Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wears a shamrock during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .Reuters
Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wears a shamrock during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge poses for a group photograph during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge presents shamrocks to members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge presents shamrocks to members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge poses for a group photograph during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day paradeReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to two children during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wears a shamrock on her lapel during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge presents shamrocks to members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade . 450 soldiers were on parade, accompanied by the regimental mascot Conmeal, an Irish wolfhound who received his own sprig of shamrock from the Duchess.ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to service personnel during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to two children during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade .ReutersBritain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge presents shamrocks to the regimental mascot and members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot, southern England March 17, 2012. During the visit, the Duchess presented shamrocks to the Irish Guards at a St Patrick's Day parade . 450 soldiers were on parade, accompanied by the regimental mascot Conmeal, an Irish wolfhound who received his own sprig of shamrock from the Duchess.Reuters
On the occasion of St Patrick's Day on March17, 2012, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate presented shamrocks to Irish Guards during a visit to Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot.
The event marks the Duchess' first solo military appearance in the absence of Prince William who is currently serving in the Falklands.
Dressed in a green creation by designer Emilia Wickstead, Kate Middleton looked stunning and elegant. She paired the dress with a Lock & Co chocolate brown hat and an Irish Guards brooch that reportedly belonged to the Queen Mother when she visited the Irish Guards every St Patrick's Day.
The Duchess presented the three-leafed clovers to 40 officers of the battalion. Up to 450 soldiers were on parade, accompanied by the regimental mascot Conmeal, an Irish wolfhound who received his own sprig of shamrock from the Duchess.
During the event, Kate also posed for a group photo with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. The tradition of presenting the shamrocks started during 1901 by Queen Alexandra who was the wife of King Edward II.
The Daily Mail reported that last year, the Duke of Cambridge was appointed to the honorary rank of Colonel of the Irish Guard, and on June 25 the couple presented operational service medals in Windsor to the battalion for their Afghan deployment.
Start the slideshow to catch a glimpse of the Duchess at the Aldershot Barracks in Aldershot on St Patrick's Day:
