15/06/2026
Something a bit different again this evening. I'm going to take you to the Garter Ceremony in Windsor through my photos. First a little history lesson 😉The Order of the Garter is the most senior and the oldest British Order of Chivalry and was founded by Edward III in 1348. The Order, consisting of the King and twenty-five knights, was intended by Edward III to be reserved as the highest reward for loyalty and for military merit.
From the eighteenth century to 1946, appointments to the Order (and to the Order of the Thistle) were made on advice from government. Today, the Order has returned to its original function as a mark of royal favour; Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally. The number of knights is limited to 24 plus royal knights. For much of its history, the Garter was limited to the aristocracy, but today the knights are from varied backgrounds. If there are vacancies in the Order, appointments are announced on St George's Day (23 April).
Every June, the Knights of the Garter gather at Windsor Castle, where new knights take the oath and are invested with the insignia. A lunch is given in the Waterloo Chamber, after which the knights process to a service in St George's Chapel, wearing their blue velvet robes and black velvet hats with white plumes. The King as Sovereign of the Order, attends the service along with other members of the Royal family in the Order. The King and The Queen Consort entertain members and officers of the Order to lunch in the Waterloo Chamber.
The King and the other members of the company then assemble in St George's Hall, marshalled by one of the heralds, before walking through the upper, middle and lower wards of the castle to St George's Chapel. All wear the Garter's traditional flowing blue velvet robes, hoods of red velvet worn over the right shoulder, and black velvet hats with white feathers.
A fanfare of trumpets announces the arrival on foot of the main procession, led by the Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle and the Military Knights of Windsor.
Bands of the Household Division play as the procession passes dismounted squadrons of the Household Cavalry, lining the route in their scarlet ceremonial uniforms.
After the chapel service, which is relayed via loudspeakers to the crowds, there is an open-carriage procession back up the hill.
There are never more than 24 Knights Companion plus The Royal Knights.
I enter the ticket ballot every year, to watch the procession within the grounds of Windsor Castle, but this time luck wasn’t on my side. These photos from June 2023 have been sitting on my hard drive for the past three years! I also have lots from the Garter Ceremony in 2024 to share, but I’ll post those separately since there are so many.
