The British royal family is currently rushing from event to event. Last weekend they celebrated the King’s birthday parade, “Trooping the Colour”, in the middle of London. Princess Kate, who was suffering from cancer, also made a public appearance on this occasion after six months. And then on Monday there was a celebration at Windsor Castle.
The members of the British royal family, with the exception of Kate, appeared in ceremonial robes at the awarding of the Order of the Garter. New members are honoured every year on a Monday in June. This year, the recipients are Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, who are already members of the royal family, the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the air force marshal and diplomat Stuart Peach and the doctor Ajay Kakkar – all three are already members of the House of Lords as barons.
King Charles is the head of the Order of the Garter
The Order of the Garter was founded in 1348 by King Edward III and is still considered one of the most prestigious orders of knighthood in the United Kingdom. The Order is headed by the Supreme Sovereign, King Charles III. The “Order of the Garter”, as the Order of Knighthood is called in English, was originally founded to strengthen knightly loyalty to the King. However, the honor and title of this special Order are strictly limited: only 24 serving members may exist at the same time, currently there are 21.
Members of other royal families can also receive this award. For example, Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark, and Felipe VI, King of Spain, are among those who have received the order.
The “Garter Day” procession is the same every year. After a meal together in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle, the knights of the order gather. In a public procession, led by the king or queen, the group walks or travels by carriage to the service in St. George’s Chapel. During the ceremony, which has a clear seating arrangement, the awarding of the order takes place without an audience or press. On the way to the chapel, however, many fans and spectators wait along the way to catch a glimpse of the members of the British royal family.
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Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
