Her Majesty, the Queen, has bestowed a special honour
to the Duchess of Cornwall, making her a Royal Lady of the Most-Noble Order of
the Garter. The appointment, which was announced by the palace on Friday
evening, will come into effect on 1 January.
At the
same time as honouring her daughter-in-law, the monarch also appointed The Right
Honourable Valerie Ann, Baroness Amos C.H. to be a Lady Companion, and The
Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair to be a Knight Companion of the
Most-Noble Order of the Garter.
Knights
of the Garter are chosen personally by the Queen to honour those who have held
public office, those who have contributed in a particular way to national life,
or those who have served the sovereign personally. Such honours are made in the
gift of the Queen, without the need for Prime Ministerial advice.
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| Prince Charles and the Queen at the Order of the Garter ceremony in 2019 |
The
Most-Noble Order of the Garter, which was founded by King Edward III in 1348,
is ranked as the highest British civil and military honour obtainable.
The reigning sovereign and the Prince of
Wales, in this case, Camilla’s husband, Prince Charles, are always members of
the order and the maximum number of members is 24. Friday’s three new
appointments bring the number of Companions to 21. The annual iconic Garter Day
procession is normally held every June, although the ongoing coronavirus
pandemic has scampered proceedings for the past two years.
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| Camilla pictured at the 2019 event |
The
Windsor event sees the Queen and her Knights process in grand velvet robes,
glistening insignia and plumed hats. The procession is accompanied by a
marching band and Officers of the Order, all in grand ceremonial dress.
The
day begins with the Queen formally investing any new Companions with the
Order’s insignia in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle – in this case, new
members like Camilla. Members and officers then sit down for lunch before
processing on foot to a service in St. George’s Chapel where new Companions are
installed.
