The International and Royal Council for European Orders of Chivalry and Honours, Officially Founded in 2002.

The Official Almanach de Chivalry 2002-2008

THE INTERNATIONAL AND ROYAL COUNCIL FOR ORDERS OF CHIVALRY THE ALMANACH DE CHIVALRY 2008 ( Founded 2002 by Royal Charter ) The Register of Orders of Chivalry Registre des Ordres de Chevalerie The Official Listing of The Imperial and Royal European Orders of Chivalry The Royal and Imperial Orders of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Above) The Knights of The Order of The Garter in their Ceremonial Robes in the Waterloo Room at Windsor Castle . _______________ ______________________________________________ THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER ______________________________________________ The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an English order of chivalry dating from mediæval times. It is the world's oldest national order of knighthood, and the pinnacle of the British honours system. Its membership is extremely limited compared to most modern orders, consisting of the Sovereign and not more than 25 full members, or Companions. Male members are known as Knights Companion, and female members are known as Ladies Companion (not Dames, as in most other British chivalric orders). The Order also includes certain extra members (e.g., members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs), known as "Supernumerary" Knights and Ladies. Unlike most other orders, the Order of the Garter is not subject to the Prime Minister's binding advice on appointments; rather, the Sovereign alone grants membership. Membership in the Order is thus the personal gift of the Sovereign. Except for the grants of supernumerary membership, awards are made only to those with an exceptional record of service to the United Kingdom. As the name suggests, the Order's primary emblem, depicted on several insignia, is a garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense in gold letters. The motto is Old French for "shame upon him who thinks evil of it". The Garter is not only symbolic, but is an accessory worn by the Order's members during ceremonies. Most British orders of chivalry cover the entire kingdom, but the three most exalted pertain to only one constituent nation. The Order of the Garter, which pertains to England, is most senior in both age and precedence. Its equivalent in Scotland is The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. While the Order of the Thistle was certainly in existence by the 16th century, and possibly has mediæval origins (according to legend, it dates to the eighth century), the foundation of the institution in its modern form dates to 1687. In 1783 an Irish equivalent, The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, was founded, but since the independence of the greater part of Ireland, the Order has fallen dormant: its last surviving knight died in 1974. The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III as "a society, fellowship and college of knights. The year of foundation is usually taken to be 1348, although dates ranging from 1344 to 1351 have been proposed. The wardrobe account of the king first shows Garter habits issued in the autumn of 1348. Regardless, the Order was probably not established before 1346; the original statutes required that each member already be a knight (now called a knight bachelor), and several initial members of the Order were knighted that year. Various legends account for the origin of the Order. The most popular legend involves the "Countess of Salisbury" (possibly Joan of Kent). While she was dancing with or near King Edward at Eltham Palace, her garter is said to have slipped from her leg. When the surrounding courtiers sniggered, the king picked it up and tied it to his leg, exclaiming Honi soit qui mal y pense—the phrase that has become the motto of the Order. According to another legend, King Richard I was inspired in the 12th century by St George the Martyr while fighting in the Crusades to tie garters around the legs of his knights, who subsequently won the battle. King Edward supposedly recalled the event in the 14th century when he founded the Order. Soon after the founding of the Order, women were appointed "Ladies of the Garter," but were not made companions. King Henry VII discontinued the practice in 1488; his mother, Margaret Beaufort, was the last Lady of the Garter before modernity. Except for female sovereigns, the next Lady of the Garter named was Alexandra of Denmark, by her husband King Edward VII. King George V also made his consort, Queen Mary, a Lady of the Garter and King George VI subsequently did the same for his wife, Queen Elizabeth. Throughout the 20th century, women continued to be associated with the Order, but except for foreign female monarchs, they were not made companions. In 1987, however, it became possible to install "Ladies Companion of the Garter" under a statute of Queen Elizabeth II. Membership in the Order is extremely limited and includes the monarch of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales, not more than 25 companion members, and various supernumerary members. The monarch alone can grant membership. He or she is known as the "Sovereign of the Garter", and the Prince of Wales is known as a "Knight Companion of the Garter." Male members of the Order are titled "Knights Companion," and female members are called "Ladies Companion." Formerly, the Sovereign filled vacancies upon the nomination of the members. Each member would nominate nine candidates, of whom three had to have the rank of Earl or higher, three the rank of Baron or higher, and three the rank of Knight or higher. The Sovereign would choose as many nominees as were necessary to fill any vacancies in the Order. He or she was not obliged to choose those who received the most nominations. Candidates were last nominated in 1860, and appointments have since been made by the Sovereign acting alone, with no prior nominations. The statutes prescribing the former procedure were not amended, however, until 1953. From the 18th century, the Sovereign made his or her choices on the advice of Government. However, King George VI believed that the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Thistle had become too linked with political patronage. In 1946, with the agreement of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, membership in these two orders became a personal gift of the Sovereign. Thus, the Sovereign personally selects Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, and need not act on the advice of Government. The Prince of Wales with his siblings the Princess Royal, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of York, who are supernumerary members of the Order. In addition, the Order includes "supernumerary" members, who do not count towards the limit of 25 companions. Several supernumerary members, known as "Royal Knights and Ladies of the Garter", belong to the royal family. These titles were introduced in 1786 by King George III so that his many sons would not count towards the limit on the number of companions. He created the statute of supernumerary members in 1805 so that any descendant of King George II could be installed as such a member. In 1831, this statute was extended again to include all descendants of King George I. With the installation of Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1813, supernumerary membership was extended to foreign monarchs, who are known as "Stranger Knights and Ladies of the Garter".Each such installation originally required the enactment of a statute; however, a 1954 statute authorises the regular admission of Stranger Knights or Ladies without further special enactments. The Sovereign may "degrade" members who have committed serious crimes, such as treason. During the First World War, several Stranger Knights who were monarchs of enemy nations had their memberships revoked. The appointments of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria were annulled in 1915. The membership of Emperor Hirohito of Japan was removed after Japan entered World War II, but he was reappointed after the war by Elizabeth II. (Thus, Hirohito was uniquely made a Knight of the Garter by two different Sovereigns.) The office of Prelate is held by the Bishop of Winchester, traditionally one of the senior bishops of the Church of England.The office of Chancellor is now held by one of the companions of the order. For most of its existence, the Bishop of Salisbury has held the office, although laymen held it from 1553 to 1671. In 1837, after boundary changes made Windsor Castle fall in the diocese of Oxford, the Chancellorship was transferred to the Bishop of Oxford. A century later, the Bishop of Salisbury challenged this transfer, on the grounds that the Chancellorship had been attached to his office regardless of the diocese in which the chapel of the order lay; and that, in any event, St George's Chapel, as a Royal Peculiar, was not under diocesan jurisdiction. The office of Chancellor was removed from the Bishop of Oxford, and has since been held by one of the Knights Companion. Since 1937, the following members have held the post of Chancellor: The Duke of Portland (1937–1943) The Earl of Halifax (1943–1959) The Marquess of Salisbury (1960–1972) The Viscount Cobham (1972–1977) The Marquess of Abergavenny (1977–1994) Lord Carrington (since 1994) The office of Register has been held by the Dean of Windsor since 1558. The Garter Principal King of Arms is ex officio the senior officer of the College of Arms (the heraldic authority of England), and is usually appointed from among the other officers of arms at the College. As the title suggests, Garter Principal King of Arms has specific duties as the Order's officer of arms, attending to the companions' crests and banners of arms, which are exhibited in the chapel. The Secretary, who acts as deputy to Garter in the ceremonial aspects of the Order, has since 1952 also been selected from the other officers of the College of Arms. The office of Usher is held