Order of St Michael and St George

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 (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in honour of two military saints, Michael and George.
The Order of St Michael and St George was originally awarded to those holding commands or high position in the Mediterranean territories acquired in the Napoleonic Wars, and it was subsequently extended to holders of similar office or position in other territories of the British Empire. It is at present awarded to men and women who hold high office or who render extraordinary or important non-military service to the United Kingdom in a foreign country, and it can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.
==Description==
The three classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade:
# Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)
# Knight Commander or Dame Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG or DCMG)
# Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George	Classes of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George
Grade 	Knight Grand Cross 	Dame Grand Cross 	Knight Commander 	Dame Commander 	Companion 	 	 	
Prefix 	Sir 	Dame 	Sir 	Dame 	— 	 	 	
Post-nominals 	GCMG 	GCMG 	KCMG 	DCMG 	CMG 	 	 	
Insignia 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
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. British Ambassadors to foreign nations are regularly appointed as KCMGs, DCMGs, or CMGs. For example, the former British Ambassador to the United States, Sir David Manning, was appointed a CMG when he worked for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and then after his appointment as British Ambassador to the US, he was promoted to a Knight Commander (KCMG). It is the traditional award for members of the FCO.
The Order's motto is Auspicium melioris ævi (Latin for "Token of a better age"). Its patron saints, as the name suggests, are St. Michael the Archangel, and St. George, patron saint of England and of soldiers. One of its primary symbols is that of St Michael trampling over and subduing Satan in battle.
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 fully a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have been made to it since 1936. The last of the Orders on the list, related to India, has also been in disuse since that country's independence in 1947.
==History==
The Prince Regent founded the Order to commemorate the British amical protectorate over the Ionian Islands, which had come under British control in 1814 and had been granted their own constitution as the United States of the Ionian Islands 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 part of Greece. A revision of the basis of the Order in 1868, saw membership 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, nowadays, almost all Governors-General and Governors feature as recipients of awards in the order, typically as Knights or Dames Grand Cross.
In 1965 the order was opened to women, with Evelyn Bark becoming the first female CMG in 1967.
==Composition==
The British sovereign is the 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. The office was formerly filled by the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands; now, however, Grand Masters are chosen by the Sovereign. Grand Masters include:
* 1818–1825: Sir Thomas Maitland
* 1825–1850: Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
* 1850–1904: Prince George, Duke of Cambridge
* 1905–1910: George, Prince of Wales
* 1910–1917: None
* 1917–1936: Edward, Prince of Wales
* 1936–1957: Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
* 1957–1959: Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
* 1959–1967: Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
* 1967–present: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
The Order originally included 15 Knights Grand Cross, 20 Knights Commanders, and 25 Companions but has since been expanded and the current limits on membership are 125, 375, and 1,750 respectively. Members of the royal family who are appointed to the Order do not count towards the limit, nor do foreign members appointed as "honorary members".
===Officers===
The Order has six officers. 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 or Lady Usher of the Blue Rod. Blue Rod does not, unlike the usher of the Order of the Garter, perform any duties related to the House of Lords.
==Habit and insignia==
Members of the Order wear elaborate regalia on important occasions (such as coronations), which vary by rank:
* The mantle, worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of Saxon blue satin lined with crimson silk. On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle is bound with two large tassels.
* The collar, worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold. It consists of depictions of crowned English lions, Maltese Crosses, and the cyphers "SM" and "SG", all alternately. In the centre are two winged lions of St. Mark, each holding a bible and seven arrows—the emblem of the seven united Ionian Islands.
At less important occasions, simpler insignia are used:
* The star is an insignia used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commanders. It is worn pinned to the left breast. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' star includes seven-armed, silver-rayed 'Maltese Asterisk' (for want of a better description—see image of badge), with a gold ray in between each pair of arms. The Knight and Dame Commander's star is a slightly smaller eight-pointed silver figure formed by two Maltese Crosses; it does not include any gold rays. In each case, the star bears a red cross of St George. In the centre of the star is a dark blue ring bearing the motto of the Order. Within the ring is a representation of St Michael trampling on Satan.
