King Charles presents Royal Victorian Order honours to Royal Naval personnel

The King today presented Royal Victorian Order honours to Royal Naval personnel who played a key role in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession – including a heavily pregnant sailor.

Charles, 74, personally presented around 150 servicemen and women with their medals at a special parade at Windsor Castle. 

The outdoor ceremony has been held in recognition of the duties the Royal Naval personnel carried out in tribute to The King’s late mother last September. 

Recipients included more than 100 of the Naval Ratings who pulled Queen Elizabeth’s coffin in the procession on a 123-year-old gun carriage using ropes, in a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s funeral, reported Yahoo!. 

Among them was seven months pregnant Medical Assistant Paisley Chambers-Smith, who was awarded a silver Royal Victorian Medal for pulling the gun carriage with her colleagues.

Ms Chambers-Smith, 25, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, wore a blue summer dress for the event, as there is no Royal Navy ceremonial maternity wear.

The medic, who works alongside civilian medical staff at the NHS Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth when not on deployment, said after the open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle: ‘It’s not something I imagined doing so soon in my career.

‘The training was so hard but worth it, and on the day it was a massive honour to be there.’

She was joined her partner Sergeant Stephen Leonard, 34, a Royal Marine, who was a member of the street lining party stationed along the route the coffin passed, and was standing guard in Parliament Square.

He did not see Ms Chambers-Smith marching past as his head was bowed as a mark of respect, but the Medical Assistant saw him in her peripheral vision.

The 25-year-old said about the funeral day: ‘Massive to be there. Pride took over when you walk through the streets of London and just knowing that you’re there and a part of history forever.’

Commenting on her brief chat with the King, who presented mostly medals alongside some higher RVO honours, she added: ‘He was asking how the training was for the funeral, which was hard – it was tough and the new boots hurt your feet.

‘He asked when the baby was due and how it was, standing in the heat.’ 

The King today presented Royal Victorian Order honours to Royal Naval personnel who played a key role in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral procession

Awards in the Royal Victorian Order are made by The King to people who have served him or the Monarchy in a personal way

King Charles talks to people after presenting the Royal Victorian Order to members of the Royal Navy

With her baby expected in July, Ms Chambers-Smith stepped out of the three rows of Royal Navy personnel receiving honours and was given a seat after her presentation.

Awards in the Royal Victorian Order are made by The King to people who have served him or the Monarchy in a personal way. 

The Order was founded in April 1896 by Queen Victoria as a way of rewarding personal service to her, on her own initiative rather than by ministerial recommendation and remains entirely within the Sovereign’s personal gift.

The servicemen and women were appointed to the Order by Charles in March as part of the Demise Honours list, which was published following the death of his mother. 

Charles (pictured with members of the Royal Navy), 74, personally presented around 150 servicemen and women with their medals at a special parade at Windsor Castle

The outdoor ceremony (pictured) has been held in recognition of the duties the Royal Naval personnel carried out in tribute to The King’s late mother last September

A group of women in colourful dresses and hats beamed as they were spoken to by the King at the event today

The list – which would have been decided by a committee of five senior officials and then ‘signed off’ by the King – recognised those who provided personal service to the late monarch. 

The Royal Naval personnel paraded into the castle’s quadrangle, accompanied by a military band.

Charles, joined by the First Sea Lord, then presented each recipient with their medal one by one, greeting each person as they stood in formation.

In the bright summer sunshine six naval ratings were helped off the parade ground after apparently fainting – but at least two returned to receive their meals. 

But one serviceman appeared to faint during today’s service; photographs showed him being helped by some of his comrades

Recipients included more than 100 of the Naval Ratings who pulled Queen Elizabeth’s coffin in the procession on a 123-year-old gun carriage using ropes, in a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s funeral

The servicemen and women (pictured) were appointed to the Order by Charles in March as part of the Demise Honours list, which was published following the death of his mother

The Royal Naval personnel paraded (pictured) into the castle’s quadrangle, accompanied by a military band

Royal Navy personnel enter the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle, prior to being presented with the Royal Victorian Order by King Charles III

King Charles talks to guests at Windsor Castle after presenting the Royal Victorian Order to Royal Navy personnel

Ms Chambers-Smith, 25, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, wore a blue summer dress for the event, as there is no Royal Navy ceremonial maternity wear

Members of the Royal Navy are pictured before they are presented with their Royal Victorian Order medals by King Charles

King Charles walks ahead in the event while the crowds watch and take pictures

King Charles receives the royal salute from Royal Navy personnel in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle

Royal Naval personnel parade as they arrive at Windsor Castle to attend the ceremony 

King Charles greets and shakes the hands of Navy personnel who took part in the Queen’s funeral procession 

A box of Royal Victorian Order medals that King Charles presented to members of the Navy today 

Royal Navy personnel march alongside Windsor Castle prior to being presented with their medals