by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, who is also the Serjeant-at-Arms of the United Kingdom House of Lords(although his functions are more often performed there by his deputy, the Yeoman Usher). Military Knights of Windsor At the founding of the Order of the Garter, 26 "poor knights" were appointed and attached to the Order and its chapel. This number was not always maintained, and by the 17th century, there were only thirteen such knights. King Charles II increased the number to eighteen after his coronation in 1660. After the knights objected to being termed "poor", King William IV redesignated them in the 19th century as the Military Knights of Windsor. The poor knights were impoverished military veterans, required to pray daily for the Knights Companion. In return, they received a salary and lodging in Windsor Castle. The knights are no longer necessarily poor, but are still military pensioners. They participate in the Order's processions, escorting the members, and in the chapel services. However, they are not considered knights or members of the Order. The mantle is a vestment or robe worn by members since the 15th century. Once made of wool, by the 16th century it was made of velvet. The mantle was originally purple, but varied during the 17th and 18th centuries between celestial blue, pale blue, royal blue, dark blue, violet and ultramarine. Mantles are now dark blue and lined with white taffeta. The mantles of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and Royal Knights and Ladies end in trains. The heraldic shield of St George's Cross encircled by the Garter is sewn onto the left shoulder of the mantle, but the Sovereign's mantle instead has the star of the Order. Attached to the mantle over the right shoulder are a dark red velvet hood and surcoat, which have lost all function over time and appear to the modern observer simply as a splash of colour. The hat is of black velvet with a plume of white ostrich and black heron feathers. The collar is an accessory worn around the neck, over the mantle. Like the mantle, it was introduced in the 15th and 16th centuries. Made of pure gold, it weighs 30 troy ounces (0.933 kg). The collar is composed of gold knots alternating with enamelled medallions showing a rose encircled by the Garter. During King Henry VII's reign, each garter surrounded two roses—one red and one white—but he changed the design such that each garter encircled only one red rose. The George, which is worn suspended from the collar, is a colourfully enamelled three-dimensional figure of St George the Martyr on horseback slaying a dragon. The Garter is worn on ceremonial occasions around the left calf by knights and around the left arm by ladies, and is depicted on several insignia. The Garter is a buckled dark-blue (originally light-blue) velvet strap, and bears the motto in gold letters. The garters of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels. On other occasions when decorations are worn, the members wear simpler insignia: The collar is worn on designated collar days over military uniform or evening wear by members attending formal events. The collar is fastened to the shoulders with silk ribbons. Since the collar signifies the Order of the Garter, members can then wear the riband of any other order to which they belong. The star, which is worn pinned to the left breast, was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles I and is a colourfully enamelled depiction of the heraldic shield of St George's Cross, encircled by the Garter, which is itself encircled by an eight-point silver badge. Each point is depicted as a cluster of rays, with the four points of the cardinal directions longer than the intermediate ones. The stars of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels. Since the Order of the Garter is the senior order of the United Kingdom, a member will wear its star above the others (up to three) that he or she holds. The riband is a four inch (10.16 cm)-wide sash worn over the left shoulder, or pinned beneath it, to the right hip, and was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles II. The riband's colour has varied over the years: it was originally light blue, but was a dark shade under the Hanoverian monarchs. In 1950, the colour was fixed as "kingfisher blue". A member will wear only one riband, even if he or she belongs to several orders. The badge is worn suspended from a small gold link from the riband at the right hip, and is sometimes known as "the Lesser George". Like the George, the badge shows St George the Martyr on horseback slaying a dragon, but it is flatter and gold. In the 15th century, the badge was worn attached to a ribbon around the neck. This was not convenient when riding a horse, so the custom of wearing it with a riband under the right arm developed. On the death of a member, the badge and star are returned personally to the Sovereign by the former member's nearest male relative, and the other insignia to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. For ceremonial occasions of the Order, the officers wear the following garments and accessories: The mantles for the prelate and chancellor are dark blue like those of the members (as a member, the chancellor wears a member's mantle), but the mantles for the other officers are dark red. All mantles are embroidered with a heraldic shield of St George's Cross. For Garter ceremonies, Garter Principal King of Arms wears this red mantle rather than the tabard of the royal arms worn for other State ceremonial. Officers wear badges of office suspended from a chain worn around the neck. The badge for the prelate shows the Lesser George encircled by the Garter, which is surmounted by a bishop's mitre. The badge for the chancellor is a rose encircled by the Garter. The badge for the register is two crossed quills over a book encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown. The badge for Garter Principal King of Arms is the royal arms impaled with St George's Cross encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown. The badge for the usher is a knot (like those on the collars of the companions of the order) encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown. The badge for the secretary shows two crossed quills in front of a rose and encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown. The chancellor carries a purse, which is embroidered with the royal arms impaled by the Cross of St. George. The purse contains the seal of the Order. Garter Principal King of Arms carries his baton of office. The usher carries his staff of office, the Black Rod. Military Knights of Windsor in the procession to the Garter Service.The poor knights originally wore red mantles, each of which bore St George's Cross, but did not depict the Garter. Queen Elizabeth I replaced the mantles in the 16th and 17th centuries with blue and purple gowns, but the red mantles returned in the 17th century under King Charles I. When the knights were renamed, the mantles were abandoned. The military knights now wear the old military uniform of an "army officer on the unattached list": black trousers with red stripe, a red double-breasted swallow-tailed coat, gold epaulets and brushes, a cocked hat with a plume, and a sword on a white sash. Precedence and privileges Members are assigned positions in the order of precedence, coming before all others of knightly rank, and above baronets. The wives, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Companion are also assigned precedence. Relatives of Ladies Companion are not, however, assigned any special positions. (Generally, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.) The Chancellor is also assigned precedence, but except for the period between 1553 and 1671 when the office was held by a layman who was not necessarily a member of the Order, this precedence has been purely theoretical. As a member of the Order, the Chancellor has a higher precedence than that attached to the office, and when the office was filled by a diocesan bishop of the Church of England, the holder again had a higher precedence by virtue of that office than any that the chancellorship could bestow. Knights Companion prefix "Sir" and Ladies Companion prefix "Lady" to their forenames. Wives of Knights Companion may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no such privilege exists for husbands of Ladies Companion. Such forms are not used by princes and peers, except when peers' names are written out in their fullest forms. Knights and Ladies Companion use the post-nominal letters "KG" and "LG" respectively.When an individual is entitled to use multiple post-nominal letters, those of the Order of the Garter appear before all others except "Bt" (Baronet), "VC" (Victoria Cross) and "GC" (George Cross). The members may encircle their arms with the Garter, and, if they wish, with a depiction of the collar as well However, the Garter is normally used alone; the more elaborate version is seldom seen. Stranger Knights and Ladies do not, of course, embellish the arms they use in their countries with English decorations. Knights and Ladies Companion are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters, a privilege granted to few other private individuals. While some families claim supporters by ancient use, and others have been granted them as a special reward, only peers, Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the Thistle, and certain other knights and ladies are automatically entitled to them. Garter service at St George's Chapel, The Order of the Garter once held services at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, but they became rare in the 18th century. The Garter services, discontinued in 1805, was revived by King George VI in 1948, and it has become an annual event. Each June, on the Monday of Royal Ascot week, the members of the Order, wearing their ceremonial vestments and insignia, meet in the state apartments in the Upper Ward of Windsor Castle. They process on foot, led by the Military Knights of Windsor, through the castle to St George's Chapel for the