Garter Day provides one of the best royal spectacles of the year each June. I always thought of it as one of the days when Her Majesty looked truly regal, as she walked to St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, in procession, resplendent in deep blue velvet robes and with the white ostrich feathers adorning her velvet headwear fluttering as she moved. With the route lined with troops in their best uniforms, every item polished until it gleamed in the sun, military bands playing and a procession incorporating heralds and military knights as well as the Garter Knights themselves, it is an unforgettable sight, which makes the long wait in queues during the morning and early afternoon well worth it. Following the service in the chapel the royal knights return up the hill to the castle in open carriages. I have had tickets to watch the procession from various different areas along the route, over the years, giving different angles for photos, as shown in these images.

In 1996 my son Zachary came to his first Garter Day with me at the age of 18 days, which was commented upon by The Queen later in the week.