* The badge is the only insignia used by all members of the Order; it is suspended on a blue-crimson-blue ribbon. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commanders and male Companions wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; Dames Commanders and female Companions wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. The badge is a seven-armed, white-enamelled 'Maltese Asterisk' (see Maltese Cross); the obverse shows St Michael trampling on Satan, while the reverse shows St George on horseback killing a dragon, both within a dark blue ring bearing the motto of the Order.
Prior to 2011, the devil was portrayed with black skin while St Michael was shown as being white; this was changed that year to show both with same skin colour, although St Michael's wings were changed from being multi-colour to being pure white. The alleged racism of this imagery has resulted in the government of Jamaica suspending the use of the badge entirely. In June 2020, calls were made for a complete redesign of the insignia, including from Sir Michael Palin of Monty Python fame, a Knight Commander of the Order In July, the Cabinet Office announced that officers of the Order who were unhappy with their insignia could exchange them for one of the newer models.
On certain collar days designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform or morning wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. All collars which have been awarded since 1948 must be returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. The other insignia may be retained.
==Chapel==
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 home to the chapels of the Order of the British Empire and the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.) 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. 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.
The reredos within the chapel was commissioned from Henry Poole in 1927.Henry POOLE 1873–1928 (Tate Britain); retrieved 1 October 2009.
==Precedence and privileges==
Members of the Order of St Michael are assigned positions in the order of precedence in England and Wales. 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. (Individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives. This follows the general rule of honours, that a husband never derives any style or title from his wife.)
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 husbands of Dames derive no title from their wives. 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 (foreign) members and clergymen do not receive the accolade and thus are not entitled to use the prefix "Sir" or "Dame". 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, 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 Companions may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet.
==Popular references==
In the satirical British television programme Yes Minister, Jim Hacker MP is told a joke by his Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley, about what the various post-nominals stand for. From Series 2, Episode 2 "Doing the Honours":
Ian Fleming's spy, James Bond, a commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), was fictionally decorated as a CMG in 1953. This is mentioned in the novels From Russia, with Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and on-screen in his obituary in Skyfall. He was offered appointment as KCMG (which would have elevated him from Companion to Knight Commander in the Order) in The Man with the Golden Gun, but he rejected the offer as he did not wish to become a public figure. Judi Dench's character "M" is "offered" early retirement as a GCMG in Skyfall.
Daniel Craig, who has portrayed Bond on film, was appointed (CMG) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to film and theatre. The general release on 30 September 2021 of his last appearance as James Bond, in No Time to Die, had been delayed by almost two years due to a change of director and the COVID-19 pandemic. Coinciding with the film's premiere, and matching his fictional character's rank, Craig became an Honorary Commander in Britain's Royal Navy. Following this appointment, he committed to being an ambassador for the Royal Navy, particularly in its international role, and to the welfare of its service families.
Long-time Doctor Who companion Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart wore the ribbon of the order as the highest of his decorations.
