Prince Albert was invested with the Order of The Garter in Gotha on 23 January 1840. Prince Albert describes the event in a letter to Queen Victoria dated 25th January 1840.
"Dear beloved Victoria, My heartfelt thanks for your dear,friendly letter of the 17th.' I am delighted that the Opening of Parliament went off so well, and that your reception by the public was so good. This is a good omen for me too, as it proves that even the public welcome our marriage and I am very glad to hear that the mourning for the Landgravine will not stand in the way of the
wedding. I knew her very well, and a week before her death had received a really most friendly letter from her. Our Garter ceremony went off very well, and was most imposing Papa and stood under a canopy, and Ernest and Charles by the side of us on a dais. On the left were the ladies of the nobility, on the right Mama, Princess Reuss and Anna, Marie Leiningen, Ernest Württem-berg, Prince Reuss and suite, left stood Papa's suite, the Court, the Ministry, and the public in the body of the chamber on the authorities; on the right the Members of the Chamber and all foreigners who come to Court (a large number). the partition a crowd of onlookers. Your Gentlemen were then On the other side of conducted from their rooms by the Master of Ceremonies, two Chamberlains and two pages. At the entrance of the chamber they were received by the two Marshals and led up to the Throne. Torrington carried the Patent, and Colonel Grey and Colonel Bentinck of the Coldstream Guards the two satin cushions on which lay the Insignia of the Order. G cheimrat Stein presented a formal address to Papa acquainting him of the despatch of the Order. Torrington handed your two official letters to Papa and read them aloud in English the Master of the Ceremonies followed with translation in German. Then he took the two cushions from their bearers and presented them to Papa,' who hung the Chain round my neck and pinned the Star, while Charles fastened the Garter on. Then your official despatch to read in English was Seymour, and in German by Schenk. After the Court had passed before us, we partook of a meal attended by 250 persons, and honoured by the presence of Uncle [Count Emanuel] Mensdorf, accompanied by Hugo and Alphons. Papa proposed your health, Torrington Papa's, mine and that of the House of Coburg, and the First Hofmarschall that of the Knights of the Garter. In the evening a full dress performance (Der Freischits) in the Theatre."
Letter translated and published in 'Letters of the Prince Consort 1831-1861 / selected and edited by Dr. Kurt Jagow; translated by E.T.S. Dugdale, 1938. pages 56-58