Prince William and King Charles Step Out on Princess Diana's Birthday — and the Timing Says A Lot
Prince William showed up for his royal duties on an emotionally monumental day for him.
It is Princess Diana’s 65th birth anniversary, and this year the milestone day would mean a lot more, as her younger son, Prince Harry, is set to return to the UK with his family this month and is expected to take his two kids to her grave at Althorp. But before that drama unfolds, Diana’s older son, Prince William, stepped out in Scotland on Wednesday to perform his royal duties. He supported his father, King Charles, for the Order of the Thistle service at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
While William may be known as the Prince of Wales in England, in Scotland, he is the Duke of Rothesay. He arrived at the church along with his uncle, Prince Edward. Charles and Queen Camilla arrived later and received a Royal Salute given by The King’s Bodyguard for Scotland, along with the playing of God Save the King. The Duke of Rothesay looked regal in a deep green velvet robe and a black hat trimmed with elaborate ostrich feathers. Inside the church, the senior royals were engaged in following ceremonious traditions. However, the exterior of the cathedral had an entirely contrasting atmosphere. Anti-monarchy protesters had lined up outside holding placards asking “What did you know?” and chanting, “Not my King”.
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is the highest honor and the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland. In many ways, it is similar to the Order of the Garter, which was celebrated at Windsor two weeks ago, and to the Order of the Thistle, which acknowledges 16 Knights and Ladies for their significant contributions to national life. Charles, Camilla, Princess Anne, Edward, and William are all members of the Order. The late Queen Elizabeth had opened the order to women in 1987.
William might already have known about his planned engagement at the church on the day of his mother’s special birthday. So, he seemingly chose to honor her legacy the day before. On Tuesday, the 44-year-old marked his latest stage in his initiative to support the homeless, a cause Diana had inspired him to take up. He spent part of his day in Aberdeen, one of the flagship locations for his Homewards project, where they are pursuing new initiatives to tackle homelessness.
William has been so committed to this project that he has sold magazines to raise funds for the homeless. And just the way, his mother’s humanitarian work inspired him; he has also introduced his eldest son and future monarch, Prince George, to the Homewards project at Christmas last year. Throughout the years, the father of three has continued to tell his children about Diana, and George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have also made cards for their granny on Mother’s Day.
Although William and Harry no longer share contact, they have taken their mother’s legacy forward in their own ways through various charitable undertakings. The Duke of Sussex is expected to meet his father when he brings his family to the UK this month. But a chat with his older brother seems unlikely.
