The Princess of Wales wore a striking blue coat to the service of thanksgiving and dedication in Edinburgh.
The Princess of Wales showed off her sartorial prowess as she attended King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Scottish coronation on Wednesday, dressed head to toe in striking blue.
Kate, who is known as the Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, looked stunning in a Catherine Walker coat, a hat by Philip Treacy, and a four-strand pearl choker from the late Queen’s collection.
And while she turned heads with her regal outfit, some royal watchers may be wondering why she wasn’t dressed in ceremonial robes like her husband, Prince William, King Charles, and Queen Camilla.
The reason is simply because Charles, Camilla, and William are all members of the Order of the Thistle, the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland. Charles is sovereign of the Order, and appointments made to the Order are entirely his personal gift in recognition of Scottish men and women who have held public office or have significantly contributed to national life.
The Order, which is second only in precedence in England to the Order of the Garter, comprises 16 Knights and Ladies but also includes Camilla, William, and Princess Anne.
Charles, Camilla, and William therefore wore their Order of the Thistle robes for Wednesday’s service of thanksgiving and dedication at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, with William also wearing his RAF No. 1 uniform and four RAF Wings medals.
Kate, however, has not been appointed a Lady of the Order of the Thistle and was therefore not seen in ceremonial robes.
Camilla looked lovely in her symbolic garb, wearing the Thistle robe and hat, including the star and collar. The star and collar belonged to the late Queen.
It was the first time Her Majesty has been seen in her Thistle robes since her appointment to the Order in June 2023. Camilla also wore a long white dress by Bruce Oldfield.Leading figures from Scotland’s national life gathered for the mid-week event that formed part of Scotland’s Royal Week and saw King Charles presented with the Honours of Scotland, the country’s crown jewels.
The crown, sceptre, and sword of state were used as coronation regalia for Mary, Queen of Scots, James VI, Charles I, and Charles II.
The crown was refashioned in its current form for James V in 1540 by an Edinburgh goldsmith, while the sceptre and original sword were papal gifts to James IV, but due to its predecessor’s fragile condition, a new Elizabeth sword, named after the late Queen, was used.
The service featured centuries-old aspects of Scottish royal tradition along with new additions such as pieces of music written specially for the occasion, a psalm sung in Gaelic, and the use of passages from the New Testament in Scots.
The service began with a people’s procession from the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, with a 100-strong group led by Corporal Cruachan IV, the Shetland pony regimental mascot of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
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