service. If there are any new knights, they are installed on this occasion. After the service, the members return to the Upper Ward by carriage. _____________ ____________________________________ THE ORDER OF SAINT PATRICK ____________________________________ Founded in 1783, the Order of St Patrick was historically used to reward those in high office in Ireland and Irish peers who supported the government of the day. It served as the national Order of Ireland as the Garter was for England and the Thistle for Scotland. The Order effectively went into abeyance with the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. It finally lapsed in 1974 with the death of the last surviving recipient, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. Originally, the number of Knights of St Patrick was 15. This increased to 22 in 1833. The Knights of the Order of St. Patrick wore mantles of sky-blue satin, and the star of the Order was embroidered in silver on the right breast. The Order's most famous insignia were the badge and star used by the Lord Lieutenant. These were made available for the serving Lord Lieutenant's use in 1830 by William IV. Motto: Quis separabit, Chapel: St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ranks: Knight, Post-nominals: KP . Founded: 1783; discontinued 1922, The insignia were made from 394 stones taken in part from some of Queen Charlotte's jewellery and from one of the Order of the Bath Badges which had belonged to her husband George III. Known as the 'Irish Crown Jewels', the insignia were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907 and never recovered. _______________ (Above) The Ceremonial Regalia of The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle . _______________ ______________________________________________________________ THE MOST ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE THISTLE ______________________________________________________________ The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. While its original date of foundation is unknown, James VII (also King of England as James II) instituted the modern Order in 1687. The Order consists of the Sovereign and sixteen Knights and Ladies, as well as certain "extra" knights (members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs). The Sovereign alone grants membership of the Order; he or she is not advised by the Government, as occurs with most other Orders. The sixteen members are required to be Scottish-born, though not the "extra" knights and ladies. The Order's primary emblem is the thistle, the national flower of Scotland. The motto is Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin for "No one provokes me with impunity"); the same motto also appears on the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom for use in Scotland and on some pound coins. The patron saint of the Order is St Andrew. Most British orders of chivalry cover the entire kingdom, but the three most exalted ones each pertain to one constituent country only. The Order of the Thistle, which pertains to Scotland, is the second-most senior in precedence. Its equivalent in England, The Most Noble Order of the Garter, is the oldest documented order of chivalry in the United Kingdom, dating to the middle fourteenth century. In 1783 an Irish equivalent, The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, was founded; since the independence of the greater part of Ireland the Order has fallen dormant (its last surviving knight died in 1974). The original date of the Order's foundation is unknown. According to legend, Achaius, King of Scots (possibly coming to the aid of Óengus mac Fergusa (Angus), King of the Picts), while engaged in battle at Athelstaneford with the Saxon King Aethelstan of East Anglia, saw in the heavens the cross of St Andrew. After he won the battle, Achaius is said to have established the Order of the Thistle, dedicating it to the saint, in 787. The tale is not credible, not only because of the unlikeliness of the alleged miracle, but also because the two individuals purported to have fought each other did not even reign during the same century.Another story states that Achaius founded the Order in 809 to commemorate an alliance with the Emperor Charlemagne, which is a little less implausible given the Scottish bodyguards employed by Charlemagne. There is, in addition, a tradition that it was instituted, or re-instituted, on the battlefield by Robert I at Bannockburn.Many credit James III, who adopted the thistle as the royal plant badge and issued coins depicting thistles, with founding the Order during the fifteenth century. Others state that James V, who had been admitted to the Order of the Golden Fleece in the Holy Roman Empire the Order of St Michael in France, and the Order of the Garter in England established the Order of the Thistle in 1540 because he was embarrassed that he had no honour to confer on foreign monarchs. He allegedly conferred membership of the "Order of the Burr or Thissil" on Francis I, King of France. Some Scottish order of chivalry probably existed during the sixteenth century, but had lapsed by its conclusion. James VII issued letters patent "reviving and restoring the Order of the Thistle to its full glory, lustre and magnificency" in 1687. Eight knights, out of a maximum of twelve, were appointed, but the King was deposed in 1688.His successors, the joint monarchs William and Mary, did not make any further appointments to the Order, which consequently fell into desuetude. In 1703, however, Anne once again revived the Order of the Thistle, which survives to this day. The Kings of Scotland—later the Kings of Great Britain and of the United Kingdom—have served as Sovereigns of the Order. When James VII revived the Order, the statutes stated that the Order would continue the ancient number of Knights, which was described in the preceding warrant as "the Sovereign and twelve Knights-Brethren in allusion to the Blessed Saviour and his Twelve Apostles. In 1827, George IV augmented the Order to sixteen members. Women (other than Queens regnant) were originally excluded from the Order; George VI created his wife Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon a Lady of the Thistle in 1937 via a special statute, and in 1987 Elizabeth II allowed the regular admission of women to both the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter. From time to time, individuals may be admitted to the Order by special statutes. Such members are known as "Extra Knights" and do not count towards the sixteen-member limit. Members of the British Royal Family are normally admitted through this procedure; the first to be so admitted was Prince Albert. Olav V, King of Norway, the first foreigner to be admitted to the Order, was also admitted by special statute in 1962. The Sovereign has historically had the power to choose Knights of the Order. From the eighteenth century onwards, the Sovereign made his or her choices upon the advice of the Government. George VI felt that the Orders of the Garter and the Thistle had been used only for political patronage, rather than to reward actual merit. Therefore, with the agreement of the Prime Minister (Clement Attlee) and the Leader of the Opposition (Winston Churchill) in 1946, both Orders returned to the personal gift of the Sovereign. Knights and Ladies of the Thistle may also be admitted to the Order of the Garter. Formerly, many, but not all, Knights elevated to the senior Order would resign from the Order of the Thistle. The first to resign from the Order of the Thistle was John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll in 1710; the last to take such an action was Thomas Dundas, 2nd Earl of Zetland in 1872. Knights and Ladies of the Thistle may also be deprived of their knighthoods. The only individual to have suffered such a fate was John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar who lost both the knighthood and the earldom after participating in the Jacobite rising of 1715. The Order has five officers: the Dean, the Chancellor, the Usher, the King of Arms and the Secretary. The Dean is normally a cleric of the Church of Scotland. This office was not part of the original establishment, but was created in 1763 and joined to the office of Dean of the Chapel Royal. The two offices were separated in 1969. The office of Chancellor is mentioned and given custody of the seal of the Order in the 1687 statutes, but no-one was appointed to the position until 1913. The office has subsequently been held by one of the knights, though not necessarily the most senior. The Usher of the Order is the Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod (unlike his Garter equivalent, the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, he does not have another function assisting the House of Lords). The Lord Lyon King of Arms, head of the Scottish heraldic establishment and whose office predates his association with the Order serves as King of Arms of the Order. The Lord Lyon often—but not invariably—also serves as the Secretary. For the Order's great occasions, such as its annual service each June or July, as well for coronations, the Knights and Ladies wear an elaborate costume: The mantle is a green robe worn over their suits or military uniforms. The mantle is lined with white taffeta; it is tied with green and gold tassels. On the left shoulder of the mantle, the star of the Order (see below) is depicted. The hat is made of black velvet and is plumed with white feathers with a black egret or heron's top in the middle. The collar is made of gold and depicts thistles and sprigs of rue. It is worn over the mantle. The St Andrew, also called the badge-appendant, is worn suspended from the collar. It comprises a gold enamelled depiction of St Andrew, wearing a green gown and purple coat, holding a white saltire. Gold rays are shown emanating from St Andrew's head. Aside from these special occasions, however, much simpler insignia are used whenever a member of the Order attends an event at which decorations are worn. The star of the Order consists of a silver St Andrew's saltire, with clusters of rays between the arms thereof. In the centre is depicted a green circle bearing the motto of the Order in gold majuscules; within the circle, there is depicted a thistle on a gold field. It is worn pinned to the left breast.