Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to make an exciting
return to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade for the first time in two years.
A statement from Kensington Palace confirmed the news. “The Duke of
Cambridge, Colonel of the Irish Guards, accompanied by The Duchess of
Cambridge, will visit the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the St. Patrick’s Day
Parade, Mons Barracks in Aldershot on Thursday 17th March. This will be the
first time The Duke and Duchess have attended the parade since the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic.”
The royal couple were unable to attend the parade last year after
it was called off because of the pandemic, while in 2020, it was called off as
the majority of the regiment were deployed overseas at the time.
The statement confirmed that the royals will present the traditional
sprigs of shamrock to officers and guardsmen of the regiment, who will, in turn, hand them out among the ranks.
Kate will also present the Irish Wolf Hound regimental mascot with its
own sprig of shamrock.
The parade is due to finish with a march-past, where Prince William will
take the salute.
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| The Duke and Duchess have not been at the event since 2019 |
Following the parade, the Duke and Duchess will meet members of the
regiment before having official photographs taken with every rank within the
British Army.
They will then visit the Junior Ranks dining hall, where senior
guardsmen will propose a toast to the royal couple. Despite the event being
called off in 2020, the royals still shared a tribute, sharing photos of the
Irish Guards in their deployments in South Sudan and Iraq.
Part of William and Kate’s Instagram caption read: “The Irish
Guards, known affectionately throughout the Army as ‘the Micks’, is an Irish
regiment which has proven its loyalty and grit on many tough operations.”
The couple signed off the post with: “As the Regiment’s motto challenges,
‘Quis Separabit’ — ‘Who Shall Separate Us?'”
