Order of St Michael and St George

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**The most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George** is an order of chivalry. It was started on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, who became King George IV of the United Kingdom. It started when he was Prince Regent for his father, King George III.

It is named in honour of two military saints, Saint Michael and Saint George.

## Description 
The Order has three , listed below from highest to lowest:

* *Knight Grand Cross* or *Dame Grand Cross* (GCMG)

The protectorate ended in 1864, and the Ionian Islands became a part of Greece.

The reasons for being appointed to the Order were changed in 1868. Anyone who did important work in Queen Victoria's government (especially overseas) could be appointed. After this change, many Governors-General and Governors were appointed to the Order.)
# the Chancellor
# the Secretary
# the Registrar
# the King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George
# the Usher.

The Order's King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms.

The Usher of the Order is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod. He does not perform any duties related to the House of Lords, unlike the Usher of the Order of the Garter (the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod).

## Clothing 
Members of the Order wear decorated costumes on important occasions (such as coronations), which vary by rank:

The  Sovereign will name some days "collar days". On these days, members 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 hung 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 symbols can be kept..

## Chapel 
The original home of the Order was the Palace of St Michael and St George in Corfu This was the home of the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands. It was also the location of the Ionian Senate meetings.

Since 1906, the Order's chapel has been in St Paul's Cathedral in London.

## Precedence and privileges 
Members of the Order of St Michael are given positions in the order of precedence (the order in which members of the nobility should be placed in a procession or other events). Wives of male members are also given positions in the order of precedence. So are sons, daughters and  of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders. Relatives of female members are not given any special precedence.

Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders use the title "Sir" before their given name, and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders use "Dame". For example, John Smith and Jane Doe would be called *Sir John Smith* and *Dame Jane Doe*.

Wives of Knights may use the title "Lady" before their surname (for example *Lady Smith*), but husbands of Dames have no title.

These titles are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of peers are written out in their fullest forms. Honorary members (usually members from other countries) and clergymen do not receive the accolade or use the title.

Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal "GCMG". Knights Commanders and Dames Commanders use "KCMG" and "DCMG" respectively. Companions use "CMG". Examples are:
* Male Companion: *John Smith CMG*
* Female Companion: *Jane Doe CMG*
* Male Commander: *Sir Fred Smith KCMG*
* Female Commander: *Dame Joanna Doe DCMG*
* Male Grand Cross: *Sir George Smith GCMG*
* Female Grand Cross: *Dame Janice Doe GCMG*

Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also allowed to receive heraldic supporters (figures on either side of the shield, which look like they are holding it up). These may be real or imaginary animals, or human figures. They may also surround their arms with the design of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar. The circlet is shown either outside or on top of the collar.

Knights and Dames Commanders and Companions may display the circlet (but not the collar) around their arms. The badge is depicted hanging from the collar or circlet.

## Popular references 
In the satirical British television programme, *Yes Minister*, Jim Hacker MP is told an old joke by his Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley, about what the different post-nominals mean.

Ian Fleming's spy, James Bond, was appointed to the CMG, in 1953 (mentioned in the novel *From Russia, with Love*). He was offered the KCMG in *The Man with the Golden Gun*, but he would not take it, as he did not wish to become a public figure.

## Current Knights and Dames Grand Cross 
, a former Knight Grand Cross wearing the riband, badge and star of the order]]

* **Sovereign**: His Majesty The King
* **Grand Master**: His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO (1967)

