Prince William proudly donned his royal medals, reflecting his decades of service to the royal family, as he attended a military parade in Jamaica today.
The 39-year-old Duke of Cambridge, along with the 40-year-old Duchess, took part in the first parade to commission the Jamaican Defense Force on the sixth day of his Caribbean tour.
He wore his white tropical blue and royal dress and proudly displayed his military medals in Kingston, while the Duchess looked glamorous in a white McQueen dress and Philip Treacy hat.
Prince William wore the 2002 Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal along with the 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and also displayed the Star of the Garter as he is a member of the Order of the Garter.
Prince William proudly donned his royal medals, reflecting his decades of service to the royal family, as he attended a military parade in Jamaica today.
He wore his white tropical blue and royal dress and proudly displayed his military medals in Kingston, while the Duchess looked glamorous in a white McQueen dress and Philip Treacy hat.
Among the medals displayed by the Duke were the military awards presented in honor of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
The awards were presented to all military personnel who served on the days of anniversaries, depending on the length of service.
Medals have been awarded to commemorate royal anniversaries since the Victorian period, when the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign was commemorated in 1887 with a medal.
In recent decades, medals have been issued to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the Silver Jubilee in 1977.
The Duke was last seen wearing full military decorations when he attended Prince Philip’s memorial service in April 2021.
The medals will be awarded to living Victoria and George Cross holders, as well as frontline police, fire, emergency, prison and military personnel who completed five years of service on February 6, the start of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Meanwhile, Prince William also has a star of the Garter as he is a member of the Order of the Garter.
He was given this honor in 2008 when he was only 25 years old.
The Duke was last seen wearing full military decorations when he attended Prince Philip’s memorial service in April 2021.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge drive through Jamaica in a vintage Land Rover used by Queen Elizabeth II in 1966 and 1994 as they leave the parade in Kingston on the sixth day of their Caribbean tour.
Order of the Garter
Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is Britain’s highest order of chivalry, awarded by the monarch for outstanding public service and achievement.
Initially, it served the dual purpose of bringing together the sovereign and the 25 senior knights who were the country’s military leaders, as well as creating a new brotherhood in religious worship.
The patron saint of the Order is Saint George.
The emblem of the Order is a blue ribbon or garter worn below the left knee by men and worn by women on the left arm.
The garter, also included in the Royal Arms, is adorned with the famous legend “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” (“Shame on him who thinks it is evil”).
The motto may have referred to criticism of Edward III’s claim to the French throne.
Modern scholars have questioned the tradition that the order was inspired by a garter thrown by Joan, Countess of Salisbury at a ball in Calais, which the king found and put on his leg.
Although 14th-century knights did wear women’s jewelry during jousting, it seems more likely that the garter was a belt used to fasten armor.
Other garments worn by contemporary Knights of the Garter include a blue velvet mantle or cloak with the insignia of the order on the left shoulder, a vestigial red velvet hood worn over the right shoulder, and a black velvet hat adorned with white feathers.
Every Knight or Dame of the Order is required to display the standard of his arms in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, along with his helmet, coat of arms and sword, and an enamelled plaque.
The modern pattern of the Garter ceremony dates back to the order’s 600th anniversary in 1948, when George VI revived the official installation of new knights for the first time since 1805.
In 1987, the Queen opened the order to non-royal women, and in 1990 Lavina, Duchess of Norfolk, was the first to be admitted.
If there are new Knights or Ladies of the Garter, the Queen formally invests them with the insignia of the Order in the Throne Room at Windsor Castle, followed by a dinner at Waterloo Chamber and a procession of the Garter at St George’s Chapel.
The Queen is the order’s sovereign, and a number of other British and foreign royalty are additional knights of the order.
New appointments are announced on St. George’s Day, but knighthood and investiture ceremonies take place on the Monday of Royal Ascot Week, known as Garter Day.
The total number of Knights of the Garter permitted is 24, and vacancies are created upon the passing of current members.
Holders of honor are chosen because they have held public office, contributed to national life, or personally served the sovereign.
The appointment of the Knights of the Garter is a gift from the Queen and is made without consultation with ministers.
