The King and Queen led senior members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle on Monday for one of the most prestigious events in the royal calendar, the annual Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel.
Joining Their Majesties were the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent as the royals gathered for the centuries-old ceremony.
Following a private lunch inside Windsor Castle, members of the Order took part in the traditional procession to St George’s Chapel, wearing their famous velvet robes, white plumes and ostrich-feathered hats.
After the service, Catherine was seen travelling back to Windsor Castle by carriage alongside Prince William, smiling as the couple brought another high-profile royal appearance to a close.
The Princess of Wales looked radiant in a striking lemon coat dress created by London-based designer Patrick McDowell, the same designer she honoured with the Queen Elizabeth Award for Design last year.
The fabric for the elegant outfit was specially woven by Stephen Walters & Sons in Suffolk, while Catherine completed the look with a Jane Taylor hat featuring matching fabric details and a pair of sparkling earrings by Robinson & Pelham.
Throughout the event, the Princess exchanged smiles and laughter with Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, warmly greeted members of the Order and was also seen gazing proudly at Prince William before respectfully curtsying to King Charles.
Among those participating in the ceremony were former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, former Conservative Party chairman Lord Patten and Labour peer Baroness Amos.
But this year’s event also marked a significant change.
For the first time, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was absent from every part of the Order of the Garter celebrations.
The former Duke of York had remained involved in previous years, insisting on attending the private lunch even after losing his public duties following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
However, after King Charles stripped his younger brother of his remaining titles and removed him from the Order, Andrew’s appointment was formally annulled on October 30, 2025, and his banner was removed from St George’s Chapel.
A royal source said that since Andrew is no longer a member of the Order, “it is logical that he is not attending any element of the day.”
Andrew, who is now living in Norfolk, is understood to have stayed away completely, making 2026 the first year he has had no involvement whatsoever in the historic occasion.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen, accompanied by senior royals, completed the ceremony before returning to Windsor Castle by carriage, bringing another pageant steeped in royal tradition to a close.
