The Most Noble Order of the Garter is Britain's most ancient order of chivalry, and one of its knights, Prince Andrew, was once an anticipated attendee at its Garter Day service every June. But the scandal-ridden Duke has missed every event for three years running now, and this comes after he was likely snubbed for King Charles' Trooping the Colour on Saturday, June 15.
Garter Day on Monday, June 17, saw the order's members, including the King and Queen Camilla, along with Prince William process from Windsor Castle to St George's Chapel in their colorful robes from centuries past. But what has now become a trend with snubs in both 2022 and 2023 as well, an insider close to the Jeffrey Epstein-associated prince told all.
"He won't be there," the source said. "There's a precedent in place now and they don't want to give him a platform."
During his medieval reign, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of distinguished knights: the Order of the Garter. Today, the order remains the most exclusive in Britain and includes the monarch and his consort, several senior members of the royal family and 24 knights (male and female) who've been chosen for their outstanding public service.
Andrew's snub at the ceremony came amid earlier reports hoping Charles III would not snub his daughter-in-law, Kate, Princess of Wales, and would make a Lady of the Order of the Garter.
The princess is Britain's next Queen Consort, and according to Paul Burrell, former butler to her mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, "it's time" for HRH to become a Lady of the Order of the Garter.
"I wonder why Kate hasn’t been made a Lady of the Order of the Garter when she is our future queen, which is out of kilter for me," the bestselling author said in early June on behalf of Slingo. "I think it revolves around the King and his favorites."
"I wanted the King to invest Kate into the Order of the Garter, but he hasn’t done it," he added. "I'm hoping that the King will invest Kate in the most noble order. I'm hoping he's going to do that; if he does it, will make headlines, [and] she deserves it. She's our future queen, she's a Princess of Wales, it's time for her to become a Lady member of the Garter.”
He then mentioned his late former boss by observing: "Diana, Princess of Wales, was married to Charles for 15 years before they divorced but never received one award from the royal family. Nothing for her contribution to society or the world. I have a problem with that because I think she should have been, but she was never celebrated in the way the King is celebrating his family."
GBN reported on the insider revelations.