The Order of the Garter: Difference between revisions
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During the Middle Ages ladies could not become a full member, but they could be associated with the order. Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of [[Henry VII]], was the last woman of the medieval period to be honoured and after her death in 1509 the order stayed exclusively male until the beginning of the 20th century (with the exception of female sovereigns). | During the Middle Ages ladies could not become a full member, but they could be associated with the order. Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of [[Henry VII]], was the last woman of the medieval period to be honoured and after her death in 1509 the order stayed exclusively male until the beginning of the 20th century (with the exception of female sovereigns). | ||
St George, the patron saint of soldiers and of England, is the patron of the order and St George’s Chapel in [[Windsor Castle]] is its home (and St George's day, 23 April, is a central day for the celebrations of the Order). Every knight displays a banner of his arms in the Chapel, with a helmet, crest, sword and an enamelled stallplate. The display will be taken down and the insignia have to be returned to the sovereign by the death of the knight. The stallplate stays as a memorial. The membership of the order usually lasts a lifetime, but there are knights who have been degraded or even executed for crimes like heresy, treason or cowardice | St George, the patron saint of soldiers and of England, is the patron of the order and St George’s Chapel in [[Windsor Castle]] is its home (and St George's day, 23 April, is a central day for the celebrations of the Order). Every knight displays a banner of his arms in the Chapel, with a helmet, crest, sword and an enamelled stallplate. The display will be taken down and the insignia have to be returned to the sovereign by the death of the knight. The stallplate stays as a memorial. The membership of the order usually lasts a lifetime, but there are knights who have been degraded or even executed for crimes like heresy, treason or cowardice. For example Lord Scrope of Masham, a friend of Henry V, who was a leader of the Southampton Plot of 1415, which aimed to assassinate Henry. | ||
The Order of the Garter meets every June at Windsor, where new members will be sworn in by taking an oath and investing their insignia. The order meets for lunch at the Waterloo Chamber and attends a service at the St. George’s Chapel. For this special event the knights and ladies wear blue velvet robes with the badge of the order and black velvet hats with white plumes. | The Order of the Garter meets every June at Windsor, where new members will be sworn in by taking an oath and investing their insignia. The order meets for lunch at the Waterloo Chamber and attends a service at the St. George’s Chapel. For this special event the knights and ladies wear blue velvet robes with the badge of the order and black velvet hats with white plumes. | ||
Revision as of 09:55, 3 May 2010
The Order of the Garter is the oldest British Order of Chivalry. It was founded by Edward III in 1348 to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Crécy. The members of the order were called Knights of the Garter and it was inspired by the ideals of King Arthur’s round table.
The order consists of the sovereign and no more than twenty-four knights, in addition to royal knights (members of the royal family). From the 18th century to 1946 the government gave advice to the appointment of the order, before "the Order returned to its original function as a mark of Royal favour" (The Official Website of The British Monarchy). It is one of the few personal prerogatives of the sovereign to personally choose the knights by honoring those "who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally" (ibid.). The backgrounds of the knights vary today, but most of its history the order was limited to aristocracy.
During the Middle Ages ladies could not become a full member, but they could be associated with the order. Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, was the last woman of the medieval period to be honoured and after her death in 1509 the order stayed exclusively male until the beginning of the 20th century (with the exception of female sovereigns).
St George, the patron saint of soldiers and of England, is the patron of the order and St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle is its home (and St George's day, 23 April, is a central day for the celebrations of the Order). Every knight displays a banner of his arms in the Chapel, with a helmet, crest, sword and an enamelled stallplate. The display will be taken down and the insignia have to be returned to the sovereign by the death of the knight. The stallplate stays as a memorial. The membership of the order usually lasts a lifetime, but there are knights who have been degraded or even executed for crimes like heresy, treason or cowardice. For example Lord Scrope of Masham, a friend of Henry V, who was a leader of the Southampton Plot of 1415, which aimed to assassinate Henry.
The Order of the Garter meets every June at Windsor, where new members will be sworn in by taking an oath and investing their insignia. The order meets for lunch at the Waterloo Chamber and attends a service at the St. George’s Chapel. For this special event the knights and ladies wear blue velvet robes with the badge of the order and black velvet hats with white plumes.
According to an old tale, the order got his unusual name when King Edward III noticed a garter belonging to the Countess of Salisbury on the floor one night at a festive gathering in Windsor Castle. The courtiers were making fun of that piece of underwear, but the king picked it up, put it around his own leg and said "Honi soit qui mal y pense" ("shame on him who thinks evil of it"). With this he demonstrated his love for chivalric values.
"Honi soit qui mal y pense" is still the motto of the order.
Current Members of the Order of the Garter (source: The official website of The British Monarchy)
SOVEREIGN OF THE ORDER - THE QUEEN
LADIES OF THE ORDER
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS ROYAL, 23rd April, 1994.
