The Princess of Wales attended a service for the Most Noble Order of the Garter in Windsor for the first time in two years on Monday after missing last year’s event while she received chemotherapy.
Kate, 43, who is in remission from cancer, received a cheer from the crowd when she arrived at St George’s Chapel by car alongside the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The princess, wearing a cream dress by Self Portrait and a hat by Sean Barrett, shared a joke with Sophie as members of the Garter, including the King, Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Royal processed down the hill by the chapel’s Galilee porch wearing the traditional velvet robes and plumed white hats.
Their route was lined by soldiers on foot from the Household Cavalry’s two regiments: the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.
This year, the King was accompanied by two pages of honour who also served as pages during the opening of parliament last year: William Sackville, 11, grandson of the 11th Earl De La Warr; and Alfred Wellesley, ten, the son of the former model Jemma Kidd and her ex-husband Arthur Wellesley, the Earl of Mornington.
The King and Queen arrive at St George’s Chapel for the start of the service
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
William appeared to be in good spirits
GOFF
As ever, there was one glaring omission from the procession. The Duke of York was seen arriving by car for a private lunch with other members of the royal family despite being banned from the procession.
Prince Andrew remains a member of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior order of chivalry. However, he has not taken part in the public elements of Garter Day since 2019 when he stepped down from his public royal role over his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In the annual procession ladies and knights invested in the order, including the former prime ministers Sir John Major and Sir Tony Blair, walk down the hill from the Windsor Castle quadrangle to St George’s chapel.
Baroness Manningham-Buller, the former head of MI5, was made a lady companion of the Garter in 2014 by Queen Elizabeth II. Last year, Charles made her the first female chancellor of the order.
The Order of the Garter service has a special significance for the Princess of Wales. She first attended the service in June 2008. Appearing then as Miss Middleton nearly three years before the royal wedding, it was her first official public appearance with the royal family, having been invited to watch Prince William taking part.
The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior order of chivalry
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
Last year marked the first Order of the Garter service that Kate had missed since 2018, when she was on maternity leave after the birth of Prince Louis.
Having made a return to public duties by joining her family at Trooping the Colour last year, Kate released a personal statement saying that while she was making “good progress” with her cancer treatment, she had “good days and bad days” and was “not out of the woods yet”.
On Saturday, she joined other members of the royal family for this year’s Trooping the Colour, the King’s birthday parade, appearing on the balcony with other working members of the royal family.
The princess has made a gradual return to public life after issuing a statement at the beginning of the year saying that she was adjusting to a “new normal”.
Sophie and Kate were seen sharing a joke at the ceremony
MAX MUMBY
In a message posted on social media, she said: “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead.”
Kate joined other members of the royal family for a service in St George’s Chapel, while a crowd gathered in the sunshine outside to follow the service and join in by singing the national anthem.
After the service, the King and Queen waved as they returned to the castle by carriage.
The Prince and Princess of Wales travelled together in the second carriage, while the Princess Royal, her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, took the third.
Last year, the Duchess of Gloucester was invested in the historic order having been made a Royal Lady Companion. Air Chief Marshal 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.