
The Prince and Princess of Wales with their children George, Louis and Charlotte on the Buckingham Palace balcony
The Wales Family posed for a family portrait following Trooping the Colour on Saturday
What is the Order of the Garter? How King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur he set up his own group of knights almost 700 years ago
In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honourable knights, called the Order of the Garter.
Nearly 700 years later, the Order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. The Knights, now both male and female, used to be limited to aristocracy, but today they are chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service.
The patron saint of the Order is St George (patron saint of soldiers and also of England) and if there are vacancies in the Order, appointments are announced on St George’s Day (23 April).
The Order of the Garter is a 700-year-old tradition which recognises great public service. Membership is limited to a maximum of 24 and is usually Lords and Ladies with The Queen, left in 2018, naming members as she sees fit. An ‘extra’ group of members who do not count towards the official limit are Royal Knights, including Prince William, while Prince Charles is an automatic member as first in line to the throne
The spiritual home of the Order is St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Every knight is required to display a banner of his arms in the Chapel, together with a helmet, crest and sword and an enamelled stallplate.
These ‘achievements’ are taken down on the knight’s death and the insignia are returned to the Sovereign. The stallplates remain as a memorial and these now form one of the finest collections of heraldry in the world.
Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.
As sovereign and heir, The Queen and Prince Charles are automatically given membership of the Order and are considered ‘ex officio knights’. The Prince of Wales is known as a Royal Knight Companion of the Garter.
The sovereign, known as the Sovereign of the Garter, is the only one with the power to admit new members.
The Garter is open to British and Commonwealth citizens. Notable former members include Sir Winston Churchill, Stanley Baldwin and Sir Edmund Hillary.
Field Marshall, the Lord Bramall, a former Chief of the Defence Staff, the Duke of Abercorn, the Duke of Westminster and Baroness Manningham-Buller, the former Director-General of MI5, are among the current Knights and Ladies of the Garter.
There are also two orders of ‘extra’ knights. Members of the Royal Knights and Ladies include Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Prince Charles, the Princess Royal and Prince William.
A second order, the Stranger Knights and Ladies, is bestowed on foreign rulers such as Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Harald V of Norway.
Although new additions are named on St. George’s Day, the 23 April, the initiation ceremony takes place in Junmantle during the traditional Garter Procession, which sees members parade through Windsor.
The annual iconic Garter Day procession, where The Queen and the Knights process in grand velvet robes, glistening insignia and plumed hats, is one of the most traditional ceremonies in the Queen’s calendar.
Every June, a grand procession of the knights takes place at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a marching band and Officers of the Order, all in grand ceremonial dress.
The day begins with The Queen formally investing any new Companions with the Order’s insignia in the Throne Room of the Castle. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh entertain the members and officers at a lunch, and then all process on foot to a service in St. George’s Chapel.
There is a short service where any new Companions are installed. The Sovereign and other members of the Order then return to the Upper Ward of the castle in carriages and cars.
