The Princess of Wales has been granted a prestigious honour from her father-in-law, King Charles, and there is a special meaning behind it.
In a royal first, Princess Kate was appointed Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour.
The role recognises Kate’s 13-year service as a working member of the Royal Family and her support and interest in the arts.
The Princess, who is away from official duties while undergoing preventative chemotherapy for an undisclosed type of cancer, has become the first royal to be a Royal Companion in the Order’s 107-year history.
Kate is patron of the National Portrait Gallery, the V&A and the Royal Photographic Society.
She is the first member of the royal family to be appointed
Current members of the Order include Sir David Attenborough, Margaret Attwood, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, and previously Professor Stephen Hawking and Sir Winston Churchill.
Buckingham Palace said the monarch recommended the special honour for his “beloved daughter-in-law”, with appointees to the Companions of Honour in the gift of the Cabinet Office.
The King’s decision, who is also being treated for cancer, to suggest Kate for the honour will be seen as a major show of support for the princess amid the challenges she is facing, according to reports.
The Order of the Companions of Honour – limited to just 65 people at a time – was founded by King George V in 1917 to recognise outstanding achievements in the Arts, Sciences, Medicine and Public Service.
Kate will likely be donning the honour during future white-tie events, like state visits or diplomatic receptions.
The insignia of the Order is in the form of an oval medallion, surmounted by a royal crown with a rectangular panel depicting an oak tree, a shield with the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom hanging from one branch and on the left, a mounted knight in armour.
The motto of the Order is “in action faithful and in honour clear”.
