Orders of Chivalry - Ede & Ravenscroft Orders of Chivalry The Six British Orders of Chivalry About Orders of Chivalry The orders of chivalry conjure up tales of courage and devotion. In medieval times monarchs rewarded loyal supporters for gallantry in battle with gifts of land, money or titles as a mark of distinction. As the centuries passed selected loyal and brave subjects were awarded knighthoods. Knights would receive a chain of honour, or collar. These awards form the basis of today’s orders of chivalry. Ede and Ravenscroft has made mantles for the nation’s orders of chivalry since 1689.

In order of seniority, the six British orders of chivalry are: The Most Noble Order of the Garter The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle The Most Honourable Order of The Bath The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George The Royal Victorian Order The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire His Royal Highness Prince Charles wearing the regalia of a Knight of The Most Noble Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter THE MOST ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE THISTLE Established in 1687 by His Majesty King James II of England and VII of Scotland. This is the highest honour awarded by the Sovereign in Scotland. The mantle is of dark green silk velvet lined with white silk taffeta and a silver and gold hand embroidered badge on the left breast. In the badge’s centre sits the Order’s emblem: the thistle, circled by the motto, “Nemo me impune lacessit”. ‘No one provokes me with impunity’. A blue velvet hood is attached to the right shoulder, and the mantle is fastened with green and gold embroidered cordons. The Order’s gold enamelled collar is attached to the mantle with white silk satin bows.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath THE MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF ST MICHAEL AND ST GEORGE In 1814 Great Britain enjoyed an important victory over Napoleon’s forces, gaining control of Malta and the Ionian islands. Much credit for the victory was down to brave and loyal Maltese and Ionian islanders. In 1818 the Prince Regent instituted the new order- The Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. By 1864 the Order was bestowed on a wider range of British subjects. Today diplomats and other members of the Foreign Office or loyal subjects who have offered valuable service connected to Commonwealth or foreign affairs may be privileged enough to receive the Order. The emblem depicts the Archangel St. Michael clasping a sword and trampling on Satan. The motto reads: “ Auspicum Melioris Aevi” ‘Token of a better Age’.The mantle is in Saxon-blue satin, lined with scarlet silk taffeta. On the left breast sits a gold and silver hand embroidered badge. A centrepiece features an enamelled plate with the Order’s emblem and motto.

The mantle is fastened at the front with embroidered cordons of blue, red and gold. The collar is attached with silk satin shoulder bows. The Royal Victorian Order THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE In 1917 His Majesty King George V instituted The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. It has been called ‘the people’s order of chivalry’. Since the Order’s foundation, Ede & Ravenscroft has made its mantle of rose-pink satin lined with pearl-grey silk taffeta. The star of the Order is hand embroidered in silver and gold on the left breast. In its centre sits the crowned effigies of His Majesty King George V and Her Majesty Queen Mary. Its gold inscribed motto reads, “For God and Empire”. The mantle closes at the front with cordons of pearl-grey silk, with rose and silver tassels. A gold collar is fastened with white and silk satin shoulder bows. The Six British Orders of Chivalry The Most Noble Order of the Garter The robes of the Order are magnificent. They feature the Blue Garter and Garter Mantle.

Fashioned from deep blue silk velvet lined with white silk taffeta, a hand embroidered gold badge on the left breast displays the cross of St. George, encircled by the motto: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” ‘Dishonoured be he who thinks evil of it’. A crimson silk velvet hood drapes over the right shoulder. Gold and blue embroidered cordons seal the Mantle at the front. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle The Most Honourable order of the Bath Becoming a knight during medieval time was rite of passage. In preparation for his investiture a would-be knight would take a bath and hold a solitary vigil in silent prayer: cleansing both body and soul. From this comes the title for the Order of the Bath. During the 18th century it became the highest military honour, prized by all who received it, including Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. The Order has three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. Each class has a military and civil division. The Order’s emblem is three gold crowns within a circle surrounded by the motto, “Tria Juncta in Uno” ‘Three joined in one’.

