Princess Kate to Attend St Patrick’s Day Parade With the Irish Guards

The Princess of Wales will take part in the Irish Guards’ St Patrick’s Day Parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot on Tuesday.

Catherine, who serves as Colonel of the Irish Guards, will attend the ceremony and distribute the traditional sprigs of shamrock to the Officers and Guardsmen, who will then pass them along the ranks.

At the end of the parade, a Royal Salute will take place, followed by a march-past during which the Princess will give the salute in her role as Colonel.

After the parade concludes, Catherine will also present long service and good conduct medals to members of the regiment.

She will then spend time with members of the Irish Guards’ Regimental Association and the “Mini Micks,” a group of junior cadets from Northern Ireland.

The Princess of Wales will also meet soldiers from the regiment and their families at the Sergeants’ Mess, recognising the important role they play in supporting the Armed Forces.

The Irish Guards serve a dual purpose as elite infantry soldiers, taking part in frontline operations and specialising in areas such as machine guns, anti-tank missiles, mortars, reconnaissance and sniping.

They also have a ceremonial role as the King’s bodyguard, and are frequently seen standing guard at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

The Irish Guards have also played a role in supporting the training of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and remain focused on modernisation to stay at the forefront of developing operational capabilities.

They are now considered a key force in strengthening the UK’s drone warfare capacity.

Catherine’s upcoming visit follows a thoughtful gesture she recently made for the staff and patients at the hospital where she received cancer treatment.

The Princess arranged for narcissi from the Isles of Scilly to be delivered to patients and staff at The Royal Marsden.

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Her message read: “To the patients and staff at The Royal Marsden, As spring arrives, these narcissi from the Isles of Scilly are to say I’m thinking of you all. Catherine.”

The thoughtful gesture was shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s social media accounts, drawing attention to the kindness shown by the future queen.

Catherine underwent chemotherapy in 2024 and confirmed last year that she was in remission.

After her cancer diagnosis, the princess also revealed that she had greatly cut back on her alcohol consumption.

While visiting Fabal Beerhall in London yesterday, located along the Bermondsey Beer Mile — an area known for its craft breweries and taprooms — Catherine was offered the chance to try some of the drinks.

Speaking to owner Hannah Rhodes, she explained, “Since my diagnosis, I haven’t had much alcohol.”

She added, “It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.”

Ms Rhodes then offered the Princess a soft drink instead.

Catherine later turned to her husband and gave his knee a playful pat, joking, “But you like your cider, don’t you?”

The Prince of Wales went on to sample a variety of beers and ciders during their visit.

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