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.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
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.
-
Olivia Rodrigo Finds the Perfect Spring Dresses at Reformation
She's worn the brand twice in the past week.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Curiously, Just as Meghan Markle Sends Samples of Her New Strawberry Jam Out, the Buckingham Palace Shop Starts Promoting Its Own Strawberry Jam on Social Media
The clip promoting the Buckingham Palace Shop’s product—we cannot make this up—is set to Mozart’s “Dissonance Quartet.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Zendaya's Latest 'Challengers' Serve Is Nearly a Century Old
The 1930s-era dress may have been pulled months ago.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Princess Diana Revealed to a Royal Author the Real Reason Why Her Marriage to Prince Charles Ended Not Long Before She Died in 1997
And no, it apparently wasn’t Camilla Parker-Bowles.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
How the World Is Reacting to Kate Middleton's Health News
World leaders and celebrities alike rushed to offer their sympathies to the princess and her family.
By Fleurine Tideman Published
-
Kate Middleton Carefully Chose the Day She Would Reveal Her Cancer Diagnosis
Friday is an important milestone for Kate and William's children.
By Fleurine Tideman Published
-
Queen Elizabeth II's Childhood Drawing, Which Her Mom Called "Very Poor," Is Up for Auction
Savage.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
How Did Queen Elizabeth Really Feel About Then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ Polarizing 2005 Wedding?
This week’s final installment of ‘The Crown’ will cover the wedding as the series wraps up for good.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Camilla Parker-Bowles Gave Kate Middleton Advice on “How to Hang Onto a Prince”—But Kate Struggled to Follow It
Camilla was “on standby” to give Kate advice in her early days of dating Prince William.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Will Be in Wales Today to Pay Tribute to the Queen on the Anniversary of Her Death
The Queen had a special connection with the cathedral they're visiting.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Prince William Is "Built From the Queen's Mold," Says Royal Expert
He's learned a lot from her.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published