14 JUNE 2005

The Duchess of Cornwall proved she has a head for success when she attended her first Order of the Garter ceremony on Monday. Camilla donned an elegant black and white feathered headdress, almost identical to the one she was sporting on her wedding day last April, as she joined her husband and other members of the royal family for the colourful event.

It was a fitting choice for the service, which took place in St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle, because it was here that her marriage to the Prince of Wales was blessed two months ago.

Prince Charles and his sister the Princess Royal managed to make an even more striking impression with their attire, however. The two siblings were both dressed in their traditional Order of the Garter robes and spectacular matching hats with white feather plumes.

After the ceremony the royal trio were cheered by 7,000 well-wishers as their open-topped carriage rolled slowly through the grounds of Windsor. It was Camilla's first time at the annual event and, as with her previous royal engagements, she seemed to take it all in her stride.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter is the world's oldest system of knighthood and is considered the very pinnacle of the British honours system. Membership of the society, which dates back to medieval times, is limited to the Sovereign themselves and 25 others.

The Duchess stands in between Prince Charles and the Princess Royal outside St George's chapel

After the ceremony she joined her new husband and sister-in-law in an open-topped carriage