==Current Knights and Dames Grand Cross==
=== Sovereign and Grand Master ===
Name 	Year of appointment 	Present age
King Charles III (ex officio)	Sovereign since 2022	
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent 	1967 	
===Knights and Dames Grand Cross===
Name 	Known for 	Year of appointment	Present age
David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn 	Governor of Hong Kong 	1991 	
Sir Wiwa Korowi 	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea 	1992 	
Sir James Carlisle 	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda 	1993 	
Sir Rodric Braithwaite 	Chairman of the UK Joint Intelligence Committee and Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Russia 	1994 	
Sir Colville Young 	Governor-General of Belize 	1994 	
David Hannay, Baron Hannay of Chiswick 	Permanent Representative to the United Nations 	1995 	
Sir Orville Turnquest ON, , 	Governor-General of The Bahamas 	1995 	
Sir Tulaga Manuella 	Governor-General of Tuvalu 	1996 	
Sir John Coles 	Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 	1997 	
Dame Pearlette Louisy GCSL, 	Governor-General of Saint Lucia 	1999 	
Sir Andrew Wood 	Ambassador to Russia and Ambassador to Yugoslavia 	2001 	
Sir John Goulden 	Permanent Representative to the Western European Union, Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council and Ambassador to Turkey	2001 	
John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard 	Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ambassador to the United States 	2001 	
Sir Tomasi Puapua 	Governor-General of Tuvalu and Prime Minister of Tuvalu 	2002 	
Sir David Wright 	Ambassador to Japan and Ambassador to South Korea 	2002 	
Sir Jeremy Greenstock 	Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations 	2003 	
Sir Rob Young 	High Commissioner to India 	2003 	
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen	Secretary General of NATO 	2004 	
Sir Stephen Wall 	Permanent Representative to the European Union and Ambassador to Portugal 	2004 	
Sir Nathaniel Waena , , 	Governor-General of the Solomon Islands 	2005 	
Michael Jay, Baron Jay of Ewelme 	Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ambassador to France 	2006 	
Sir Emyr Jones Parry 	Permanent Representiative to the United Nations Security Council and Permanent Representative to NATO 	2007 	
Sir Kenneth Hall ON, , 	Governor-General of Jamaica 	2007 	
Dame Louise Lake-Tack , DStJ, DGN, DNH, GCH, OM	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda 	2007 	
Sir David Manning 	Ambassador to the United States, Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council and Ambassador to Israel 	2008 	
Sir Patrick Allen , , 	Governor-General of Jamaica 	2009 	
Sir Frank Kabui 	Governor-General of the Solomon Islands 	2009 	
Sir Arthur Foulkes ON, 	Governor-General of The Bahamas and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 	2010 	
Sir Iakoba Italeli 	Governor-General of Tuvalu and Attorney General of Tuvalu 	2010 	
Peter Ricketts, Baron Ricketts 	National Security Adviser and Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 	2011 	
Sir Nigel Sheinwald 	Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the European Union 	2011 	
Sir Elliott Belgrave , KA, CHB, SC 	Governor-General of Barbados 	2012 	
Dame Cécile La Grenade 	Governor-General of Grenada 	2012 	
Sir Edmund Lawrence , CSM, JP 	Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis 	2012 	
Dame Marguerite Pindling ON, 	Governor-General of The Bahamas 	2014 	
Sir Rodney Williams , KGN, KNH, GCH, GCM 	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda 	2014 	
Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland 	First Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Trade 	2015 	
Sir John Sawers FRUSI 	Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service and Permanent Representative to the United Nations 	2015 	
Sir Simon Fraser 	Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 	2016 	
Sir Peter Westmacott 	Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador to France and Ambassador to Turkey 	2016 	
Sir Robert Dadae 	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea 	2017 	
Dame Sandra Mason FB, , DA, SC 	Governor-General of Barbados 	2017 	
Sir Mark Lyall Grant 	National Security Adviser and Permanent Representative to the United Nations 	2018 	
Sir Neville Cenac GCSL, GCMG 	Governor-General of Saint Lucia 	2018 	
Sir Cornelius Smith ON, 	Governor-General of The Bahamas 	2019 	
Sir David Vunagi 	Governor-General of the Solomon Islands and Archbishop of Melanesia 	2019 	
Dame Susan Dougan 	Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 	2020 	
Sir David Attenborough 	Television broadcaster and conservationist 	2020 	
Sir Tim Barrow 	Ambassador to the European Union, Ambassador to Russia and Ambassador to Ukraine 	2020 	
Sir Julian King 	European Commissioner for the Security Union, Ambassador to France and Ambassador to Ireland 	2020 	
Simon McDonald, Baron McDonald of Salford 	Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Ambassador to Germany and Ambassador to Israel 	2021 	
Dame Froyla Tzalam 	Governor-General of Belize 	2022 	
Sir Iain Macleod 	Legal Adviser to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 	2022 	
Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani 	Governor-General of Tuvalu 	2022 	
Mark Sedwill, Lord Sedwill 	Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Home Civil Service and National Security Adviser 	2022 	
Dame Marcella Liburd 	Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis 	2023 	
Sir Simon Gass 	Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee and Ambassador to Iran 	2023 	
Dame Cynthia Pratt ON, , CB, CD, JP 	Governor-General of The Bahamas 	2023 	
Sir Stephen Lovegrove 	National Security Adviser and Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence 	2024 	
===Honorary Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Commander===
See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of St Michael and St George.
