Prince William and Kate quietly award elusive staff member with special honour

The Prince and Princess of Wales made a special mention of two important members of staff in King Charles’s New Year Honours List

he Prince and Princess of Wales have quietly given one of their most loyal staff members the ultimate royal seal of approval.

On Tuesday, Prince William, 43, awarded their driver, Lance Sergeant Scott Robin Bishop, with the Royal Victorian Medal in silver during an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

The orderly and driver received the honour in recognition of his “services to the Prince and Princess of Wales” and was in A-list company, with other recipients including Cynthia Erivo and Matt Lucas.

Lance has served as a driver to the royal couple for many years, ferrying them to and from official engagements and other private family duties. The accolade is intended to highlight his behind-the-scenes yet important role in the functioning of the British royals’ day-to-day lives and operations.

Though not much is known about him and he keeps a low profile for privacy reasons, his role is crucial to the running of William and Kate’s royal household.

Lance was one of two staff members mentioned in King Charles’s New Year Honours List – the other being the family’s nanny, Maria Teresa Turrión Borrallo.

Made public on 29 December, it made for a rare public mention of one of their most elusive members of staff.

What is the Royal Victorian Medal?

The silver Royal Victorian Medal is an honour awarded by the King for loyal service to the monarch or royal family. This differs from the honours given to sportspeople and actors, who often receive MBEs and knighthoods.

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Prince William and Kate granted two members of staff with a special honour

Unlike many other honours, it is purely down to the monarch to decide who receives it, rather than being granted on the advice of government ministers or overseen by independent committees.

Because it is purely given at the discretion of His Majesty, it reflects a direct and personal expression of gratitude, making it an extra special honour. It was established by Queen Victoria in 1896 and is awarded in gold, silver and bronze categories.

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Lance Sergeant Scott Robin Bishop was mentioned in King Charles’s New Year Honours List

In good company

In March, Prince William and Kate also honoured their long-time nanny, Maria Teresa Turrión Borrallo, with the Royal Victorian Medal in silver.

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Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo has worked for the Waleses since 2014

She was given the award at a ceremony as a thank you for looking after their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis over the years.

Maria has worked for William and Kate for 12 years, joining them full-time after the birth of Prince George in 2014.

It’s mainly a behind-the-scenes role, but Maria has accompanied them on royal tours, such as to New Zealand and Australia.

Previously, in 2022, Kate’s bodyguard, Sergeant Emma Probert, was made part of the Royal Victorian Order by Prince William at Buckingham Palace.

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The Princess of Wales with her police protection officer Emma Probert

She was pictured grinning from ear to ear for the special occasion and even swapped out her usual discreet dark suits for a bright floral ensemble. The protection officer has served the Princess since 2010, when she became part of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Protection Order, and has accompanied her at countless royal outings.

A member of Scotland Yard’s Protection Squad, she is trained in martial arts and carries a 9mm Glock pistol and a Taser stun gun at all times when with the royals, according to the Daily Mail. She’s also thought to wear a stab vest at all times.

Before working for Kate, she was in charge of security for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.