Order of the Garter 2003-2019: Ceremonies and Information

[MARG]

I think outside of their respective countries we need to be sensible. This coming Garter Day is a perfect example and of the need to say "of Spain" or "of the Netherlands". Has anyone seen the Queen . . . oh, what a marvellous game of who's on First . . .

[Mbruno]

The Queen seems to genuinely like Felipe and Willem Alexander, whom she has known since they were teenagers. I assume she is not as close to Philippe of the Belgians as she is to the Spanish and Dutch monarchs, but she has met the new Belgian king and queen privately at least twice lately. It would be a pity if she could not have the opportunity to honor Philippe with a knighthood of the Garter before the end of her reign, especially considering that Philippe's father never received that distinction when he was king. That will depend, however, on the willingness of the British government to schedule a Belgian state visit, which seems very unlikely now.

[carlota]

can one be in the public of the garter ceremony? a spanish friend is in london over those dates and is thinking of visiting windsor on that day.

[Iluvbertie]

If your friend hasn't already applied for a ticket and received it then no.

Applications are opened in April and close pretty quickly.

I was able to get such a ticket some years ago.

She could still go to Windsor but she won't be able to see the castle or any of the Garter ceremony without an already issued ticket.

[Iluvbertie]

After the excitement of a State Visit and Trooping in one week I am glad we have a 'slow' week ahead before the Garter and Ascot week starting on the 17th.

[An Ard Ri]

Looking forward to the Garter Service this year hope the weather improves for the event!

[AdmirerUS]

I need some Ascot in my life. Can't wait. Will have to wait!

[Marika86]

Confirmation about the presence of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Service of the Order of the Garter

https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/actuee...igd-koninkrijk

Royal Couple visits Windsor in the United Kingdom
News item 07-06-2019 | 15:42

His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima will visit Windsor in the United Kingdom on Monday 17 June.

The King is installed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the 'Most Noble Order of the Garter'. During an annual ceremony in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, he is installed as 'Supernumerary Knight of the Garter'. During the state visit of the Royal Couple to the United Kingdom on 23 and 24 October 2018, the King was appointed Knight in this Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II. His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain will also be installed as 'Supernumerary Knight of the Garter' during the ceremony on 17 June. He received that appointment during a state visit in 2017.

The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III in 1338, making it the oldest and highest knighthood in the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth is at the head of the order. In addition to members of the British Royal Family, the order includes twenty-four knights and ladies, who have been appointed by Queen Elizabeth for their special merit for the common good. In addition, some foreign heads of state are part of the order: the Supernumerary Knights and Ladies. Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands has also been a member of this order since 1989.

[Rudolph]

Will be lovely if we get some pics of Camilla, Catherine and Sophie with Maxima and Letitia

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Rudolph

Will be lovely if we get some pics of Camilla, Catherine and Sophie with Maxima and Letitia

If I understood it correctly, Queen Maxima and Queen Letizia will also ride in the carriage procession with members of the BRF, so we will have a good look of them.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

If I understood it correctly, Queen Maxima and Queen Letizia will also ride in the carriage procession with members of the BRF, so we will have a good look of them.

Isn't the new installed member (when it is a foreign monarch) and his spouse usually in a coach with the Queen? Will be difficult this time as then it would be 5 people.

[Blog Real]

Will the Dukes of Sussex also be at the garter order ceremony?

[Waika]

The Duke of Sussex is not a member of the Garter, so they will not be attending. I think he will be appointed when his father becomes king.

[tommy100]

Oh wow! A state visit, D-Day 75th commemorations, Trooping with an appearance from Louis and now the Garter ceremony with WA & Max and Felipe & Letizia followed by Ascot! I wonder if the Dutch and Spanish couples will stay for at least one day of Ascot, I remember some other foreign royals who have the Garter have attended Ascot after Garter Day.

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

If your friend hasn't already applied for a ticket and received it then no.

Applications are opened in April and close pretty quickly.

I was able to get such a ticket some years ago.