(Since the Order of the Thistle is the second-most senior chivalric order in the UK, a member will wear its star above that of other orders to which he or she belongs, except that of the Order of the Garter; up to four orders' stars may be worn.) The broad riband is a dark green sash worn across the body, from the left shoulder to the right hip. At the right hip of the Riband, the badge of the Order is attached. The badge depicts St Andrew in the same form as the star surrounded by the Order's motto. However, on certain collar days designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform, formal wear, or other costume. They will then substitute the broad riband of another order to which they belong (if any), since the Order of the Thistle is represented by the collar. Upon the death of a Knight or Lady, the insignia must be returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. The badge and star are returned personally to the Sovereign by the nearest relative of the deceased. Officers of the Order also wear green robes. The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod also bears, as the title of his office suggests, a green rod. When James VII revived the Order in 1687, he directed that the Abbey Church at the Palace of Holyroodhouse be converted to a Chapel for the Order of the Thistle, perhaps copying the idea from the Order of the Garter (whose chapel is located in Windsor Castle). James VII, however, was deposed by 1688; the Chapel, meanwhile, had been destroyed during riots. The Order did not have a Chapel until 1911, when one was added onto St Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh. Each year, the Sovereign resides at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for a week in June or July; during the visit, a service for the Order is held. Any new Knights or Ladies are installed at annual services. Each member of the Order, including the Sovereign, is allotted a stall in the Chapel, above which his or her heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his helm, decorated with mantling and topped by his crest. If he is a peer the coronet appropriate to his rank is placed beneath the helm. Under the laws of heraldry, women other than monarchs do not normally bear helms or crests; instead, the coronet alone is used (if she is a peeress or princess). Lady Marion Fraser somewhat unusually had a helm and crest included when she was granted arms; these are displayed above her stall in the same manner as for the male Knights.[47] Unlike other British Orders, the armorial banners of Knights and Ladies of the Thistle are not hung in the chapel, but instead in an adjacent part of St Giles High Kirk. The Thistle Chapel does, however, bear the arms of members living and deceased on stall plates. These enamelled plates are affixed to the back of the stall and display its occupant's name, arms, and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, helm, mantling, crest (or coronet or crown) and sword are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather, they remain permanently affixed to the back of the stall, so that the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights (and now Ladies) since 1911. Precedence and privileges, The Royal arms encircled by the collar of the Order. The badge of the Order is depicted suspended from the collar. Knights and Ladies of the Thistle may also use the circlet, collar and badge on their arms.Knights and Ladies of the Thistle are assigned positions in the order of precedence, ranking above all others of knightly rank, and above baronets. Wives, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights of the Thistle also feature on the order of precedence; relatives of Ladies of the Thistle, however, are not assigned any special precedence. (Generally, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.) Knights of the Thistle prefix "Sir," and Ladies prefix "Lady," to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Ladies. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Knights and Ladies use the post-nominal letters "KT" and "LT," respectively.When an individual is entitled to use multiple post-nominal letters, "KT" or "LT" appears before all others, except "Bt" or "Btss" (Baronet or Baronetess), "VC" (Victoria Cross), "GC" (George Cross) and "KG" or "LG" (Knight or Lady of the Garter). Knights and Ladies may encircle their arms with the circlet (a green circle bearing the Order's motto) and the collar of the Order; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar.The Royal Arms depict the collar and motto of the Order of the Thistle only in Scotland; they show the circlet and motto of the Garter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Knights and Ladies are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. This high privilege is only shared by members of the Royal Family, peers, Knights and Ladies of the Garter, and Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights Grand Commanders of the junior orders. _______________ _____________________________ THE ORDER OF MERIT _____________________________ The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. It was established in 1902 by King Edward VII (based on the Prussian Pour le Mérite) as a reward for distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. The rarer military awards are distinguished from the civil by having a pair of crossed swords behind the central medallion. Appointments to the Order are in the Sovereign's personal gift and ministerial advice is not required. The Order of Merit is a very high honour; it lies outside the traditional system of honours which confer titles but is arguably the most prestigious honour which is still in regular use. The Order is limited to the Sovereign and twenty-four members, but additional foreigners may be added as "honorary members." From the beginning the Order was open to women; Florence Nightingale was the first woman to receive the Order, in 1907. The Order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this single-class Order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OM. The badge has the appearance of a red cross surmounted by a golden crown. The ribbon is red and blue. As of March 2007 there are three vacancies ________________ ______________________________ COMPANIONS OF HONOUR ______________________________ The Order of the Companions of Honour was instituted in 1917 by George V at the same time as the Order of the British Empire was founded, and it is sometimes regarded as a junior class of the Order of Merit. The Order consists of the Sovereign and 65 ordinary members. Foreigners are admitted only as honorary members and certain additional members are appointed by statute in commemoration of special occasions. The Order is conferred on men and women for recognised services of national importance. Prime Ministers of Commonwealth countries may also make nominations, and the Order includes a number of Commonwealth figures. Recipients include painter Lucian Freud, Professor Stephen Hawking, naturalist Sir David Attenborough, painter David Hockney, historian Dr Eric Hobsbawm, politicians Sir John Major and Lord Patten of Barnes, General John de Chastelain, dramatist Harold Pinter, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, the Reverend Chad Varah, and scientist Professor Anthony Pawson. The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this one-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'CH'. The Order's badge is a gold oval-shaped medallion with a representation of an oak tree. Motto: In action faithful and in honour clear, Ranks: Member Post-nominals: CH, Founded: 1917, Hanging from a branch is a shield of the Royal Arms, and on the right of it is a representation of a knight in armour mounted on a horse. The badge, surmounted by an imperial crown, has a blue-enamelled border bearing the motto of the Order, 'In action faithful and in honour clear'. ____________ ________________________________________________ THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH _________________________________________________ The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725.The name derives from the medieval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath. George I "erected [the Knights of the Bath] into a regular Military Order". He did not (as is often stated) revive the Order of the Bath, since it had never previously existed as an Order, in the sense of a body of knights who were governed by a set of statutes and whose numbers were replenished when vacancies occurred. The Order consists of the Sovereign (the British Sovereign), the Great Master (currently HRH The Prince of Wales),[7] and three Classes of members: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GCB) , Knight Commander or Dame Commander (KCB or DCB) , Companion (CB) Members belong to either the Civil or the Military Division.