At a Glance
- Prince William conducted his first investiture of 2026 on January 14 at Windsor Castle
- Retired Lionesses captain Millie Bright received an honor from the prince
- The ceremony launched a year in which only three royals-Charles, Anne, William-will host about 30 such events
Why it matters: The outing signals William’s stepped-up role in “bread-and-butter” duties amid King Charles’ winter break in Scotland.
Prince William returned to ceremonial duty, hosting his first investiture of 2026 and personally handing honors to local and national figures-including a soccer star he and Princess Charlotte have long cheered from the stands.
Bright Among First 2026 Honorees
The Prince of Wales welcomed recipients to Windsor Castle on January 14, presenting awards that had been announced in last month’s New Year Honours list. A brief video posted to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram showed William greeting each honouree with the traditional handshake and medal exchange, captioned: “A new year of investitures is underway! Congratulations to everyone receiving awards today.”
Among the group:
- Frank Rothwell, businessman and chairman of Oldham Athletic Football Club
- Dame Clare Barclay, CEO of Microsoft U.K.
- Millie Bright, recently retired defender and longtime captain of England’s women’s team, the Lionesses
The 31-year-old Chelsea veteran collected her accolade after a decade with the national side. In a retirement statement last summer she said wearing the Three Lions “surpassed even my wildest dreams,” adding, “I always want to leave an environment and team in a better place than I found it.”
A Shared History on the Sidelines
William’s enthusiasm for English soccer is well documented. He and Princess Charlotte, now 9, have attended multiple Lionesses fixtures, including the tense UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 final in Switzerland last July. Their presence coincided with England’s penalty-shootout victory over Spain, securing the country’s first European women’s title.
Bright, though no longer on the pitch, captained the squad during its 2023 World Cup runner-up campaign and has praised William’s support of women’s soccer. The prince serves as President of the Football Association and regularly highlights the sport’s community impact.
Royal Lineup for 30 Annual Investitures
U.K. honours are published twice yearly by the Cabinet Office, prompting roughly 30 ceremonies up and down the country. The workload now falls to just three working royals:
- King Charles (currently on winter break in Scotland)
- Princess Anne (hosted the year’s first ceremony on January 13)
- Prince William (January 14)
Anne’s Tuesday event honored:
- Roisin Currie, CEO of bakery chain Greggs
- Jackie Bird, Scottish broadcaster
- Martha Kearney, BBC journalist
- Rufus Norris, artistic director of the National Theatre
- Shane Connolly, florist who decorated Westminster Abbey for William and Kate’s 2011 wedding
A July 2025 profile in The Sunday Times quoted a royal source saying Anne “still [does] most of the investitures” at Windsor despite William living minutes away. “It annoys her,” the source added, noting the Princess Royal would like to see her nephew embrace more routine engagements.
Key Takeaways
- January 14 marked William’s first investiture of 2026, signaling a heavier slate of duties this year
- Lionesses icon Millie Bright capped her international career with a coveted national honour
- With Charles in Scotland, only three royals will preside over the year’s ceremonies, spotlighting William’s expanding role