Other current members of the Order include former Prime Minister Sir John Major, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, former Chief Justice, and Admiral Lord Boyce, former Chief of the British Armed Forces.
During the service, hymns were sung and prayers were read for the Order of the Garter.
Prince William today quoted Bob Marley as he spoke at the military parade in Jamaica on the sixth day of his Caribbean tour with Kate Middleton: “You never know how strong you are until your only choice is strong.”
The couple attended the island nation’s first Jamaica Defense Force commissioning parade for military personnel who completed the Caribbean Military Academy officer training program.
And William said, “Today you are leaving officers for an uncertain world. In your future service, you will have to contend with climatic, geological, criminal and broader governmental and non-governmental threats to our collective security, security and prosperity.
“When you are asked to guide men and women through uncertainty and danger, it is scary. “You never know how strong you are until strength is your only choice.” From there, it is your responsibility to become the leaders you were taught about in textbooks, watched on your screens, and watched by your instructors.”
William also quoted the Queen, continuing, “Good leadership is difficult to define, but easy to recognize in others.” When Katherine and I visit Jamaica for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration, I thought I could quote my grandmother on the subject.”
The Duke referred to his 2010 address to the United Nations General Assembly in which she said: “I don’t know of a single formula for success, but I have observed over the years that some attributes of leadership are universal and often involve finding ways encourage people to combine their efforts, their talents, their ideas, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.”
After today’s parade, the Duke and Duchess traveled in the same open-top Land Rover that carried the Queen and Prince Philip to Jamaica in 1953, when they were greeted by thousands of cheering schoolchildren.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travel in an open-top Land Rover in Kingston, Jamaica today for the first service commissioning parade, which is the sixth day of their tour of the Caribbean on behalf of the Queen.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are stark white today at a military parade in Jamaica.
In the afternoon, the couple, whose children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are at home in London, will fly to the Bahamas to be met by Prime Minister Philip Davis.
William and Kate visited the Caribbean to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, but the trip ran into controversy and revived Republican calls for Jamaican independence.
Jamaican government insiders have criticized William for not apologizing for Britain’s historic role in the slave trade, despite calling the vicious practice a “terrifying atrocity” and a “blot on our history” during a speech yesterday.
Anniversary medals for Harry and Andrew… and even Meghan: ALL members of the royal family received gongs to mark the Queen’s 75th birthday on the throne – even the non-working ones stripped of their Royal Highness titles
In February, the Queen awarded Prince Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew with special platinum commemorative medals.
As a token of gratitude, commemorative medals were also awarded to front-line police, fire and emergency personnel who served for five years. Members of the royal family who have worked for one year will also receive medals.
But, as with previous anniversaries, the Queen has privately paid for the medals to be awarded to members of her “wider” family, both employed and non-employed.
And this year, the non-working number included Andrew, Harry and Meghan.
Last week, the Duke of York was forced to step down from his remaining royal roles and stop using his title of His Royal Highness as he faces his U.S. sex affair as a “private individual”.
Prince Andrew next to Harry and Meghan on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in June 2019. Also pictured (front) are the Queen (left), James, Viscount Severn and Isla Philips (both right)
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal is made at the Worcestershire Medal Service in Birmingham.
Harry and Meghan, who abruptly quit their jobs as members of the royal family and moved to the US in pursuit of a lucrative commercial career, repeatedly criticizing the royal family, will also, of course, be awarded medals.
A royal source said in January: “As with previous anniversaries, it is likely that wider members of the royal family will receive a Platinum Jubilee medal…they are privately funded and commemorative.”
It is understood that Andrew, Harry and Meghan will be eligible to wear their medals with “civilian attire” if they are invited to an event where the dress code says “jewelry”.
But the Queen was unable to personally present the medals to Harry and Meghan.
Harry is threatening to seek judicial review of the Home Office’s decision not to allow him to pay for police protection for him and his family while he is in the UK. Without that security, he would not be able to travel to the UK, according to an unnamed spokesperson.
The medals will also go to members of the prisons and the Armed Forces, as well as living holders of the George Cross and the Victoria Cross.