[9] Prior to 1815 the order had only a single class, Knights Companion (KB), which no longer exists. Recipients of the Order are now usually senior military officers or senior civil servants. The Order of the Bath is the fourth-most senior of the British Orders of Chivalry, after The Most Noble Order of the Garter, The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, and The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick. The last of the aforementioned Orders, which relates to Ireland, still exists but has been in disuse since the formation of the Irish Free State. Only two appointments have been made to it since 1922, both of which were for sons of George V and had the approval of the Irish government; the last surviving member (Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who was also Great Master of the Order of the Bath) died in 1974 In the Middle Ages knighthood was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the knight-to-be taking a bath (possibly symbolic of spiritual purification) during which he was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He was then put to bed in order to dry. Clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a vigil. At dawn he made confession and attended Mass, then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight. He was then brought before the King, who after instructing two senior knights to buckle the spurs to the knight-elect's heels, fastened a belt around his waist, then struck him on the neck (with either a hand or a sword), thus making him a knight. It was this "accolade" which was the essential act in creating a knight, and a simpler ceremony developed, conferring knighthood merely by striking or touching the knight-to-be on the shoulder with a sword, or "dubbing" him, as is still done today. In the early medieval period the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families. From the coronation of Henry IV in 1399 the full ceremonies were restricted to major royal occasions such as coronations, investitures of the Prince of Wales or royal Dukes, and royal weddingsand the knights so created became known as Knights of the Bath.Knights Bachelor continued to be created with the simpler form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created was the coronation of Charles II in 1661. From at least 1625,and possibly from the reign of James I, Knights of the Bath were using the motto Tria iuncta in uno (Latin for "Three joined in one"), and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both subsequently adopted by the Order of the Bath; a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however is not entirely clear. The 'three joined in one' may be a reference to the kingdoms of England, Scotland and either France or Ireland, which were held (or claimed in the case of France) by British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in the badge. Another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the Holy Trinity. Nicolas quotes a source (although he is skeptical of it) who claims that prior to James I the motto was Tria numina iuncta in uno, (three powers/gods joined in one), but from the reign of James I the word numina was dropped and the motto understood to mean Tria [regna] iuncta in uno (three kingdoms joined in one). The prime mover in the establishment of the Order of the Bath was John Anstis, Garter King of Arms, England's highest heraldic officer. Sir Anthony Wagner, a recent holder of the office of Garter, wrote of Anstis's motivations: “ It was Martin Leake's opinion that the trouble and opposition Anstis met with in establishing himself as Garter so embittered him against the heralds that when at last in 1718 he succeeded, he made it his prime object to aggrandise himself and his office at their expense. It is clear at least that he set out to make himself indispensable to the Earl Marshal, which was not hard, their political principles being congruous and their friendship already established, but also to Sir Robert Walpole and the Whig ministry, which can by no means have been easy, considering his known attachment to the Pretender and the circumstances under which he came into office ... The main object of Anstis's next move, the revival or institution of the Order of the Bath was probably that which it in fact secured, of ingratiating him with the all-powerful Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole. The use of honours in the early 18th century differed considerably from the modern honours system in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people each year receive honours on the basis of deserving accomplishments. The only honours available at that time were hereditary (not life) peerages and baronetcies, knighthoods and the Order of the Garter (or the Order of the Thistle for Scots), none of which were awarded in large numbers (the Garter and the Thistle are limited to 24 and 16 living members respectively.) The political environment was also significantly different from today: “ The Sovereign still exercised a power to be reckoned with in the eighteenth century. The Court remained the centre of the political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament, but the choice remained his. The leader of an administration still had to command the King's personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, and other marks of Royal favour to the government's supporters. The attraction of the new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position. George I having agreed to Walpole's proposal, Anstis was commissioned to draft statutes for the Order of the Bath. As noted above, he adopted the motto and badge used by the Knights of the Bath, as well as the colour of the riband and mantle, and the ceremony for creating a knight. The rest of the statutes were mostly based on those of the Order of the Garter, of which he was an officer (as Garter King of Arms).The Order was founded by letters patent under the Great Seal dated 18 May 1725, and the statutes issued the following week. The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Prince of the blood Royal as Principal Knight, a Great Master and thirty-five Knights Companion. Seven officers (see below) were attached to the Order. These provided yet another opportunity for political patronage, as they were to be sinecures at the disposal of the Great Master, supported by fees from the knights. Despite the fact that the Bath was represented as a military Order, only a few military officers were among the initial appointments (see List of Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath). They may be broken down into categories as follows (note that some are classified in more than one category) Members of the House of Commons: 14 ,The Royal Household or sinecures: 11 , Diplomats: 4 , The Walpole family, including the Prime Minister: 3 , Naval and Army Officers: 3 , Irish Peers: 2 , Country gentlemen with Court Appointments: 2 . Admiral George Rodney (appointed a Knight Companion in 1780) wearing the riband and star of the OrderThe majority of the new Knights Companion were knighted by the King and invested with their ribands and badges on 27 May 1725. Although the statutes set out the full medieval ceremony which was to be used for creating knights, this was not performed, and indeed was possibly never intended to be, as the original statutes contained a provision allowing the Great Master to dispense Knights Companion from these requirements. The original knights were dispensed from all the medieval ceremonies with the exception of the Installation, which was performed in the Order's Chapel, the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, on June 17. This precedent was followed until 1812, after which the Installation was also dispensed with, until its revival in the twentieth century. The ceremonies however remained part of the Statutes until 1847. Although the initial appointments to the Order were largely political, from the 1770s appointments to the Order were increasingly made for naval, military or diplomatic achievements. This is partly due to the conflicts Britain was engaged in over this period. The Peninsular War resulted in so many deserving candidates for the Bath that a statute was issued allowing the appointment of Extra Knights in time of war, who were to be additional to the numerical limits imposed by the statutes, and whose number was not subject to any restrictions. Another statute, this one issued some 80 years earlier, had also added a military note to the Order. Each knight was required, under certain circumstances, to supply and support four men-at-arms for a period not exceeding 42 days in any year, to serve in any part of Great Britain. This company was to be captained by the Great Master, who had to supply four trumpeters, and was also to appoint eight officers for this body, however the statute was never invoked. In 1815, with the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the Prince Regent (later George IV) expanded the Order of the Bath "to the end that those Officers who have had the opportunities of signalising themselves by eminent services during the late war may share in the honours of the said Order, and that their names may be delivered down to remote posterity, accompanied by the marks of distinction which they have so nobly earned. The Order was now to consist of three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. The existing Knights Companion (of which there were 60) became Knight Grand Cross; this class was limited to 72 members, of which twelve could be appointed for civil or diplomatic services. The military members had to be of the rank of at least Major-General or Rear Admiral. The Knights Commander were limited to 180, exclusive of foreign nationals holding British commissions, up to ten of whom could be appointed as honorary Knights Commander. They had to be of the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel or Post-Captain. The number of Companions was not specified, but they had to have received a medal or been mentioned in despatches since the start of the war in 1803. A list of about 500 names was subsequently published. Two further officers were appointed, an "Officer of arms attendant on the Knights Commander and Companions", and a "Secretary appertaining to the Knights Commanders and Companions , The large increase in numbers caused some complaints that such an expansion would reduce the prestige of the Order. Knights Grand Cross wear their mantles over suits in modern times. During the nineteenth century, as depicted above, they wore them over imitations of seventeenth century dress. In 1847 Queen Victoria issued new statutes eliminating all references to an exclusively military Order. As well as removing the word 'Military' from the full name of the Order, this opened up the grades of Knight Commander and Companion to civil appointments, and the Military and Civil Divisions of the Order were established. New numerical limits were imposed, and the opportunity