September is a month of celebration for the royal family. Aside from Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her record breaking reign this month, the Queen is also set to bestow the Royal Family Order to Princess Kate.
According to Hello!Magazine, the Royal Family Order is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a female member of the Royal Family. The Order is given by the Queen and reportedly serves as a personal memento rather than a state decoration. The Royal Family Order is typically pinned on the left shoulder of the recipient. It resembles a large pendant wherein in the middle is a picture of a younger Queen Elizabeth II in an evening dress, wearing the ribbon and star of the Order of the Garter. The pendant-like Order is sewn onto a chartreuse yellow bow and is made of ivory with a diamond border. A small Tudor Crown also sits on top of the pendant, which is decorated in red enamel and studded with diamonds. According to the report, the Order can be worn during state occasions.
The Hello! Magazine report also mentioned that it is unclear when the Royal Family Order will be bestowed to Princess Kate given that no formal announcement was made about it. The report also stated that the honor may already have been awarded by the Queen. However, royal watchers are still hoping to see the Duchess of Cambridge wear the Royal Family Order during next month's reported state dinner with the Chinese President. Other recipients of the Order includes Prince Charles wife the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Edward's wife the Countess of Wessex. The late Princess Diana, Prince William's mother, also received the honor.
Meanwhile, the royal couple, Prince William and Princess Kate, along with their two children, were expected to have joined Queen Elizabeth II during her record reign celebration. According to People, the royal family of four was expected to join the family dinner hosted by the Queen at the Balmoral estate in Scotland, Wednesday, September 9.
