Evening star., 1947-10-26
Garter Order Expected
To Be One Of Kings
Gifts 10 Elizabeth
By the As,oeio,ed pysss


LONDON, Oct. 25.-The knights
companions Of the Order Of the
Garter, who are mostly sedate field
marshals, bishops and landlords. are
decorously excited over the prospect
OF receiving q pleasant young lady
into their select company.
Reports persist that before or
shortly after her marriage Princess
Elizabeth win be initiated into what
is regarded the highest order of
British crivalry. Some palace circles
predict that the noble garter" will
be one of her wedding gifts.
But this is a subject on which
there can be little authentic specu-
lation because only one person de-
cides who goes into and who stays
out of the order. The King is the
sole elector and no one is privileged
to make any recommendations in
the matter. The garter would be a
unique gift, something only he could
give.
The princess. should she be in
itiated, would not be the only woman
In the noble company. There are
three others among living members,
all uueens-Mary and Elizabeth Of
Britain and Wilhelmina of the Meth
erlands.
Conspicuous in News.
Despite its exclusive character. the
order has been conspicuous in the
news this year, one occasion being
accompanied by some lifting Of eye
brows.
That was last March when the In
sigma of the order, the velvet gar
ter with its cluster of diamonds and
rubies, was sold in a public auction
at which any one could bid, and
brought $4,000 (s12,0o0) to the
owner, the new Lord Lonsdale. He
inherited it from his father. who
had been a knight companion. and
while there was no questioning his
legal right to sell it to the highest
bidder, 1t has been tradition for
heirs to return the insignia and
robes of the order to the King.
Onicial explanations put the mat
ter right. At the investiture the
sovereign presents an insignia OF
paste. Many knights then duph-
cate the insignia In precious stones.
It is usually the paste that is re-
turned to the King on a knights
death.
The order was in the news next
when King George ordered that the
6O0th anniversary Of It's establish
ment should be observed with ap-
propriate ceremonies next May at
st. Georges Chapel in Windsor Cas-
tie. Poet Laureate John Maseneld
was commanded to write pageant
and Sir Arnold Bax. master OF the
Kings musick, to compose suitable
musical accompaniment.
Plans Are Upset.
These plans were upset by the
which has overtaken Eng
land, the palace announcing subse-
uuently that an elaborate festival
would be unsuitable in a time OF
severe economic strain. The pros
poets are that the anniversary will
be marked only by the reflections
of fistorians-who do not agree on
many points.
It is established to their satisfac-
ton that the order was founded by
King Edward III. in 1348, but most
of them dismiss the popular and
slightly zestful story Of its origin.
The tale Is that the King was
dancing with Joan, the Countess OF
Salisbury, and that as they executed
fast step the ladys garter fell to
the floor. Some of the titled wit
nesses, whose manners should have
been better, snickered, and the re-
port which the historians are trying
to discredit is that the gallant King
picked up the garter with the classic
comment:
"Honi soft qui NAL y pense."
Whatever the cold historical cir
cumstances may be. the fact remains
that the phrase attributed to the
King-"Evil to him who evil thinks
remains the motto Of the order,
and its insignia is q garter.
The knights wear 1t about the lett