also taken to regularise the 1815 expansion of the Order. The 1847 statutes also abolished all the medieval ritual, however they did introduce a formal Investiture ceremony, conducted by the Sovereign wearing the Mantle and insignia of the Order, attended by the Officers and as many GCBs as possible, in their Mantles. In 1859 a further edition of the Statutes was issued; the changes related mainly to the costs associated with the Order. Prior to this date it had been the policy that the insignia (which were provided by the Crown) were to be returned on the death of the holder; the exception had been foreigners who had been awarded honorary membership. In addition foreigners had usually been provided with stars made of silver and diamonds, whereas ordinary members had only embroidered stars. The decision was made to award silver stars to all members, and only require the return of the Collar. The Crown had also been paying the fees due to the officers of the Order for members who had been appointed for the services in the recent war. The fees were abolished and replaced with a salary of approximately the same average value. The offices of Genealogist and Messenger were abolished, and those of Registrar and Secretary combined. In 1910 after his accession to the throne George V ordered the revival of the Installation ceremony, perhaps prompted by the first Installation ceremony of the more junior Order of St Michael and St George, held a few years earlier, and the building of a new chapel for the Order of the Thistle in 1911. The Installation ceremony took place on July 22, 1913 in the Henry VII Chapel, and Installations have been held at regular intervals since. Prior to the 1913 Installation it was necessary to adapt the chapel to accommodate the larger number of members. An appeal was made to the members of the Order, and following the Installation a surplus remained. A Committee was formed from the Officers to administer the 'Bath Chapel Fund', and over time this committee has come to consider other matters than purely financial ones. Another revision of the statutes of the Order was undertaken in 1925, to consolidate the 41 additional statutes which had been issued since the 1859 revision. Women were admitted to the Order in 1971. In 1975, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, an aunt of Elizabeth II, became the first to reach the highest rank, Dame Grand Cross. Princess Alice (whose maiden name was Lady Alice Douglas-Montagu-Scott) was a direct descendant of the Order's first Great Master, and her husband, who had died the previous year, had also held this office. Senior civil servants, such as permanent secretaries, and senior members of the armed forces, such as generals, are often appointed to the order. Civil servants associated with the Foreign Office, including ambassadors, are usually appointed to the Order of St. Michael and St. George. ________________ __________________________________________________ THE ORDER OF ST MICHAEL AND ST GEORGE __________________________________________________ On the Order's insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan.(Guido Reni)The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) whilst he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III. The Order includes three classes, in descending order of seniority: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross ,(GCMG) Knight Commander or Dame Commander ,(KCMG or DCMG) Companion (CMG). It is used to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations. People are appointed to the Order rather than awarded it. Ambassadors are regularly appointed CMGs. Ian Fleming's spy, James Bond, was fictionally decorated with the CMG in 1953 (mentioned in the novel From Russia with Love). The Order's motto is Auspicium melioris aevi (Latin for "Token of a better age"). Its patron saints, as the name suggests, are St Michael the Archangel and St George. One of its primary symbols is that of St Michael trampling over Satan. The Order is the sixth-most senior in the British honours system, after The Most Noble Order of the Garter, The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India. The third of the aforementioned Orders—which relates to Ireland, no longer a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have been made to it since 1934. The last of the Orders on the list, related to India, has also been in disuse since tht country's independence in 1947. It is sometimes humorously said that the abbreviations actually stand for "Call Me God" (CMG), "Kindly (or Kings) Call Me God" (KCMG) and "God Calls Me God" (GCMG). These became generally known from the television series Yes Minister, but were in use in the Diplomatic Service long before that. The Order was originally founded to commemorate the British protectorate over the Ionian Islands, which had come under British control in 1814 and had been granted its own constitution in 1817. It was intended to reward "natives of the Ionian Islands and of the island of Malta and its dependencies, and for such other subjects of His Majesty as may hold high and confidential situations in the Mediterranean." In 1864, however, the protectorate ended and the Ionian Islands became a part of Greece. The Order's basis was revised in 1868; membership was granted to those who "hold high and confidential offices within Her Majesty's colonial possessions, and in reward for services rendered to the Crown in relation to the foreign affairs of the Empire." Accordingly, numerous Governors-General and Governors feature as recipients of awards in the order. The original home of the Order was the Palace of St Michael and St George in Corfu, the residence of the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands and the seat of the Ionian Senate. Since 1906, the Order's chapel has been in St Paul's Cathedral in London. (The Cathedral also serves as the home of the chapel of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.) Religious services for the whole Order are held quadrennially; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. The Sovereign and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted stalls in the choir of the chapel, above which their heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest. Under English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear helms or crests; instead, the coronet appropriate to the dame's rank, if there is one, is used (see coronet). Above the crest or coronet, the stall's occupant's heraldic banner is hung, emblazoned with his or her coat of arms. At a considerably smaller scale, to the back of the stall is affixed a piece of brass (a "stall plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling and crest are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather, they remain permanently affixed somewhere about the stall, so that the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1906. Members of the Order of St Michael are assigned positions in the order of precedence. Wives of male members also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of female members, however, are not assigned any special precedence. (As a general rule, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.) (See order of precedence in England and Wales for the exact positions.) Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders prefix "Sir", and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders prefix "Dame", to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore, honorary members and clergymen do not use the accolade of knighthood. Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal "GCMG"; Knights Commanders and Dames Commanders use "KCMG" and "DCMG" respectively; Companions use "CMG". Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. They may, furthermore, enircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commanders and Companions may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. _______________ _____________________________________________________ THE ROYAL ORDER OF VICTORIA AND ALBERT _____________________________________________________ The Royal Order of Victoria and Albert was a British Royal Family Order instituted in 1862 by Queen Victoria, and enlarged on 10 October 1864, 15 November 1865, and 15 March 1880. No awards were made after the death of Queen Victoria. The order had four classes and was only granted to women. For the first three classes, the badge consisted of a medallion of Queen Victoria and the Albert, the Prince Consort, differing in the width and jewelling of the border as the classes descend, whilst the fourth substitutes a jewelled cipher. All four were surmounted by a crown, which was attached to a bow of white moire ribbon. The honour conferred no rank or title upon the recipient, but recipients were entitled to use the post-nominal letters "VA". The last holder of the Order, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, died in 1981. Like other British Orders which have fallen into disuse, it has never been formally abolished. Every British Soverign since Victoria has become Sovereign of the Order upon their accession to the throne. The Current Sovereign Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has been Sovereign of the Order since 1952. __________________ __________________________________ THE ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER __________________________________ The Royal Victorian Order is an order of chivalry that was established by Queen Victoria on 21 April 1896. The Order includes five classes, in order of seniority: Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO) ,Knight Commander or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO) ,Commander (CVO) Lieutenant (LVO) ,Member (MVO) , Membership is conferred on those who performed personal service for the Sovereign. People are appointed to the Order rather than awarded it. The Order's day is 20 June, the date of Queen Victoria's accession. The motto is Victoria. The Order is the second-most junior order of chivalry in the British honours system (in terms of both age and