The Duchess of Cambridge was in a blue ensemble for today’s Order of the Garter ceremonies in Windsor. Below, the scene at Windsor Castle, the first time since 2019 the procession has been held.
The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago. Members of the order include the Queen, senior members of the Royal Family, and 24 Knights or Ladies, selected personally by the Queen.
Below, Prince Charles greets the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
More from The Daily Mail’s story:
New appointments are announced on St George’s Day but the chivalric and installation ceremonies take place every year on the Monday of Royal Ascot week, known as Garter Day.
Recipients of the honour today are chosen because they have held public office, contributed to national life or served the sovereign personally.
Another view of the scene in Windsor. As noted by Buckingham Palace, St. George is the Patron Saint of the Order and St. George’s Chapel is the Order’s spiritual home.
Crowds gathered to watch the procession to St. George’s Chapel.
A view of the procession.
The Countess of Wessex and Duchess of Cambridge watching the procession.
At today’s service, the Duchess of Cornwall was formally invested as Royal Lady of the Order. Below you see the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall as they exit St. George’s Chapel following the ceremony.
Also invested, Baroness Valerie Amos (l) and former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair (c). 
Here you see Sir Tony with his wife, Cherie. 
We return to the BBC piece.
The honour… comes with the status of a knight and Sir Tony Blair received his knighthood, without any publicity, from the Queen in an audience at Windsor last week.
Sir Tony, winner of three general elections, had been one of the longest-serving prime ministers during the Queen’s 70-year reign, including the tumultuous times that followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Dame Valerie Amos is the first person of color to become a member of the Order. She is a former Labour Cabinet minister and the Master of University College Oxford.
We learn more about her from this Yahoo story:
Between 2003 and 2007, she was the first-ever black woman cabinet minister serving as the Secretary of State for International Development, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords (2003-2007).
Baroness Amos went on to serve as British High Commissioner to Australia (2009 – 2010), Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator for the United Nations (2010-2015), and later as the Director of SOAS (2015-2020).
The Duke and Duchess after today’s ceremony.
And from the BBC’s coverage.
Each year, members of the order – which has up to 24 people plus “royal companions” – gather at Windsor Castle for a colourful ceremony with music, pageantry, elaborate uniforms and a parade.
Members wear velvet robes, plumed hats and the insignia of the medieval order of chivalry.
Below, Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. 
The Countess of Wessex and the Cambridges.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex.
The Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge, Prince William, and Prince Charles. 
A video as the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the ceremony.
The main royal party leave by carriage #Royal #OrderOfTheGarter pic.twitter.com/MbSQGb8VnC
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) June 13, 2022
A photo of the Queen with the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales was released today. It was taken before today’s service.
More about the Queen’s participation from The Evening Standard’s story:
The Queen did not take part in the procession, though this was expected due to her mobility issues.
However, she did attend the lunch and the investiture ceremony. She was pictured with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at Windsor Castle ahead of the service at St George’s Chapel.
Now for our look at some of the styles worn for today’s events. The Duchess of Cornwall wore a Bruce Oldfield gown beneath her robes, per The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English.
The Countess of Wessex wore a Valentino dress with a Jane Taylor hat.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a coat dress believed to be an Alexander McQueen design. It featured a modified portrait neckline, an applied waistband, darted fitted bodice, pleats, and self-covered buttons at the cuff. 
The Duchess wore Juliette Botterill’s Floral Leaf Teardrop hat (£560), with thanks to Katie’s Royal Love for the ID. The woven straw base is “adorned with an array of silk roses, rosebuds, leaves, and silk abaca bow.”
Here is a better look at the chapeau and updo. 
The Duchess debuted a new per of shoes today, the Aquazzura Love Link Sling ($1095). Made in blueberry grosgrain, the style features a point toe, 4″ heel, and a “heart-shaped chain” at the heel. Thank you to British Royal Family 63 for this ID.
We saw the return of the scalloped blue bag carried in Belize, a design believed to be an Anya Hindmarch style.
And the tazanite earring and pendant set from G. Collins and Sons.
Here is one more photo from today.
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Also today, an abbreviated look at what Kate wore for an engagement at Little Village Brent last Wednesday. The Duchess was there to hear how the baby bank is helping families by ensuring that they are able to get essential items for their young children. 
You may remember the Duchess’s baby bank that The Duchess of Cambridge worked with during the pandemic where she orchestrated the donation of over 10,000 new items from 19 brands to baby banks across the U.K
The Duchess was in Zara’s Inverted Lapel Long Blazer ($69.90), a crisp, tailored look. The fitted silhouette features shoulder pads, inverted lapels, welt pockets and a front closure using a metal hook and eye.
The piece is 76% polyester/17% viscose/7% elastane, with at least 25% recycled polyester. Thank you to Georgie’s Mum for this speedy ID!
She brought back her Roland Mouret Axon Wide-Leg trousers.
It appeared the Duchess was in her Gianvito Rossi 105 Black Suede Pumps ($675). 
She carried a new clutch from Massimo Dutti.
