Prince William carried out royal duties alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla on Tuesday as the royal family gathered in Scotland for the annual Order of the Thistle service—a date that also marked what would have been Princess Diana’s 65th birthday.
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay while in Scotland, attended the ceremony at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh wearing the traditional deep green velvet robes and feathered hat associated with the ancient order.
William arrived alongside his uncle, Prince Edward, before King Charles and Queen Camilla were welcomed with a Royal Salute by the King’s Body Guard for Scotland and a performance of God Save the King.
Outside the cathedral, a small group of anti-monarchy protesters gathered with signs questioning the royal family and chanting “Not my King.”
The Order of the Thistle is Scotland’s highest order of chivalry, recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to national life. King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William are all members of the prestigious order.
This year’s ceremony fell on an especially emotional date for William, as July 1 would have marked the 65th birthday of his late mother, Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.
Although William did not publicly reference the anniversary, many royal watchers noted the significance of his appearance.
Just one day earlier, the Prince continued his long-running campaign to tackle homelessness through his Homewards initiative, visiting projects in Aberdeen, Scotland.
William has often credited Princess Diana with inspiring his commitment to helping people experiencing homelessness. As children, Diana frequently took William and his brother, Prince Harry, to shelters and charities, experiences that shaped the future king’s charitable work.
In recent years, William has expanded those efforts through Homewards, an initiative designed to develop long-term solutions to homelessness across the United Kingdom.
The Order of the Thistle service formed part of Royal Week in Scotland, an annual series of engagements led by King Charles and Queen Camilla during their stay at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
