New honor for the Duchess of Cambridge

This is a personal gift to the Duchess of Cambridge.  Today is the 8th anniversary of the former Catherine Middleton's marriage to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.

The Order was established in 1896 by Queen Victoria.

The Princess Royal has been the Grand Master since 2007.  She received the Order in 1974.

The other members of the Royal Family who are Knights or Dames Grand Cross are:

Princess Alexandra, Duke of Kent, Duke of Gloucester, Duchess of Kent, Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent,  the Countess of Wessex, the Duke of York, Earl of Wessex, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of Edinburgh, who received the Order in 2017.

The Duke of  Sussex is a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.  This is a lower rank in the Order.   Harry received the Order in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2015.

A Knight or a Dame Grand Cross is the highest rank in the Royal Victorian Order.

The service for the Royal Victorian Order will be held on May 3 at St. George's Chapel.  It is expected that the Duchess of Cambridge will be in attendance, wearing her new Order.

Women were not admitted to the Order until King Edward VIII changed the statutes in 1936.

The Duchess of Cambridge is the first granddaughter-in-law of the Sovereign to received the Order.

http://royalchapelsavoy.org/royal-victorian-order/