=== Officers ===
*Prelate: David Urquhart (former Bishop of Birmingham)
*Chancellor: Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland 
*Secretary: Sir Philip Barton 
*Registrar: Sir David Manning 
*King of Arms: Sir Mark Lyall Grant 
*Lady Usher of the Blue Rod: Dame DeAnne Julius 
==Gallery==
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 1.png|Companion class of the order with the wearer's instruction guide.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 8.png|CMG class in a case.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 4.png|Reverse of a CMG badge showing Saint George.
File:Btweedsmuir2.jpg|Riband, badge and star of a GCMG worn by John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 5.png|Obverse of the CMG badge showing Saint Michael.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 3.png|CMG class of the Order of St. Michael & St. George by Spink & Son.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 10.png|CMG in a case by Spink.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 2.png|Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 9.png|CMG in a case by Spink 
File:Francis Wallace Grenfell.jpg|Riband (worn incorrectly), star and collar of GCMG worn by Francis Grenfell, 1st Baron Grenfell
File:Stamp of Seychelles - Zil Eloigne Sesel - 1986 - Colnect 633925 - Queen Elizabeth 60th birthday.jpeg|A Seychellois stamp depicting Elizabeth II in robes of the order, 1986
File:Uroš Predić - vojvoda Živojin Mišić, 1919.jpg|Star and collar of GCMG worn by Serbian Field Marshal Živojin Mišić
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 6.png|CMG set.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 7.png|Set of the Companion class.
File:Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (Great Britain) - Memorial JK - Brasilia - DSC00425.JPG|GCMG breast star.
File:Medal, order (AM 2001.25.1079-4).jpg|Companion class on a neck riband.
File:Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George 11.png|CMG class of the order.
File:The Duke and Duchess of Kent, 2013.JPG|Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Grand Master of the Order, and Katharine, Duchess of Kent
File:Britse ridderorde (The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George), ontvangen door Willem Drees, NG-2003-46.jpg|The GCMG set of former Dutch Prime Minister Willem Drees.
File:Medal, order (AM 809264-2).jpg|Miniature of the order.
File:Medal, order (AM 2018.63.1-2).jpg|KCMG breast star.
==See also==
* List of people who have declined a British honour
* Order of the Bath
* Order of the British Empire
* Order of the Garter
* Order of the Thistle
* Royal Victorian Order
* Russian Order of St George
==Notes==
==References==
==Further reading==
* The Order of St Michael and St George: 1818 to 2018 part one: its first century by Russell Malloch. [London, The Stationery Office, 2018] at thegazette.co.uk
* The Order of St Michael and St George: 1818 to 2018 part two: its second century by Russell Malloch. [London, The Stationery Office, 2018] at thegazette.co.uk
* "Knighthood and Chivalry", (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. London: Cambridge University Press.
* Orans, L. P. "The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George"
* Velde, F. R. (2003). "Order of Precedence in England and Wales"
* State Library of New South Wales: Nelson Meers Foundation — gallery to full set of insignia, including images of both sides of the badge and a close-up of the star.
==External links==
*Order of St Michael and St George – Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
*The Order of St Michael and St George – Royal Household website
*Order of St Michael and St George – UK Cabinet Office
*The British honours system – UK Government
 
Category:1818 establishments in the United Kingdom
Saint Michael and Saint George, Order Of
Category:Orders of chivalry of the United Kingdom
Category:Awards established in 1818