Today is Garter Day, the annual celebration of Britain’s most senior order of chivalry. For the order’s annual service at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle, we saw some special royal jewelry on display.
The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III of England in 1348. Over the past 676 years, more than a thousand knights and ladies have been invested as members of the order, which remains the nation’s most senior order of chivalry. For today’s service, numerous royal members of the order were in attendance, including the King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent.
The Duchess of Gloucester is the newest royal lady to be installed as a member of the order. She received the honor from King Charles in April, in recognition of her half-century of dedicated service to the Crown. (Last week marked the 50th anniversary of the death of the present Duke’s father, and therefore also the 50th anniversary of the day that the current Duke and Duchess inherited their roles.)
On Garter Day, the knights and ladies of the order wear their robes and insignia for a luncheon at Windsor Castle and a service at St. George’s Chapel. Above, in an illuminated manuscript that dates to the 15th century, the order’s founder, King Edward III, is depicted wearing his Garter robes.
Garter Day is also a rare occasion when the knights and ladies wear the elaborate collar and badge (the “Great George”) of the order. This is the collar and badge worn by the late Queen Elizabeth II, pictured during a Platinum Jubilee exhibition at Windsor Castle in the summer of 2022.
King Charles and Queen Camilla led the procession into St. George’s Chapel ahead of today’s service, both wearing their velvet Garter robes and hats with their collars and badges.
Queen Camilla also added a few other favorite pieces of jewelry to her ensemble. She wore her diamond floral clip and pearl drop earrings, as well as her pearl choker necklace with its large pink topaz and diamond clasp. The clasp, which dates to the 1830s, can also be worn separately as a brooch.
The Princess Royal, pictured here alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, also wore her robes and insignia for the service on Monday.
As usual, she opted for a classic pair of diamond and pearl button earrings from her collection for a little extra sparkle.
And here’s a look at the lady of the hour, the Duchess of Gloucester, wearing her Garter robes and insignia in public for the very first time.
She also wore diamonds and pearls for the occasion, opting for diamond and pearl drop earrings from her jewelry box, as well as her pearl choker necklace with its diamond flower clasp.
The Duchess of Edinburgh watched the procession with other family members outside the chapel ahead of the service. She wore a pink floral dress with coordinating accessories for the event.
Here’s a closer look at her earrings, which feature dark pink agate slice pendants.
Many members of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s family were in attendance, including their three children, the Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina, and Lady Rose. Above, Lady Rose is pictured wearing diamond earrings and a gold chain necklace with a gorgeous royal heirloom pendant, borrowed from her parents for the occasion.
The pendant is an heirloom from Queen Victoria. The lozenge-shaped jewel, edged with blue enamel and tiny pearls, is emblazoned with Queen Victoria’s imperial cypher set in diamonds. The Duchess of Gloucester has worn the pendant on various occasions, often suspended from a pearl necklace. It’s lovely to see Lady Rose, who is a great-great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, wearing the jewel on such an important family occasion.
I’ll see you all back here on Tuesday with jewels from the first day of Royal Ascot!
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