The honorary royal members embody the Queen‘s cousins the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Gloucester, all recognised for his or her lengthy and devoted service to Her Majesty. The late Queen’s 4 kids, King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, have additionally been appointed to the Order and, in 2008, Prince William was the 1,000th Knight to be added. Foreign royals – together with King Olav V of Norway, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden – have additionally been on the checklist.
Garter Day historically takes place in June at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, as St George is the Order’s patron saint. The annual Garter Day procession, the place the King and the Knights course of in grand velvet robes, their glistening insignia and plumed hats, is one of the most conventional ceremonies in the royal calendar. ‘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,’ explains the royal family’s official website.
The day begins with the King formally investing any new appointments with the Order’s insignia in the Castle’s throne room, after which company attend a lunch hosted by the Sovereign earlier than processing on foot to a service at St George’s Chapel. Key members of the procession are the monarch’s Pages of Honour: sons of friends of the royal family who are chosen to carry ceremonial positions inside the family, and attend state events. This yr, King Charles’ two pages have been William Sackville and Alfred Wellesley, each of whom have an intimate connection to the royal family.