precedence), senior only to The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The Order is the fourth-most senior order in the Canadian honours system, senior only to the Order of St. John. The Order was created at a time when most general honours were bestowed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister and other ministers. The Royal Victorian Order, however, has always been within the personal gift of the Sovereign. The two most senior British orders of chivalry—The Most Noble Order of the Garter and The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle—were always within the Sovereign's personal gift, since medieval times, and were limited by ancient regulation to a combined 40 commoner-members—a very exclusive and very distinguished list. The creation of this junior—and personal—Order of Knighthood allowed the Sovereign to bestow honours directly for personal service to a much wider community world-wide, at a time when the British Empire was at its zenith. It is no coincidence that the Order was established a year before Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubillee (60th anniversary of her accession)—the year gave Her Majesty the opportunity to put together her first lists of recipients. The Order is the most complicated and varied in its different levels of seniority, giving the Sovereign a unique range from which to recognise the most junior and obscure service, wherever it arises. The Monarch is the Sovereign of the Order in all her Realms, and appoints all other members of the Order. The next-most senior member is the Grand Master. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was Grand Master since the creation of the office in 1937 until her death in 2002; she has not been replaced and the office is to be allowed to lapse. Formerly, Lieutenants and Members of the Order were known as Members (fourth class) and Members (fifth class), respectively. The name change was made in 1984. The Royal Victorian Order's membership is not subject to any numerical limits. Women have been eligible for membership since 1936. Foreigners may be admitted to the Order as "honorary members." Normally, honorary memberships are bestowed by the Sovereign during his or her visits overseas. The Royal Victorian Medal was instituted at the same time as the Order. It, too, is awarded for personal services to the Sovereign. It is awarded in three classes: Gold, Silver and Bronze. There is a separate Royal Victorian Chain, which is unrelated to the Order; it was instituted in 1902 by Edward VII. The Order has five officials: the Chancellor, the Secretary, the Registrar, the Chaplain and the Genealogist. The Lord Chamberlain serves as Chancellor, the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the Queen serves as Secretary, the Secretary to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood serves as Registrar and the Chaplain of The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy serves as Chaplain. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear an elaborate costume on important occasions, such as quadrennial services and coronations: The mantle is a dark blue satin coat, edged with red satin. On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The collar, also worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold. It consists of octagonal pieces alternating with oblong frames. Each octagonal piece depicts a gold rose on a blue field. Each frame contains one of the following inscriptions: "Victoria," "Britt. Reg." (Queen of the Britains), "Def. Fid." (Defender of the Faith) and "Ind. Imp." (Empress of India). In the centre is a medallion bearing Victoria's effigy.This collar is not to be confused with the Royal Victorian Chain which is a decoration that is not a part of the Royal Victorian Order. Other insignia are: The star is only worn by the Knights and Dames Grand Cross and the Knights and Dames Commanders. It is worn pinned to the left breast. For Knights and Dames Grand Cross the star is an eight-pointed silver star, with a white enamelled Maltese Cross at the centre; for Knights and Dames Commanders it is an eight-pointed silver Maltese Cross, with silver rays between the arms, and a smaller frosted silver Maltese Cross at the centre. In both cases the oval-shaped central medallion depicts Victoria's Royal and Imperial Cypher, "VRI" (Victoria Regina Imperatrice) on a red background, surrounded by a crown-surmounted blue ring bearing the motto of the Order. The badge is the only insignia used by all members of the Order; it is suspended on a blue ribbon with red-white-red edges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Male Knight Commanders and Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Lieutenants and Members wear it from a ribbon on the left chest; all female grades (other than Dames Grand Cross) wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. The badge is in the form of a Maltese Cross; on an oval-shaped central medallion, the same design that appears on the star is depicted. The size of the badges varies by rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. Lieutenants and Members have badges of the same size, but the badges of Lieutenants (and members of all higher classes) are enamelled, while the badges of Members are made of frosted silver. The Royal Victorian Medal shows Victoria's effigy on the obverse, and the words "Royal Victorial Medal" on a scroll beneath Victoria's Royal and Imperial Cypher on the reverse. It is worn in the same fashion as the badge: from a ribbon on the left chest in the case of men, and from a bow on the left shoulder in the case of women. Except for honorary awards, the ribbon is the same as the ribbon of the Order. Honorary awards of the Royal Victorian Medal may be made to foreigners and are denoted by a white stripe down the centre of the ribbon. On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, Knights and Dames Grand Cross attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. Collars are returned upon the death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The chapel of the Order since 1938 is The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy, in central London - a Royal Peculiar. Every four years the Order holds a religious service in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle; St George's is used instead of Savoy because it can accommodate more people. The Sovereign and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted stalls in the choir of the Chapel of the Savoy. To the back of the stall is affixed a piece of brass (a "stall plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of the occupant the stall plate is not removed and so the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1938. There is insufficient room in the chapel for banners and other heraldic devices of the Knights and Dames Grand Cross to be displayed. Members of all classes of the Order are assigned positions in the order of precedence. Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of Dames, however, are not assigned any special precedence. (As a general rule, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.) (See order of precedence in England and Wales for the exact positions.) Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders prefix "Sir," and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders prefix "Dame," to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore, honorary members and clergymen do not use the accolade of knighthood. Retiring deans of St George's Chapel, Windsor, and Dean of Westminster Abbey, both Royal Peculiars, for example, are customarily awarded KCVO. Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal letters "GCVO," Knights Commanders "KCVO," Dames Commanders "DCVO," Commanders "CVO," Lieutenants "LVO" and Members "MVO." (When Lieutenants were known as Members of the Fourth Class, they also used "MVO." This was confusing because it was not immediately apparent whether a person was an MVO Class IV or an MVO Class V, thus affecting the order of post-nominals. On 31st December 1984 The Queen declared that the MVO Class IV would henceforth be Lieutenants, with the post-nominals "LVO".) Recipients of the Royal Victorian Medal use "RVM." Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commanders and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. ________________ _________________________________________ THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE _________________________________________ King George V founded the Order to fill gaps in the British honours system: The Most Honourable Order of the Bath honoured only senior military officers and civil servants; The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George honoured diplomats; and the Royal Victorian Order honoured those who had personally served the Royal Family. In particular, King George V wished to honour the many thousands of people who served in numerous non-combatant capacities during the First World War. Originally, the Order included only one division; however, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was formally divided into Military and Civil Divisions. This Order of Knighthood has a more democratic character than the exclusive orders of the Bath or Saint Michael and Saint George, and in its early days was not held in high esteem. This changed over the years. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order (by convention, on the advice of the Government). The next-most senior member is the Grand Master, of which there have been three: Edward, Prince of Wales (1917–1936), Queen Mary (1936–1953) and the current Grand Master is HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (1953–present). The Order is limited to 100 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8960 Commanders. There are no limits on the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 Officers and 1464 Members may be appointed per year. Appointments are made on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms. By convention, female judges of the High Court of England and Wales are created Dames Commander after appointment. Male judges, however, are created Knights Bachelor. