Camilla attendance marks Kate's 10th Garter Day in Windsor
camilla and the royal family gathered in Windsor today as the Princess of Wales attended the Order of the Garter procession for the 10th time. Kate Middleton watched the procession in a custom Patrick McDowell dress and her Robinson Pelham wedding earrings.
Her appearance added a milestone to a ceremony tied to the Order of the Garter, which was established by King Edward III almost 700 years ago. Kate first attended Garter Day in 2008, before she was even a member of the royal family.
Windsor procession
Kate joined Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Edward, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester in Windsor for the day’s ceremony. She watched the procession alongside Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who is also a regular attendee on Garter Day but is not a member of the Order.
The Princess of Wales wore a matching wide-brimmed Jane Taylor hat with the dress. Stephen Walters & Sons in Suffolk said, "The fabric has been specifically woven for Her Royal Highness by Stephen Walters & Sons, in Suffolk." Patrick McDowell said, "It has been a wonderful collaboration, developing one of my existing pieces with Stephen Walters, for Her Royal Highness."
Robinson Pelham earrings
Kate chose the custom Robinson Pelham earrings that were a gift from her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton. An official royal wedding press release described them as "diamond-set stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the center."
The oak leaves and acorns were symbols used in the Middletons’ coat of arms, which was granted to them before the wedding. The same attendance count also links back to 2008, when Queen Elizabeth appointed Prince William to the Order of the Garter and he became the 1,000th Knight in the Register.
Kate's 2008 start
Kate’s 10th Garter Day appearance puts her into a small group of repeat attendees at Windsor, and it shows how the procession has become part of her public calendar even though she is not a member of the Order. Her choice of the wedding earrings kept the focus on a family piece that has returned to a major royal event.
For royal watchers, the practical detail is simple: the day centered on a familiar procession, a tenth appearance for Kate, and a reused piece of jewelry tied directly to her wedding.
