King Charles to give Prince William

King Charles III and Prince William will attend the Order of the Bath Service at Westminster Abbey on Friday, 16 May. This ceremony, marking the Order’s 300th anniversary, will be Charles’ first as the ruling monarch. During the event, Prince William will be installed as the Great Master of the Order, a title previously held by Charles since 1975. The Order of the Bath, established in 1725, derives its name from a medieval custom where a ritual bath symbolized spiritual purification. The ceremony takes place every four years, with the Sovereign traditionally attending every other service, while the Great Master attends each one.

The Order of the Bath consists of three classes: Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCB), Knight or Dame Commander (KCB/DCB), and Companion (CB), with women admitted since 1971. Recently, royal portraits of Charles and Queen Consort Camilla were unveiled at the National Gallery. Charles’ portrait, painted by Peter Kuhfeld, sparked online humor due to a white object on his shoulder, which some speculated looked like a bra. However, this detail is more likely a misunderstanding rather than a deliberate feature.