Catherine, Princess of Wales, Pays Tribute to Diana Again at Historic Order of the Garter Procession

Reuters | June 20th, 2023

Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William, Prince of Wales, depart the Order Of The Garter Service at Windsor Castle on June 19, 2023. Catherine's hat and dress were an homage to the late Princess Diana. Photo: Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Catherine, Princess of Wales, paid tribute to Princess Diana during her appearance at the historic Order of the Garter procession, following a similar fashionable nod to her late mother-in-law at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday.

The Princess, 41, was the first royal seen at the event on Monday, and was joined by her husband Prince William, 40, who was decked out in a traditional robe and plumed hat during the event at Windsor’s St. George’s Chapel.

They were also joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, 59 and 58 respectively, and Princess Anne, 72, while scandal-hit Prince Andrew, 63, was absent for a second year in a row.

Catherine, who has children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, with William, was dressed in a polka-dotted Alessandra Rich dress and Philip Treacy hat which were paired with Collingwood drop pearl earrings first owned by Princess Diana, which the royal has used on previous official occasions.

Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing a dress by Victor Edelstein and hat by Frederick Fox, Surrey, England, June 5, 1986. Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images; Inset: Catherine, Princess of Wales, in a similar polka-dotted Alessandra Rich dress and Philip Treacy hat, Windsor Castle, June 19, 2023. Photo: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Days earlier, Catherine paid tribute to Diana with her outfit at King Charles’ historic first Trooping the Colour as monarch.

While sitting alongside Queen Camilla, 75, and her children in a carriage, she wore a pair of earrings that once belonged to her late mother-in-law, who died at age 36 in a Paris car crash in 1997.

The jewels were a gift from Catherine’s husband Prince William, who also gifted her his mother’s sapphire engagement ring when he proposed in 2010.

They were originally given to Diana as a wedding gift as part of a suite of jewels from Crown Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, wearing earrings originally gifted to Princess Diana, at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 17, 2023. Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images; Insets, from left: Princess Diana, Australia, February 1988. Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images; Diana wearing the same earrings, Germany, 1987. Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

There was also drama at Monday’s Order of the Garter parade, when a member of the Household Cavalry fainted and had to be helped back to his feet by a police officer.

King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla were cheered by fans at the event, which was founded by Edward III around 700 years ago.

Inspired by tales of King Arthur and his round table, the modern-day Order includes the king, who is Sovereign of the Garter, senior Members of the Royal Family and a maximum of 24 knights chosen to honour those who have held public office or who have served the Sovereign personally.

Andrew, now a non-working royal after the fallout from his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, attended a lunch for the event in his role as a Royal Knight Companion but was not permitted to join the procession.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 70, was also seen going into the prestigious ceremony.

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