She could still go to Windsor but she won't be able to see the castle or any of the Garter ceremony without an already issued ticket.

i see! it was me suggesting they went given they wanted to see windsor so maybe i jumped the gun too early

so excited to see kate, letizia and maxima in windsor next week. letizia and maxima went on state visit to the UK not long ago also, so how fun to see them all unite again for the official garter ceremony. no doubt QEII offered felipe and WA the order upon their state visits.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by carlota

i see! it was me suggesting they went given they wanted to see windsor so maybe i jumped the gun too early

so excited to see kate, letizia and maxima in windsor next week. letizia and maxima went on state visit to the UK not long ago also, so how fun to see them all unite again for the official garter ceremony. no doubt QEII offered felipe and WA the order upon their state visits.

Yes, they received the order during their respective state visits. If you see again the clips from the state banquets, King Felipe VI and King Willem Alexander are both wearing the ribband and the star of the Order of the Garter, so apparently they don't have to be invested in the order first to wear the insignia.



Note that King Felipe VI is also wearing the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece on his necklace. Curiously, during the dinner procession, the guests are walking past a picture of Queen Victoria with Prince Albert and their children where Prince Albert, I think, is also wearing the sash of the Garter and the Golden Fleece, but his Golden Fleece necklace insignia is the bigger version, similar to the one King Felipe VI wears in Spain during state dinners. You can see an enlarged version of the picture by clicking on this link .


Back on Prince Albert's days, there was an investiture ceremony for knights of the Golden Fleece too. Prince Albert was invested by proxy in England by the Duke of Wellington, who was the first Protestant to be inducted into the order and served as a representative of the Spanish regency at the time. The Royal Collection's website has an account of Queen Victoria's memories of the ceremony.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

The Queen seems to genuinely like Felipe and Willem Alexander, whom she has known since they were teenagers. I assume she is not as close to Philippe of the Belgians as she is to the Spanish and Dutch monarchs, but she has met the new Belgian king and queen privately at least twice lately. It would be a pity if she could not have the opportunity to honor Philippe with a knighthood of the Garter before the end of her reign, especially considering that Philippe's father never received that distinction when he was king. That will depend, however, on the willingness of the British government to schedule a Belgian state visit, which seems very unlikely now.

Indeed. It is unlikely we will see a Belgian state visit in the near term. At this time of change for the UK, the focus has been on the larger economies, and, it appears, Belgian does not cut the mustard.

[Duc_et_Pair]

The Queen is the last Von Sachsen-Coburg on the British throne. The Belgian King is a Von Sachsen-Coburg as well. It is interesting that the relationship with Leopold III, Baudouin, Albert II and Philippe seems more distant than with, for an example, Willem-Alexander or Felipe.

The Duchess of Brabant is now attending the same school as WA did: the Atlantic College in Wales. Possibly this will intensify the contacts between the two Courts. From Prince Charles we know he has contacts with the adolescent Prince of Orange.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

The Queen is the last Von Sachsen-Coburg on the British throne. The Belgian King is a Von Sachsen-Coburg as well. It is interesting that the relationship with Leopold III, Baudouin, Albert II and Philippe seems more distant than with, for an example, Willem-Alexander or Felipe.

The Duchess of Brabant is now attending the same school as WA did: the Atlantic College in Wales. Possibly this will intensify the contacts between the two Courts. From Prince Charles we know he has contacts with the adolescent Prince of Orange.

Not the thread to discuss that, but Albert I was revered in Britain as a war hero. Léopold IiII on the other hand. tarnished his reputation when he capitulated to the Nazis against the advice of his ministers. Both Léopold ( before WW2) and Baudouin were made Knights of the Garter. Baudouin paid a state visit to the UK in 1963 and Queen Elizabeth returned the visit a few years later. Queen Elizabeth also famously attended King Baudouin’s funeral, so I guess they had a good relationship ( maybe not so much with Queen Fabiola, who had a reputation of being eccentric).

[JessRulz]

Posts about the Dutch monarchs attending Ascot this year after the Garter ceremony have been moved to the http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ml#post2231231 thread.

Please continue Ascot-related discussion there.