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, THE HONOURABLE LADY OGILVY, 23rd April, 2003.
ROYAL KNIGHTS COMPANION
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH, 19th November, 1947.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES, 26th July, 1958.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT, 9th October, 1985.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, 23rd April, 1997.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF YORK, 23rd April, 2006
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE EARL OF WESSEX, 23rd April, 2006
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE WILLIAM OF WALES, 23rd April, 2008
EXTRA KNIGHTS COMPANION AND LADIES OF THE ORDER HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS GRAND DUKE JEAN OF LUXEMBOURG, 14th June, 1972.
HER MAJESTY MARGRETHE II, QUEEN OF DENMARK, 16th May, 1979.
HIS MAJESTY CARL XVI GUSTAF, KING OF SWEDEN, 25th May, 1983.
HIS MAJESTY JUAN CARLOS I, KING OF SPAIN, 17th October, 1988.
HER MAJESTY BEATRIX, QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS, 28th June, 1989.
HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY AKIHITO, EMPEROR OF JAPAN, 26th May, 1998.
HIS MAJESTY HARALD V, KING OF NORWAY, 30th May, 2001.
OFFICERS OF THE ORDER
Prelate - The Bishop of Winchester (The Right Reverend Michael Charles SCOTT-JOYNT)
Chancellor - The Right Honourable Lord CARRINGTON, K.G., G.C.M.G., C.H., M.C.
Register - The Dean of Windsor (The Right Reverend David John CONNER)
Garter King of Arms - Mr Thomas Woodcock, LVO.
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod - Lieutenant General Sir Frederick VIGGERS, K.C.B., C.M.G., M.B.E., D.L.
Secretary - Patric Laurence DICKINSON, L.V.O.Richmond Herald of Arms The Right Reverend David Conner, Dean of Windsor, KCVO, 1998.
COMPANIONS (maximum 24)
The Most Noble Hugh Denis Charles, Duke of GRAFTON, K.G. 23rd April, 1976.
The Right Honourable Peter Alexander Rupert, Lord CARRINGTON, K.G., G.C.M.G., C.H., M.C.23rd April, 1985.
The Most Noble Arthur Valerian, Duke of WELLINGTON, K.G., L.V.O., O.B.E., M.C.23rd April, 1990.
Field Marshal the Right Honourable Edwin Noel Westby, Lord BRAMALL, K.G., G.C.B., O.B.E., M.C.23rd April, 1990.
The Right Honourable Matthew White, Viscount RIDLEY, K.G., G.C.V.O., T.D. 23rd April, 1992.
The Right Honourable John Davan, Lord SAINSBURY OF PRESTON CANDOVER, K.G.23rd April, 1992.
The Right Honourable John Francis Harcourt, Lord ASHBURTON, K.G., K.C.V.O. 23rd April, 1994.
The Right Honourable Robert, Lord KINGSDOWN, K.G.23rd April, 1994.
The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Martin STEPHEN, K.G., A.K., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., K.B.E., Q.C. 23rd April, 1994.
The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda, Baroness THATCHER, L.G., O.M., F.R.S. 22nd April, 1995.
Sir Timothy James Alan COLMAN, K.G. 23rd April, 1996.
The Most Noble James, Duke of ABERCORN, K.G. 23rd April, 1999.
Sir Erskine William GLADSTONE, Bt., K.G. 23rd April, 1999.
Field Marshal the Right Honourable Peter Anthony, Lord INGE, K.G., G.C.B. 23rd April, 2001.
Sir Antony Arthur ACLAND, K.G., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O. 23rd April, 2001.
The Most Noble Gerald Cavendish, Duke of WESTMINSTER, K.G., C.B., O.B.E., T.D., C.D. 23rd April, 2003.
The Right Honourable Frederick Edward Robin, Lord BUTLER OF BROCKWELL, K.G., G.C.B., C.V.O. 23rd April, 2003.
The Right Honourable John, Lord MORRIS OF ABERAVON, K.G., Q.C. 23rd April, 2003.
Mary, The Right Honourable Baroness SOAMES, L.G., D.B.E. 23rd April, 2005.
The Right Honourable Thomas Henry, Lord BINGHAM OF CORNHILL, K.G. 23rd April, 2005.
The Right Honourable Sir John MAJOR, K.G., C.H. 23rd April, 2005.
The Right Honourable Richard Napier, Lord LUCE, K.G., G.C.V.O. 23rd April, 2008.
Sir Thomas Raymond DUNNE, K.G., K.C.V.O. 23rd April, 2008
Sources: Wilkinson, Philip. The British Monarchy for Dummies. West Sussex: John Wiley, 2006.