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British Orders of Chivalry, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. Most Knights Commander are honorary members or British subjects living abroad, with only a handful being residents of the United Kingdom. The grade of Dame Commander, on the other hand, is the most common grade of dame in the British honours system and is awarded in circumstances where men would be created Knights Bachelor. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth realms of which the Queen is Head of State. Citizens of other countries, however, may be admitted as "honorary members". They do not count towards the numerical limits aforementioned, nor are holders of the GBE, KBE or DBE addressed as "Sir" or "Dame". They may be made full members if they subsequently become British citizens. See List of honorary British Knights. At the foundation of the Order, the "Medal of the Order of the British Empire" was instituted. In 1922, it was renamed the "British Empire Medal". Recipients, who are not members of the Order itself, are grouped into the Civil and Military Divisions. Only junior government and military officials are awarded the medal; senior officials are directly appointed to the Order of the British Empire. The United Kingdom's Government has not recommended the awarding of the medal since 1992, though some Commonwealth realms continue the practice. The Order has six officials: the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms and the Usher. The Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Order's Prelate. The Dean of St Paul's is ex officio the Dean of the Order. The Order's King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, like many other heraldic officers. The Usher of the Order is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod; he does not, unlike his Order of the Garter equivalent (the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod), perform any duties related to the House of Lords. Members of the Order wear elaborate costumes on important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations), which vary by rank (the designs underwent major changes in 1937): The mantle, worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, was originally made of purple satin lined with white silk, but is now made of rose pink satin lined with pearl grey silk. On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The collar, also worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold. It consists of six medallions depicting the Royal Arms, alternating with six medallions depicting the Royal and Imperial Cypher of George V ("GRI", which stands for "Georgius Rex Imperator"). The medallions are linked with gold cables depicting lions and crowns. On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. Collars are returned upon the death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. At less important occasions, simpler insignia are used: The star is an eight-pointed silver star used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander. It is worn pinned to the left breast. The Star, which varies in size depending on class, bears a crimson ring bearing the motto of the Order. Within the ring, a figure of Britannia was originally shown. Since 1937, however, the effigies of George V and his wife Queen Mary have been shown instead. The badge is the only insignia used by all members of the Order. Until 1937 it was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe for the military division; since then the ribbon has been rose pink with pearl grey edges, plus a pearl grey central stripe for the military division. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; all females (other than Dames Grand Cross) wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. The badge is in the form of a cross patonce, the obverse of which bears the same field as the star (that is, either Britannia or George V and Queen Mary); the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. Both are within a ring bearing the motto of the Order. The size of the badges varies by rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders are enamelled with pale blue crosses and crimson rings; those of Officers are plain gold; those of Members are plain silver. In 1957, it was decided that any individual made a member of the Order for gallantry could wear an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same riband, ribbon or bow as the badge. Since 1974, however, appointments for gallantry have not been made; instead, a separate Queen's Gallantry Medal has been awarded. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong," and comes in both a full-sized and miniature version--the latter for formal white-tie and informal black-tie affairs. A lapel pin for everyday wear was first announced at the end of December 2006 and will soon become available to recipients of all levels of the Order as well as holders of the British Empire Medal. The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the Order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the Order at the price of £15.00.[1] The creation of such a pin was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips' review of the honours system in 2004[2] and brings the British more in line with the honour systems in other commonwealth realms such as Canada and Australia, which have used lapel pins for many years. The chapel of the order is in the far eastern end of the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral, but it holds its great services upstairs in the main body of the cathedral. (The Cathedral also serves as the home of the chapel of The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George.) Religious services for the whole Order are held quadrennially; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. The chapel was dedicated in 1960. Members of all classes of the Order are assigned positions in the order of precedence. Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of the Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives (see order of precedence in England and Wales for the exact positions). Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix "Sir", and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix "Dame", to their forenames (never surnames, so Sir Antony Sher can be shortened to Sir Antony, but not Sir Sher). Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Clergy of the Church of England do not use the titles of "Sir" or "Dame" and do not receive the accolade (i.e. are not dubbed knight with a sword, as are other knights, but not dames), although they do append the post-nominal letters. Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal "GBE", Knights Commander "KBE", Dames Commander "DBE", Commanders "CBE", Officers "OBE" and Members "MBE". The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is "BEM". Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander who are not subjects of the Queen (i.e. not citizens of the United Kingdom or another country ruled by the Queen) are not entitled to the prefix "Sir" or "Dame", but may still use the post-nominal abbreviations. For example, American Bill Gates was made a Knight Commander of the British Empire is not entitled "Sir William" or "Sir William Gates III", but may use "William Henry Gates III, KBE". Honorary knights do not receive the accolade. If recipients later become subjects of the Queen then they are entitled to begin using the Sir prefix as well. Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan was appointed a KBE in 2005, but is now entitled to use the name "Sir Terry Wogan" since taking dual British and Irish nationality. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters. They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. ________________ _______________________________ THE ROYAL FAMILY ORDERS _______________________________ George IV started the formal practice of presenting Family Orders, or portraits of the Sovereign set in diamonds suspended from a ribbon. Before 1820, the Sovereign's portrait set in a jewelled frame had been worn by both ladies and gentlemen at Court, and especially by female members of the Royal Family. George IV's successors continued this practice, with most sovereigns presenting jewelled portraits of themselves suspended on different coloured ribbon for each monarch - that of George V was white, that of George VI was rose pink, and The Queen's is chartreuse yellow. The Orders are now worn on formal occasions by female members of the Royal Family only. The Queen and her late sister, The Princess Margaret, were given their awards by their father, George VI, and both wore them as young girls at the coronation of their parents in 1937. More than one Order can be worn at the same time. For example, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother wore the Orders of both The Queen and George VI. ____________________ __________________________________________________________ "CHRISTUS VINCIT, CHRISTUS REGNAT, CHRISTUS IMPERIT" __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ For Further Information The Correspondence Address is: The Imperial and Royal Society of The Almanach de Chivalry, Royal Mail Post Office Box 276, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0UL, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 (0) 208 943 4520 Fax: +44 (0) 208 943 4520 E-mail: almanachdechivalry@msn.com ________________________________________________________ The Official Website of Almanach de Chivalry Crown Copyright Held © 2002-2008, All Rights Reserved WEBSITE LINKS: The Royal Family of Great Britian HRH Prince of Wales The UK Honours System The Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Duchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Cornwall Orders of theTwo Sicilies Teutonic Order Orders of Italy Orders of Spain Religious Orders Liechtenstein / Serbia Orders of Monaco Orders of Sweden Orders of Netherlands Order of The Dragon