Kate Middleton is honoured by the King for her years of public service: Princess of Wales becomes first member of the royal family to be appointed a Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour

The Princess of Wales has received a unique honour from the King in recognition of her years of public service after being appointed to The Order of the Companions of Honour.

Kate, 42, has been made a Royal Companion of the organisation, which was founded by King George V in 1917 to recognise outstanding achievements in the arts, sciences, medicine and public service.

The Mail understands it is the first time that a member of the royal family has been appointed in the order's century-long history.

Sources say it is a symbol of the 'great esteem' the princess is held in by her father-in-law, King Charles.

As well as being a personal thank you for her loyal service to the Crown since she married Prince William almost 13 years ago, it is also an acknowledgment of her contribution to the arts.

The Princess of Wales has received a unique honour from the King in recognition of her years of public service after being appointed to The Order of the Companions of Honour. Above: Charles and Kate at the premiere of James Bond film No Time To Die in 2021

Keen photographer Kate is patron of The Royal Photographic Society and The National Portrait Gallery, as well as inspiring the moving lockdown photography project, Hold Still.

The appointment is not in the king's direct gift but is made by the Cabinet Office on his recommendation.

The Order of the Companions of Honour - whose spiritual home is The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace - is restricted to 65 members from across the Commonwealth.

She is in good company as current members include Sir David Attenborough, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Maggie Smith, Sir Roy Strong, Sir Paul McCartney and JK Rowling.

Her appointment is one of a string of new appointments made today/yesterday by His Majesty which include honours for four senior royals.

Kate, 42, has been made a Royal Companion of the organisation, which was founded by King George V in 1917 to recognise outstanding achievements in the arts, sciences, medicine and public service. Above: Kate and Charles visiting the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) in Loughborough in February 2020

Sources say it is a symbol of the 'great esteem' the princess is held in by her father-in-law, King Charles. Right: The honour

Queen Camilla is to be Grand Master and First or Principal Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which is a fairly traditional appointment for the spouse of the monarch.

Previous Grand Masters have included Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - who was appointed when Queen Elizabeth was crowned and remained so until his death in 2021 - as well as Queen Mary and King George VI, when he was Prince of Wales.

The Order of the British Empire was established by King George V in 1917 to honour a broader cross section of society, both military and civilian.

Prince William has also been honoured, appointed to be Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, following in the footsteps of his own father when he was Prince of Wales.

The ancient order was established by King George I in 1725, but is believed to originally date back as far as the 8th century, and awarded to members of the military or civil service for exemplary service.

As is tradition on St George's Day, four new companions to the Order of the Garter, Britain's most ancient order of chivalry, have also been announced.

They include the Duchess of Gloucester, who is married to the late Queen's cousin and remains a working royal, who will become a Royal Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The appointment will be seen as a thank you for her decades of loyal service on behalf of the monarch and 60 plus charities and organisations she supports.

New Knight Companions are Air Chief Marshall the Lord Peach - the UK's Special Envoy to the Western Balkans who was previously military head of NATO and Chief of the Defence Staff and Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee - and Lord Kakkar, President of the Thrombosis Research Institute and Chairman of The King's Fund.

The most eye-catching appointment, however, is Lord Lloyd-Webber, the UK's most successful living composer who has written the scores of some of the world's most famous musicals including Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar. He also owns six of London's best-known West End theatres.

Every June the Garter is celebrated with a procession and service in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The appointment of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter is in The King's gift and made without Prime Ministerial advice or interference.