Ex-Prince Andrew Is Banned From Garter Day 2026 — and It's Not the Only Thing He's Lost
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's unsurprising absence from Garter Day this year was another reminder of how distant the royal family has grown from him.
In the past few years, the royal family has consciously distanced itself from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to the extent that he is no longer welcome at family functions, let alone royal events. And 2026 Garter Day was no different. The disgraced royal was unsurprisingly absent from the event, which was likely another reminder that he was no longer just being ignored; he was being actively erased from the royal fold.
Like many senior royals, Mountbatten-Windsor had been a member of the Order of the Garter since 2006. But as more details of his connection to Jeffrey Epstein were revealed in recent years, his membership, along with his royal titles, was stripped last October. The eviction from the Order was further solidified when his Garter stall and coat of arms, which signified his membership, were removed from St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The Order of the Garter holds historical significance within the British monarchy. It was established by King Edward III in 1348. As per the royal family’s website, “In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honorable knights, called the Order of the Garter.” In nearly 700 years since the founding of the Order, around 40 knights have been reportedly ousted from it, with Mountbatten-Windsor seemingly being the most recent member to be evicted.
According to The Sun, a member is usually expelled from the Order of the Garter on the grounds of high treason or for taking up arms against the Crown. And tradition suggests a rather humiliating ritual for the removal. Reportedly, the former member’s banner would be thrown out into the chapel for heralds to kick it outside into a ditch. However, it is highly unlikely that Mountbatten-Windsor’s insignia would have undergone a similar treatment. 30 knights of the 40 evicted members have reportedly been subjected to this degradation.
Although Mountbatten-Windsor was clearly missing from the picture at Garter Day this year, the royal family didn’t seem much affected. Royals who are a part of the Order of the Garter, namely King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, and Prince William, all took part in the procession on Monday. They were accompanied by non-aristocratic members such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tony Blair, and John Major.
Although Kate Middleton and Duchess Sophie are not members of the Order, they were in attendance at the event. This year, three new knights, Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, Lord O’Donnell, and Lord Burnett of Maldon, were invested in the Order of the Garter.
