Camilla Politely Reminded Kate—and The Netherlands’ Queen Maxima—To Stop Talking at Important Royal Event

Kate Middleton Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 19 June 2022

The Order of the Garter ceremony is a staple in the royal diary annually. This past Monday was the first time the ceremony was held since 2019, thanks to COVID—and this year, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was made a Royal Lady of the Garter. (According to The Mirror, the Order of the Garter was founded by Edward III in 1348 recognizing contributions to public service. Members of the Order include the Queen, several senior royals, and 24 other Knights or Ladies, all personally chosen by the monarch for recognition of their work. To non-royal followers, it’s the day where the royals take part in a procession wearing can't-miss-it regal velvet robes and plumed hats.)

Back in 2019, not only were members of the British Royal Family in attendance, but the King and Queen of both The Netherlands and Spain attended the service. Camilla and Kate Middleton—two future Queen Consorts—watched the ceremony alongside two current queens: Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Queen Letizia of Spain.

And Kate, The Mirror reports, was so lost in conversation with Maxima that they almost missed an important part of the procession. That’s when Camilla stepped in and tapped Maxima on the arm to remind both ladies to face forwards while the parade passed, lest they miss it. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, also quickly took her place in the lineup next to Letizia.

“Kate Middleton was spotted deep in conversation at the Order of the Garter ceremony in Windsor in 2019,” the outlet reports. “And if it wasn’t for Camilla’s reminder, she might have missed an important part of the event.”

Why were foreign monarchs at a very British event? The Mirror says, “some foreign monarchs are also in the Order, but are known as ‘Stranger’ Knights. These include King Felipe of Spain and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands.”

Other than the Queen and Camilla, British royals that are in the Order include Prince Charles, Prince William, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.