### Knights and Dames Grand Cross 
* Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah of Zanzibar GCMG (1963)
* Sir Shridath Ramphal OE OM GCMG ONZ AC KC (1990)
* The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG (1991)
* Sir Wiwa Korowi GCMG (1992)
* Sir James Carlisle GCMG (1993)
* Sir Rodric Braithwaite GCMG (1994)
* Sir Julius Chan GCL GCMG KBE (1994)
* Sir Colville Young GCMG MBE (1994)
* The Lord Hannay of Chiswick GCMG CH (1995)
* Sir Orville Turnquest GCMG KC (1995)
* Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM GCMG QSO (1996)
* Sir Tulaga Manuella GCMG (1996)
* Sir Daniel Williams GCMG (1996)
* Sir John Coles GCMG (1997)
* Sir John Lapli GCMG (1999)
* Dame Pearlette Louisy GCMG (1999)
* Sir Andrew Wood GCMG (2001)
* Sir John Goulden GCMG (2001)
* The Lord Kerr of Kinlochard GCMG (2001)
* Sir Tomasi Puapua GCMG KBE (2002)
* Sir David Wright GCMG LVO (2002)
* Sir Jeremy Greenstock GCMG (2003)
* Sir John Young GCMG (2003)
* The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT GCMG PC (2004)
* Sir John Wall GCMG LVO (2004)
* Sir Nathaniel Waena GCMG CSI (2005)
* The Lord Jay of Ewelme GCMG (2006)
* Sir Emyr Jones Parry GCMG (2007)
* Sir Kenneth Hall ON GCMG OJ (2007)
* Dame Louise Lake-Tack GCMG (2007)
* Sir David Manning GCMG KCVO (2008)
* Sir Patrick Allen ON GCMG CD (2009)
* Sir Frank Kabui GCMG CSI OBE (2009)
* Sir Arthur Foulkes GCMG (2010)
* Sir Iakoba Italeli GCMG (2010)
* The Lord Ricketts GCMG GCVO (2011)
* Sir Nigel Sheinwald GCMG (2011)
* Sir Elliott Belgrave GCMG KC (2012)
* Dame Cécile La Grenade GCMG OBE (2013)
* Sir Edmund Lawrence GCMG OBE (2013)
* Dame Marguerite Pindling GCMG (2014)
* Sir Rodney Williams GCMG (2014)
* The Baroness Ashton of Upholland LG GCMG PC (2015)
* Sir John Sawers GCMG (2015)
* Sir Tapley Seaton GCMG CVO KC (2015)
* Sir Simon Fraser GCMG (2016)
* Sir Peter Westmacott GCMG LVO (2016)
* Sir Robert Dadae GCMG (2017)
* Dame Sandra Mason GCMG KC (2017)
* Sir Mark Lyall Grant GCMG (2018)
* Sir Neville Cenac GCMG (2018)
* Sir Cornelius Smith GCMG (2019)
* Sir David Vunagi GCMG (2019)
* Dame Susan Dougan GCMG OBE (2020)
* Sir David Attenborough OM GCMG CH CVO CBE (2020)
* Sir Tim Barrow GCMG LVO MBE (2020)
* Sir Julian King GCMG KCVO (2020)
* The Lord McDonald of Salford GCMG KCVO (2021)
* Dame Froyla Tzalam GCMG (2022)
* Sir Iain Macleod GCMG (2022)
* Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani GCMG MBE (2022)
* The Lord Sedwill GCMG (2023)
* Dame Marcella Liburd GCMG (2023)
* Sir Simon Gass GCMG CVO (2023)
* Sir Stephen Lovegrove GCMG KCB (2024)

### Officers 
* Prelate: Rt. Revd. David Urquhart KCMG (Bishop of Birmingham)
* Chancellor: The Baroness Ashton of Upholland LG GCMG PC
* Secretary: Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE
* Registrar: Sir David Manning GCMG KCVO
* King of Arms: Sir Mark Lyall Grant GCMG
* Lady Usher of the Blue Rod: Dame DeAnne Julius DCMG CBE

### Honorary Appointments 
* Lee Kwan Yew, Hon. GCMG, CH, 1972
* Chandrika Prasad Srivastava, Hon. KCMG, 1990
* Fidel V. Ramos, Hon. GCMG (1995)
* Ong Teng Cheong, Hon. GCMG, 1998
* Anson Chan, GBM, Hon. GCMG, CBE, JP, 2002
* Hamid Karzai, Hon. GCMG, 2003
* Ryszard Kaczorowski, Hon. GCMG, 2004
* Kofi Annan, Hon. GCMG, 2007
* Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, Hon. GCMG, 2008
* Shimon Peres, Hon. GCMG, 2008
* Sadako Ogata, Hon. Dame Commander (DCMG), 2011

