King Charles III bestowed wife Queen Camilla with Scotland’s highest honor during Royal Week.
Charles, 75, was joined by son Prince William during the Thistle Service at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Wednesday, July 3. During the ceremony, Charles officially welcomed wife Camilla, 76, and brother Prince Edward into the Order of the Thistle — which is the country’s highest honor of chivalry.
The Order of the Thistle is a longstanding tradition in which 16 knights and ladies, including men and women who hold public office or have offered a contribution to national life, are recognized by the reigning monarch.
It was announced in June 2023 that Camilla would join the Order. “The King has been graciously pleased to appoint the Queen to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle,” Buckingham Palace announced at the time. News of Edward’s appointment into the Order came this past March.
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Duchess Sophie was also in attendance at the event on Wednesday to support her husband, Edward, 60. Photos showed the couple arriving at St Giles’ Cathedral together. Edward sat alongside Camilla, Charles and William during the ceremony.
Wednesday’s event marks the second day of this year’s Royal Week in Scotland, which is also referred to as Holyrood Week. Charles kicked off his annual trip on Tuesday, July 2, during the Ceremony of the Keys, taking place in the gardens at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This officially welcomed the king to Edinburgh by giving him the keys to the city.
This year’s Royal Week is a major feat for Charles, who is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. The palace announced the king’s illness in February after he underwent a procedure for benign prostate enlargement. Initially, Charles took a minor step back from appearances, with other members of the royal family stepping up. However, he has returned to public duty.
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Charles took his first overseas trip following his cancer diagnosis last month. On June 6, he was joined by Camilla in France to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.
“How fortunate we were, and the entire free world, that a generation of men and women in the United Kingdom and other Allied nations did not flinch when the moment came to face that test,” Charles said, addressing a crowd of veterans. “On the beaches of Normandy, on the seas beyond, and in the skies overhead, our armed forces carried out their duty with a humbling sense of resolve and determination.”
Days later, Camilla offered an update on Charles’ wellbeing, joking that her husband hasn’t been taking things easy while undergoing treatment.
“[He] won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told,” she quipped.
