Easy being green! Princess Kate attended her first St. Patrick’s Day parade since King Charles III named her Colonel of the Irish Guards last year.
The Princess of Wales, 41, and Prince William joined the guards for their annual celebration in Aldershot, England, on Friday, March 17. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a turquoise skirt suit by Catherine Walker & Co, accessorized with a matching fascinator and the shamrock brooch that represents the regiment.
Kate took over the honorary role of Colonel of the Irish Guards from her husband, 40, in December 2022. The Prince of Wales had held the position since February 2011 when he was given the honor by his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
In a speech at the event, William acknowledged his wife’s takeover as colonel — and even snuck in a joke about his tolerance for Guinness. “On this, my 13th and final St. Patrick’s Day as colonel, not only am I saddened that I’ll likely fail once again to finish a pint of Guinness … but I am also sad that I won’t in future see more of you, the families, whose unwavering support enables these outstanding men and women to do what they do,” the Duke of Cambridge told the crowd. “I may be stepping aside, but in Colonel Catherine, you have a committed, focused and already incredibly loyal 11th colonel.”
Kate, for her part, spoke about how excited she is to take on the new role. “I really couldn’t be prouder to stand in front of you here today,” the U.K. native said. “It really is a true honor to be your colonel. I am here to listen to you, to support you, and to champion you in all you do — this is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I look forward to spending more time with you and your families, seeing your commitment to duty and service in all you do.”
When Charles, 74, named Kate as the Colonel of the Irish Guards, her husband got a new appointment as well. William became the Colonel of the Welsh Guards, in correspondence with his new title as the Prince of Wales.
Queen Consort Camilla, meanwhile, took over Prince Andrew’s title of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. Elizabeth stripped the Duke of York, 63, of all his titles and appointments in January 2022 amid a sexual assault lawsuit involving one of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers.
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Originally published at www.usmagazine.com