Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester is going down in modern royal history.
King Charles kept the tradition of appointing new members to the Order of the Garter on April 23, the feast day of England’s patron saint, St. George. In addition to naming Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Air Chief Marshal Lord Peach and the Right Honourable Lord Kakkar to the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in the U.K., the monarch also honored the Duchess of Gloucester as a Royal Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
The decision was unexpected, as the Duchess of Gloucester became the first non-blood royal who wasn’t married to the monarch or the heir to be appointed to the position. This opens the door for other royal spouses such as Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh to be welcomed into the order in the future.
The 77-year-old wife of the late Queen Elizabeth’s cousin Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester is a full-time working member of the royal family. According to her bio on the royal family’s official website, she supports over 60 organizations across the arts, the military, sports, health, welfare and education. She’s also a regular face at royal events such as Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of the monarch’s birthday, and appeared in a group photo alongside the other working royals after King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation in May 2023.
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The Duchess of Gloucester has attended the annual Garter Day at Windsor Castle many times before, as her husband has been a member since 1997. However, at this year’s celebration, she will be able to wear the velvet robe and hat (complete with white ostrich and black heron feathers!) that signify her status as a member.
According to the royal family’s website, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table during his reign in the 1300s that he set up the Order of the Garter as his own group of honorable noblemen. At the annual service, the monarch formally invests any new Companions with the Order’s insignia in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle. The members and officers then attend a lunch hosted by the sovereign then all process on foot to a service in St. George’s Chapel where new Companions are installed.
Other members of the royal family who are currently in the Order of the Garter include Queen Camilla, Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Prince William.
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The Prince of Wales, 41, received his Order of the Garter knighthood in 2008 — and his then-girlfriend, Kate Middleton, attended his first service as a member! Her attendance was significant, as it showed that she was being welcomed into the royal family fold.
The Princess of Wales, 42, is not a member of the Order of the Garter. However, she has continued to support her husband at the event, including sharing a big smile with Prince William during the procession last year.
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Princess Kate, Prince William and Queen Camilla also received new appointments from King Charles on April 23.
While William and Camilla took over historic royals — Prince William became the Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath while the Queen became the Grand Master and First or Principal Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire — the Princess of Wales was given a brand new position.
The King, 75, appointed his “beloved daughter-in-law” as the first-ever Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour. The order was founded in 1917 by King George V to recognize achievements in the arts, sciences, medicine and public service. Members are limited to 65 at a time (plus honorary members from outside the Commonwealth) and currently include Elton John, David Attenborough, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Anna Wintour.
