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The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an English order of chivalry with a history stretching back to mediæval times; today it is the world's oldest national order of knighthood in continuous existence and the pinnacle of the British honours system. Its membership is extremely limited, consisting of the Sovereign and not more than twenty-five full members, or Companions. Male members are known as Knights Companion, whilst female members are known as Ladies Companion (not Dames, as in most other British chivalric orders). The Order can also include certain extra members (members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs), known as "Supernumerary" Knights and Ladies. The Sovereign alone grants membership to the Order; by convention the Prime Minister does not tender binding advice as to appointments, as he or she does for most other orders. Thus, membership of the order is regarded as being the Sovereign's gift. Except for the grants of supernumerary membership, awards are only made for those with an exceptional record of service to the United Kingdom. As the name suggests, the Order's primary emblem is a garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French for, "shame upon him who thinks evil of it") in gold letters. The Garter is an actual accessory worn by the members of the Order during ceremonial occasions. It is also depicted on several insignia, including British coins. Most British orders of chivalry cover the entire kingdom, but the three most exalted ones each pertain to one constituent nation only. 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 sixteenth century and possibly has mediæval origins (or even, according to legend, 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). History
The Order
Members Membership of the Order is extremely limited and includes the monarch of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales, not more than twenty-four companion members, and various supernumerary members. The monarch of the United Kingdom is known as the "Sovereign of the Garter" and the Prince of Wales is known as a "Knight Companion of the Garter." The monarch alone can grant membership. Male members of the Order are known as "Knights Companion," while female ones are known as "Ladies Companion." Formerly, vacancies were filled by the Sovereign upon the nomination of the members. Each member would nominate nine candidates (of which 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 then choose as many nominees as were necessary to fill any vacancies that developed in the Order; he was not obliged to choose those who received the most nominations. Queen Victoria dispensed with the procedure in 1862. Appointments have since been made by the Sovereign acting alone, without any prior nominations. Since the 18th century, the Sovereign made his or her choices upon the advice of the Government. However, King George VI believed in 1946 that the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Thistle had become too linked with political patronage. With the agreement of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, membership of 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 upon the advice of the Government. In addition, the Order includes several "supernumerary" members, who do not count towards the limit of twenty-four companions. Several supernumerary members belong to the royal family; these members are known as "Royal Knights and Ladies of the Garter." This title was introduced in 1786 by King George III so that his many sons would not count towards the limit of twenty-four companions. He created the statute of supernumerary members in 1805 so that any descendant of King George II could be created such a member. This statute was extended again in 1831 to all descendants of King George I. Supernumerary membership may also be extended to foreign monarchs, who are known as "Stranger Knights and Ladies of the Garter". Every such installation originally required the enactment of a statute; however, a statute of 1954 authorises the regular admission of Stranger Knights or Ladies without further special enactments. The first such appointment came in 1813, when Emperor Alexander I of Russia was made a Stranger Knight. 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 were removed by the "annulment" of their installations. Thus, for example, the appointments of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria were annulled in 1915. Emperor Hirohito of Japan similarly had his membership of the order removed after Japan's entry into World War II, he was however re-appointed to the order by Elizabeth II in the post war years. Hirohito therefore uniquely was made a Knight of the Garter twice by different Sovereigns. Officers The Order has six officers: the Prelate, the Chancellor, the Registrar, the Garter Principal King of Arms, the Usher, and the Secretary. The offices of Prelate, Registrar and Usher were created upon the order's foundation; those of Garter Principal King of Arms and Chancellor, during the 15th century; and that of Secretary, during the 20th century. 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 held by one of the companions of the order. It was held formerly by the bishop of the diocese within which Windsor Castle existed: at one point, the Bishop of Salisbury, but after boundary changes, the Bishop of Oxford. Later, the field of potential appointees was widened so that, for example, the Stuart courtier Sir James Palmer served as Chancellor from 1645 although he was neither a prelate nor even a member of the Order (although he was a Knight Bachelor). Since the office ceased to be held by the Bishops of Oxford in 1937, the following members have held the post of Chancellor: The office of Registrar is held by the Dean of Windsor. The position of Garter Principal King of Arms is held by the senior officer of the College of Arms (the heraldic authority of England). As the title suggests, Garter Principal King of Arms has specific duties as the officer of arms of the Order, attending to the companions' crests and banners of arms which are exhibited in the chapel. The Secretary is selected from the other officers of the College of Arms, and 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, twenty-six "poor knights" were appointed and attached to the Order and its chapel. The 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 or military knights were originally impoverished military veterans. They were required to pray daily for the Knights Companion. In return, they received a salary and were lodged in Windsor Castle. The knights are no longer necessarily poor, but are still military pensioners. They participate in the Order's processions and escort the members, and in the chapel services. However, they are not considered knights or members of the Order. Members For ceremonial occasions of the Order such as the annual Garter Day, the members wear elaborate vestments and accoutrements (or accessories), many of which were designed in 1821 for the coronation of King George IV: For other occasions when decorations are worn, the members wear simpler insignia: 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. Officers For ceremonial occasions of the Order, the officers wear the following garments and accessories: 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 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
Garter service The Order of the Garter once held frequent services at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, but they became rare in the eighteenth century. Discontinued after 1805, the ceremony was revived by King George VI in 1948 and it has become an annual event. On a certain day each June, the members of the Order (wearing their ceremonial vestments and insignia) meet in the state apartments in the Upper Ward of Windsor Castle, then (preceded by the Military Knights of Windsor) process on foot down 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 of the Order return to the Upper Ward by carriage. Sovereign Knights and Ladies Companion There is one vacancy. Royal Knights and Ladies Stranger Knights and Ladies Officers See also Notes | |||||||||||||
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