17 June 2002: The annual Garter Day ceremony and a banquet for European Sovereigns at Windsor Castle

Crowned heads from across Europe gathered at Windsor Castle on Monday 17 June for the annual service of the Order of the Garter and a special dinner to celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee. During the service King Harald of Norway was formally installed as a Knight of the Order of the Garter. Later, a Jubilee banquet recalled dinners of European monarchs marking Queen Victoria's Jubilees.

Following a lunch for 80 guests in St. George's Hall, the Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter made the traditional walk to St. George's Chapel down the hill from the State Apartments.

Dressed in blue velvet mantles, red velvet hoods, black velvet hats and white ostrich plumes, they were applauded by a crowd of around 8,000 spectators present in the castle's Lower Ward.

Knights and Ladies of the Garter present for the ceremony included The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, King Juan Carlos of Spain and Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg.

Other members present were former prime ministers Lord Callaghan of Cardiff, Sir Edward Heath and Baroness Thatcher, and Sir Edmund Hillary, conqueror of Mount Everest.

During the service King Harald of Norway was installed as a member of the Order of the Garter. The Queen had conferred the honour on the Norwegian king at a private ceremony in Oslo during the State visit to Norway in 2001. King Harald was formally appointed to a seat in the chapel, and his banner installed.

The Order of the Garter is England's oldest and senior order of chivalry. Founded by Edward III in 1348, the Order of the Garter was designated as the highest reward for loyalty and military achievement.

Legend has it that the Order derives from an incident when the garter of Joan, Countess of Salisbury, dropped from her thigh. Edward III picked it up and rebuked onlookers with the comment 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' ('Evil be to him who thinks evil of it').

The comment remains the motto of the Order. St. George's Chapel, Windsor, has been home to the Order of the Garter from its beginning.

After the 45-minute service the Knights and Ladies of the Order left in a grand carriage procession.

In the evening a special Jubilee dinner was held in the Waterloo Chamber, part of the State Apartments at Windsor Castle. This highly ornate room was built by George IV to celebrate Wellington's victory over Napoleon.

European Sovereigns present were King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Sylvia of Sweden, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, King Albert and Queen Paola of the Belgians, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, and the current Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.

Also joining The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were The Prince of Wales, The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal, The Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Sir Angus Ogilvy, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince Michael of Kent and his daughter Lady Gabriella Windsor.

The occasion recalled similar events held to celebrate the Jubilees of Queen Victoria, The Queen's great-great-grandmother. Many of the European Sovereigns on those occasions were descended from Victoria; there are still familial relationships between many of the European monarchs today.

The banquet menu featured brill and lobster roulade, baby chicken with asparagus, courgettes, coquette potatoes and salad, and a peach dessert. 

Back to June index