Kate Middleton made an appearance at the annual Order of the Garter ceremony as she posed for pictures while standing next to Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
King Edward III established the Order Of The Garter
The Princess of Wales sadly missed last year’s service as she was undergoing treatment for cancer. However, this year, she was there to see her husband, Prince William, walk beside his father, King Charles.
Kate Middleton, as always, looked radiant and regal in her white lace Self Portrait dress, matching hat, and an elegant pearl necklace with matching earrings, which she sported to the VE Day 80th Anniversary concert in March.
The Order of The Garter is a deep-rooted and most senior Order of chivalry, with knights chosen in recognition of their public service.
The ceremony harkens back to medieval times. The Order of the Garter was first established in 1348 by King Edward III, who was inspired by stories of King Arthur and the valor of the Knights of the Round Table.
King Edward created his band of honorable knights called the Order of the Garter. The Sovereign personally chooses those who are knighted.
In the past, the Knights were limited to men and those of great wealth and power. Now, the Knights are chosen from a wide variety of backgrounds in recognition of their outstanding public service and achievement.
For example, those who have held office, have contributed in some way to national life, or have served the monarch personally are knighted.
The original medieval membership consisted of only the British King and the Prince of Wales, each with twelve companions.
Kate And Sophie Watched The Procession At The Chapel’s Galilee Porch
Today, the Order of the Garter includes the King, several senior members of the royal family, and twenty-four Knights appointed by the monarch. Charles is the Sovereign of the Garter.
The Knights wear their traditional royal regalia, consisting of dark blue velvet robes, a velvet garter, and ostrich feather hats.
Each knight displays a banner of their arms in the chapel, coordinating with a helmet, crest, sword, and enameled stall plate.
Kate Middleton and Sophie watched the procession at the chapel’s Galilee porch, the ideal vantage point to see the parade.
The royals included in the procession were Prince Edward, Princess Anne, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. After the ceremony, the King hosted a lunch for the Order in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle.
There are currently ten members of the royal family who have become Royal Knights and Royal Ladies within the Order.
King Charles became a Royal Knight Companion of the Order in 1958 when he became the Prince of Wales.
Prince William was made a Royal Knight in 2008 by the appointment of Queen Elizabeth II. Last year, the Duchess of Gloucester was invested, making her a Royal Lady Companion.
Air Chief Marshall the Lord Peach, a retired RAF officer who chairs NATO’s military committee, Lord Kakkar, a professor of surgery, and Lord Lloyd Webber, the composer, were also invested and installed as Knights.
Other Knights include past prime ministers Sir John Major and Sir Tony Blair. Baroness Manningham-Buller, the former head of M15, was the first female chancellor of the Order.
Since her cancer ordeal, Kate has taken a measured and gradual approach to her royal duties. On each occasion, she looks more radiant than the last.
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