The mantles are crimson silk satin lined with white silk taffeta. A silver and gold hand embroidered badge on the left breast bears the Order's emblem and motto. The mantles are hoodless and closed at the neck using cloth cordons with crimson and gold tassels. The collars are attached to the mantle with white silk bows on the shoulder. The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George The Royal Victorian Order Instituted by Her Majesty Queen Victoria in 1896, the Sovereign awards this Order for personal service. Since its foundation, Ede & Ravenscroft has made mantles of dark blue silk satin edged with red silk satin and lined with white taffeta. On the left breast sits a hand-embroidered gold and silver badge with the emblem of a white eight-pointed Maltese Cross and Queen Victoria’s royal monograph at the centre. Its motto reads, “Victoria”. A hood is attached to the right shoulder. The mantle closes at the front with blue and gold embroidered cordons. The gold collar is attached with white silk satin shoulder bows.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Our Services Orders Of Chivalry In The UK – Royal Central Pets in the Royal Family Her Majesty The Queen is considered as the font of all honour in the United Kingdom. As such, she has the final say on all honours issued in this country. This article aims to explain the ranks, orders and decorations in the British Honours system. At the bottom of this article is a video from a BBC documentary a few years ago where the Order Of The British Empire honours are explained fully! The following are orders to which ordinary members of the public are admitted as members. The first thing to mention is the various orders of the British Honours system. There are many different orders, of which only a handful are still constituted. There’s the most commonly constituted order, called the Order Of The British Empire, which rewards service to the country. There’s the Royal Victorian Order which rewards personal service to the Monarch and the Order Of The Bath, which is a higher honour for both civil and military. Order Of The British Empire The Order Of The British Empire was instituted by King George V as he wanted a way of rewarding civilians in the United Kingdom as previously, there was no facility to do this.

The order consists of 5 ranks, in ascending order (lowest ranking to highest), they are: MBE – Member of the Order Of The British Empire OBE – Officer of the Order Of The British Empire CBE – Commander of the Order Of The British Empire KBE/DBE – Knight/Dame Commander of the Order Of The British Empire GBE – Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order Of The British Empire The last two, KBE/DBE and GBE are both knighthoods, so the holder may use the title ‘Sir’ if male or ‘Dame’ if female. Each one is awarded for various meritorious service. An MBE is quite common, it may be handed out to those who perform notable charity work. An OBE may be given to an actor who has done well the previous year. A CBE may be given to someone who has worked in a certain public field for a long time. A KBE/DBE may be for a high-profile retiring government official. A GBE is extremely rare, only 15 have been given out in the last 20 years! GBEs are often given for very commendable service.

The most recent one was to Sir John Parker, for services to Industry and to the Voluntary Sector. Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian order rewards personal service to the King or Queen. It was founded by Queen Victoria as a way of being able to honour all those who had performed personal service for her, as all other orders at the time were dealt with ‘on the advice of the government’, so there was no personal order. There are 5 ranks in the Royal Victorian Order, they are, in ascending order: MVO – Member of The Royal Victorian Order LVO – Lieutenant of The Royal Victorian Order CVO – Commander of The Royal Victorian Order KCVO/DCVO – Knight/Dame Commander of The Royal Victorian Order GCVO – Knight/Dame Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order Similarly to the Order Of The British Empire, ranks in the Royal Victorian Order accord to the receiver’s service. an MVO may be awarded for basic service, such as butlering, whereas a GCVO is rarely awarded outside of the Royal Family. Both KCVO/DCVO and GCVO are ranks of Knighthood and allow the use of the ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame’ prefix.

Order Of The Bath The Order Of The Bath derives its name not from the place, Bath, but from the ancient process of bathing knights to purify them. The order is one of the highest ranking in the land and is often awarded to visiting dignitaries. There are only 3 ranks in this order, they are in ascending order: CB – Companion Of The Order Of The Bath KCB/DCB – Knight/Dame Commander Of The Order Of The Bath GCB – Knight/Dame Grand Cross Of The Order Of The Bath Companion is a basic honour. Knight/Dame Commander and Grand Cross are both knighthoods, allowing the holder to use the prefix of ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame, but only if they’re a British subject! This next two orders are the most exclusive in the land. Order Of The Garter This is the highest ranking order of chivalry in the United Kingdom, it is entirely within the personal gift of the Monarch and is very exclusive. Only The Queen, The Prince Of Wales and 24 knights may be in the order at any one time. When one Knight dies, another is appointed. It is also, the oldest order of chivalry in the world, going back to 1348.