The bag looks like the Woven Leather Clutch-Style Handbag (€129, about $140 at today’s exchange rates). The made of sheep leather and lined in cotton. “This leather was produced in tanneries awarded the Leather Working Group Gold or Silver certifications. LWG is a protocol that audits the tanning process in terms of energy and water use, waste management and the use of pre-approved chemicals in the tanning processes.” Thank you to Heaven for another fab ID.
The Duchess also wore her Citrine Pear Drop Earrings (£550, about $695) by Kiki McDonough.
Tomorrow Royal Ascot kicks off; it’s possible we will see the Duchess again this week!
Shirley
Saturday 18th of June 2022
Stunning from head to toe - love the colors, dress, hair is perfect, hat, jewelry, clutch, shoes. I hope the chain on those shoes isn't uncomfortable, as I'd like to see them again.
Adi
Saturday 18th of June 2022
@Gabrielle I agree with you Gabrielle. As an American living here in London the last 10 years, there really has been a downward shift in affordability & I think it’s quite in poor taste for Kate to be wearing multiple new high-cost items. To Maggie’s comment below; many times the Royal Family, especially Kate – do not pay the designer outright. That cost is either funded by yours truly (the UK taxpayer) or gifted by the designer hoping to see her wearing their designs. It would make much more of a positive impact to the economy and morale if she wore more affordable and accessible British brands that would stimulate people into buying. For example, the Brora top she wore during the Jubilee weekend which cost £129 sold out instantly & brought a relatively low key British designer into the limelight, because that’s price point more people can afford. Sticking to the eye-watering sky high priced pieces does the UK economy no favors.
ElizaMo
Sunday 19th of June 2022
@Adi, The myth that Catherine is a high-spender is both old and regularly disproved. For a start, no royal ever accepts designer gifts, such behaviour is well outwith all royal protocol.. The taxpayer has nothing to do with her wardrobe bill, it is all funded out of the private income of the Prince of Wales. The taxpayer element of Royal funding is mostly restricted to travel expenses and property maintenance.
At high profile events like these Catherine is expected to turn up the style otherwise another set of critics will start complaining that she is letting the country down. Moreover, even when she goes for a designer original she never turns to the most expensive labels, but sticks to what I would call mid to low level grade, especially Jenny Packham or Emilia Wickstead. To hit the high grade would mean hitting a six-figure sum which Catherine never does.
Further, she is a regular recycler, even this Garter Service outfit has a repeat clutch, and she wears so many High Street items that just a few weeks ago there were regular complaints on here about the amount of highly accessible costume jewellery she wears. The High Street brands she uses are many and frequent as she is regularly mixing with those surviving on tighter budgets where any excess would clearly be tasteless.
Aditee
Saturday 18th of June 2022
Why has my comment not been approved yet? All the other comments after mine have been, but mine says “pending.”
admin
Saturday 18th of June 2022
Hi, I’m sorry, but I don’t see another comment. There have been some hiccups with comments, it’s possible a glitch “ate” it, for lack of a better term.
Pamela
Saturday 18th of June 2022
I have been eyeing all those clutches Kate carries and I can’t believe there is actually anything in them. They look as flat as if they were still in the shop window. What do you think? Does she even have the standard lipstick-compact-hanky-phone-combo in there? Mind you, I’m a big-purse gal; I could immigrate to another country with what I carry! Has anyone ever read/heard anything about this? I do see that the royal ladies use the clutch as a neckline cover when entering or exiting a car.
Vanessa
Wednesday 22nd of June 2022
@Pamela, I think that clutches are often a solution to "What do I do with my hands?" in situations where one is being photographed and is in front of a crowd, more than a functional holder of things. It ties an outfit together, too, but I think that Catherine carries them to have an anchor for her arms as she walks and stands. When she doesn't have a clutch, she will often hold a hand to her stomach, not out of discomfort but to anchor herself while she walks.
A purse or clutch can also be helpful in sending a message or making your hands unavailable if you don't want to shake hands or offer hugs. For example, after Tom Cruise held her hand to walk up a set of stairs at the Top Gun premiere, she immediately switched her clutch to that hand after he let it go so that he could not do it again for the following set of stairs. She sent the message "That hand is no longer available".
Jacquie
Saturday 18th of June 2022
@Pamela, she probably took pointers from the Queen and keeps a marmalade sandwich in her bags! Hahahahahaha.
Maggie
Thursday 16th of June 2022
Perhaps "whatkatewore" could be for pictures and discussions concerning the Duchess Catherine's outfits, jewelry, shoes and hairstyles and another different "what the other royals wore" for pictures and discussions about the other Royal's outfits.
Mary B
Thursday 16th of June 2022
@Maggie, it is so strongly focused on the Duchess, and has always been. I think it’s actually pretty interesting to see how her fashion mirrors, or doesn’t, the styles chosen by other royals. Personally, I really like the context that some of the photos of others provides.
Daniela
Thursday 16th of June 2022
@Maggie, Sorry to disagree, but I really enjoy the pictures and quick description of the other Royal ladies' looks. It's fun and interesting, and often helps put the DoC's choices in context. Please continue Susan!