All eyes were on the Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle overnight as the British Royal Family gathered for the historic Order of the Garter ceremony, fresh off the heels of the weekend’s Trooping the Colour festivities.
The annual procession at St George’s Chapel saw King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and Prince William lead senior royals in traditional medieval splendour, donning heavy blue velvet robes and ostrich-feather plumed hats.
However, many royal onlookers were left wondering why the Princess of Wales walked among the spectators rather than in the parade.
As the oldest and most senior order of knighthood in Britain, founded by King Edward III in 1348, the grand ceremonial garb is strictly reserved for those officially appointed to the Order.
While lesser-known royals like the Duchess of Gloucester have been granted the honour, Princess Catherine is yet to receive the nod from the Sovereign, despite her return to robust health and full royal duties following her cancer remission.
Nevertheless, the Princess appeared in high spirits, sharing a laugh with Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, as they watched the procession.
Catherine opted for an elegant, custom gold Patrick McDowell satin coat dress with a tulle skirt, paired with a matching Jane Taylor hat and the emotional Robinson Pelham earrings gifted by her parents for her 2011 wedding.
The event also marked a stark new chapter for the monarchy. It is the first Garter Day since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his title and expelled from the Order by the King late last year.
Following his February arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the disgraced Duke was entirely absent from both the public parade and the private lunch, remaining in exile at Sandringham.
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