Duchess of Gloucester receives rare honour in major announcement

Birgitte, The Duchess of Gloucester, celebrated a major milestone in her service to the royal family as she received a rare honour in her name.

An award has been named after the 79-year-old royal, who is the patron of the Institute of Carpenters (IOC), a leading professional body dedicated to promoting, supporting, and developing its members within the timber industry.

The duchess has been a keen supporter of the sector and the award aims to celebrate the organisations and individuals making a significant impact in the industry.

The delightful news was shared in an announcement by the IOC director James Filus.

“This Award marks a pivotal moment for the Institute of Carpenters and our Royal patron, The Duchess of Gloucester,” he said of the annual accolade.

“This award is not just about individual projects; it is not a competition in the way that many others are. It’s about recognising the impact organisations and individuals have made in meeting the sector’s skills needs over a sustained period. We collectively believe that is something to be celebrated.”

While it is not unusual to have a member of the royal family associated to a charity or an institution as patron, it is rare to have an award named after them.

The late Prince Philip had an award named after him, The Duke of Edinburgh Award, which is now carried forward by Prince Edward.