### Select former recipients 
* Sir Adams George Archibald, CMG (1814-1892); first Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba (1870-1872)
*Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, KCMG (1835-1919); Australian politician, Premier of Tasmania and a member of the first federal ministry. Fysh joined Barton, Deakin and Kingston in securing British approval for the 'Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Bill'.
* Sir John Young, GCB, GCMG, PC (1807–1876); second Governor General of Canada (1869-1872)
* Sir John Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC (1815–1891); first Prime Minister of Canada (1867–1873)(1878–1891)
* Sir Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC (1819–1894); first Governor General of Canada (1867-1869)
* Sir Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, GCMG, GCVO, PC, DL (1820–1914)
* Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet, GCMG, CB, PC (1821–1915); Premier of Nova Scotia (1864-1867), sixth Prime Minister of Canada (1896)
* Sir John Caldwell Abbott, KCMG, PC, QC (1821–1893); third Prime Minister of Canada (1891-1892)
* Sir Richard Burton, KCMG (1821-1890)
* Sir Wilfred Grenfell, KCMG (February 28, 1865-October 9, 1940); medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.
* Sir Mackenzie Bowell, KCMG, PC (1823–1917); fifth Prime Minister of Canada (1894-1896)
* Sir Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1826–1902); third Governor General of Canada (1872-1878)
* Matsukata Masayoshi, GCMG (1835–1924)
* Sir Henry Binns KCMG (1837-1899); Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal (1897-1899)
* Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC (1841–1919); seventh Prime Minister of Canada (1896-1911)
* Sir Ernest Satow, GCMG PC(1843–1929)
* Menelik II of Ethiopia, GCMG (1844–1913)
* Sir John Thompson, KCMG, PC, QC (1845–1894); Premier of Nova Scotia (1882); fourth Prime Minister of Canada (1892-1894)
* Sir John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1845–1914); fourth Governor General of Canada (1878-1883)
* Sir Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1845–1927); fifth Governor General of Canada (1883-1888)
* Sir George Fiddes, GCMG, CB (1858-1936), Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies
* Sir Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1845–1914); eighth Governor General of Canada (1898-1904)
* Admiral Sir James Bruce (1846-1921) Invested KCMG in 1900.
* Sir John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1847–1934); seventh Governor General of Canada (1893 to 1898)
* Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (Arthur William Patrick Albert), KG, KT, KP, PC, GCMG, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GCB, VD, AdC(P) (1850–1942); tenth Governor General of Canada (1911-1916)
* Sir Frank Swettenham GCMG CH (1850–1946)
* Sir Albert Grey, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1851–1917); ninth Governor General of Canada (1904-1911)
* Sir John Birchenough, GCMG (1853–1937)
* Sir Robert Borden, GCMG, PC, KC (1854–1937); eighth Prime Minister of Canada (1911-1920)
* Sir Robert Baden-Powell, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB (1857–1941); founder of the Scout Movement
* Katō Takaaki, (1860–1926)
* Field Marshal Sir Julian Byng, GCB, GCMG, MVO, DCO, LLD(hc) Alb (1862–1935); twelfth Governor General of Canada (1921-1926)
* Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranike, KCMG, Maha Mudaliyar and JP of Ceylon (1862-1946)
* The Hon Lionel Cripps (1863–1950)
* Major Sir Freeman Freeman-Thomas, PC, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GBE, (1866–1941); thirteenth Governor General of Canada (1926-1931)
* Major-General Sir Pomeroy Holland-Pryor, KCB, CMG, DSO, MVO (1866-1955)
* Sir Victor Cavendish, KG, PC, GCMG, GCVO, JP (1868–1938); eleventh Governor General of Canada (1916-1921)
* Major-General Sir Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, KG, PC, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, ADC(P,) FRS (1874–1957); sixteenth Governor General of Canada (1940-1946)
* Sir John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, PC, CH, GCMG, GCVO, (1875–1940); fifteenth Governor General of Canada (1935-1940)
* Captain Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby,PC, GCMG (1880–1956); fourteenth Governor General of Canada (1931-1935)
* Lieutenant General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO (1880–1963)
* Sir George Sansom, KCMG (1883–1965)
* Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, KG, PC, PC, GCB, OM, GCMG, CSI, DSO, MC, CD, (1891–1969); seventeenth Governor General of Canada (1946-1952)
* Sir Edward Gent KCMG, DSO, OBE, MC (1895–1948)
* Sir Henry Gurney KCMG KStJ (1898–1951)
* Sir Gerald Templer KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE (1898–1979)
* Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, GCMG (1912-1988); Ninth Sultan of Sultanate of Yogyakarta
* President Ibrahim Nasir, KCMG (1926-2008)
* General Sir Hudson Lowe, GCMG (1769-1844)
* Field Marshal Živojin Mišić, GCMG (1855-1921); Serbian field marshal

## References 
## Other websites 
* Royal.gov.uk article on the order
* "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 &nbsp;— gallery to full set of insignia, including images of both sides of the badge and a close-up of the star.