The Duchess of Edinburgh has been invested with a new title at Buckingham Palace.
Grand President ofSophie, who is Grand President of St John Ambulance, was invested as a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St John.
Little over a year ago, Queen Elizabeth II signalled her intention for her daughter-in-law to be granted the title.
Presiding over the ceremony at Buckingham Palace was the Duke of Gloucester who serves as Grand Prior of St John’s Ambulance.
The investiture took place in the 1844 Room at the palace, and was attended by a number of guests and dignitaries.
Sophie has been involved with The Order of St John since 2004, having served as its Grand President. The Order is dedicated to providing “first aid, healthcare and support services around the world,” according to its website.
The Order of St John’s full formal name is The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, and it was first created by Royal Charter in 1888 by Queen Victoria. Today, The Queen is the Sovereign Head of The Order of St John
The Order’s motto is “Pro Fide” and “Pro Utilitate Hominum,” which is Latin for “For the Faith” and “in the Service of Humanity.”
Other members of the Royal Family who are actively involved in The Order of St John include the Duke of Gloucester, who is a Grand Prior and Bailiff Grand Cross and Princess Anne, a Dame of Justice.
In 2021, Sophie marked 15 years of service with St John Ambulance, an association involved with The Order of St John. The charity tweeted at the time, “The Countess has volunteered hours of her time to our lifesaving work over the years, and we are incredibly grateful to have her as one of our #StJohnPeople.”
To mark this long-standing association, Sophie sat for a portrait in which she was dressed in the robes of a Dame of the Order of St John.
