King Charles III has conferred Scotland's highest royal honour on his wife Queen Camilla, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, which was revived by King James VII in 1687, are entirely the personal gift of the British monarch. It currently recognises 16 knights as well as men and women who have held public office or who have given a particular contribution to national life.
“The King has been graciously pleased to appoint the Queen to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle," the palace statement read. The King’s son and heir, Prince William, and sister Princess Anne are also members of the Order of the Thistle, besides various members of the aristocracy and House of Lords. Charles turned 74 on November 14 last year but this weekend marks his first official birthday as monarch, celebrations for which fall in early or mid-June as part of the royal Trooping the Colour display of regal pageantry.
The King’s Birthday Parade, to take place on Saturday, will involve over 1,400 military officers together with 200 horses, over 400 musicians from 10 bands and a corps of drums. The parade route extends from Buckingham Palace along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and back again in the heart of London. During the ceremony, the King is greeted by a royal salute and carries out an inspection of the troops.
The parade concludes with the King joining senior members of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a fly-past by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The RAF display this weekend is expected to be particularly spectacular as the display planned for the Coronation on May 6 was rescheduled due to rainy weather. “We have planned a fitting and appropriate tribute for our monarch, that should be a true spectacle for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” said Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the UK’s Chief of Air Staff.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said aircraft from across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force will take part in a spectacular flypast for the King’s Birthday Parade, marking the first Birthday Flypast for King Charles III. Around 70 aircraft will take to the skies, taking off from 15 different locations across the UK before joining up across the southeast of England and flying across London.
(With inputs from PTI)
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