The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watched the Irish Guards perform their St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Tuesday (17.03.15) – but the duchess had some trouble with a dog that was part of the event.
The British royal couple went to the regiment’s barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire, South East England, to witness the annual tradition and during the event Duchess Catherine upheld the 144-year-old royal tradition of presenting shamrocks to the officers and guardsmen.
However, when Catherine – who is eight months pregnant with the couple’s second child – had to tie a shamrock onto the collar of regimental mascot Domhnall, a three-year-old Irish wolfhound, she couldn’t do it.
After Catherine made several failed attempts to attach it, Quartermaster, Major Paul Fagin took over and tied the sprig onto Domhnall’s collar but as the mutt walked away with his handler the shamrock fell off.
Afterwards Catherine, 33, said with a laugh: "It didn’t stay on very long."
Domhnall had prepared for his meeting with the royal – formerly known as Kate Middleton – with a breakfast of tea and toast and the pooch had been promised a pint of Guinness later in the day which celebrates Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
Prince William presented a Little Hero medal – an honour created for the children of service personnel who served in Afghanistan – to six-year-old Alex Rowland, whose father Staff Sergeant Craig Rowland served there last year with the Irish Guards.
In return the second-in-line to the British throne was presented with a bib for his unborn baby and some crayons for his 19-month-old son Prince George by young Alex.
William, 32, is Colonel of the Irish Guards Regiment and wore an Irish Guards frock coat and ceremonial sword for the day.
Catherine was dressed in a brown Catherine Walker coat and Lock & Co hat and a gold shamrock brooch given to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother by the Irish Guards.
Two hundred soldiers from the First Battalion Irish Guards marched onto the Parade Square their Mons Barracks base to mark the special day.
After the ceremony was over, William and Kate met with families and the soldiers in an erected marquee and the prince enjoyed a pint of Guinness, while Kate refreshed herself with a glass of water.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Irish Guards