The order has only two ranks, which are not really ranks as they rank the same, they are: KG – Knight Of The Order Of The Garter LG – Lady Of The Order Of The Garter The rank of KG allows the member to use the title of ‘Sir’ whereas the rank of LG allows the member to use the title of ‘Lady’. Order Of The Thistle The Order Of The Thistle is the second most exclusive order of Chivalry in Britain and is an order exclusively for Scotland. It is specifically limited to The Queen, The Prince Of Wales and 16 knights. The order has two ranks, again not really ranks as they rank the same, they are: KT – Knight Of The Order Of The Thistle LT – Lady Of The Order Of The Thistle Knights are entitled to the style of ‘Sir’ and Ladies, the style of ‘Lady’.

Related Items 1348: The Highest English Order of Chivalry – The Order of the Garter | History.info 1348: The Highest English Order of Chivalry – The Order of the Garter Photo Credit To Wikipedia Commons Story Highlights Historical event: 23 April 1348 Members of the Order meet regularly once a year at the headquarters of the Order - St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The flags of all current knights of the Order are hung in that chapel. The Order, with the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" (Evil unto him who thinks evil of it), is always present on the British Monarch’s coat of arms. The highest English order of chivalry – the Order of the Garter – was founded on this day in 1348. Specifically, St George’s Day falls on that day, and he is the patron of the Order and the whole of England (the English flag has the red cross of St. George on a white background). The Order was named after the garter worn by its members on their left leg, below the knee.

The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III and originally consisted of 26 knights (aka Founder Knights). Today, the Order is one of the most respected in the world and has a strictly limited membership. Members may be appointed only by a British monarch and there can be up to 24 of them simultaneously. Lord Carrington and John Major are among the best-known of its members today, but foreign rulers Japanese Emperor Akihito and Spanish King Juan Carlos are also among its bearers. Members of the Order meet regularly once a year at the headquarters of the Order – St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The flags of all current knights of the Order are hung in that chapel. The Order, with the motto “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (Evil unto him who thinks evil of it), is always present on the British Monarch’s coat of arms, and the Knights Companions are recognized by a light blue sash and a luxurious star on the left side of their uniform. On ceremonial occasions, the knights wear long robes and hats with feathers. Not long ago, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was also declared a Knight Companion of the Garter.

Facebook Comments The Most Noble Order of the Garter, its History, Ceremony, Coats of Arms and Crests. The Most Noble Order of the Garter The Oldest and Highest British Order of Chivalry, founded in 1348 by Edward III. The Order consists of Her Majesty The Queen who is Sovereign of the Order, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and 24 Knights Companions. The origin of the symbol of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, a blue 'garter' with the motto Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense will probably never be known for certain as the earliest records of the order were destroyed by fire, however the story goes that at a Ball possibly held at Calais, Joan Countess of Salisbury dropped her garter and King Edward seeing her embarrassment picked it up and bound it about his own leg saying in French, Evil, (or shamed) be he that that thinks evil of it' this is almost certainly a later fiction. This fable appears to have originated in France and was, perhaps, invented to try and bring discredit on the Order. There is a natural unwillingness to believe that the World's foremost Order of Chivalry had so frivolous a beginning.

It is thought more likely that as the garter was a small strap used as a device to attach pieces of armour, it might have been thought appropriate to use the garter as a symbol of binding together in common brotherhood. Whilst the motto probably refers to the leading political topic of the 1340's, Edward's claim to the throne of France. The patron saint of the Order of the Garter is St George and as he is the patron saint of soldiers and also of England, the spiritual home of the order has therefore always been St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Windsor castle - The procession at the Garter service - St Georgeï¿½s Chapel Windsor The patron saint of the Order is St George who is the patron saint of soldiers and also of England; the spiritual home of the Order is St George's Chapel, Windsor. Every knight is required to display a banner of his arms in the Chapel, together with a helmet, crest, sword and an enamelled stallplate. These 'achievements' are taken down on the knight's death and the insignia are returned to the Sovereign. The stallplates remain as a memorial and these now form one of the finest collections of heraldry in the world.

HM the Queen during the Order of the Garter Procession outside St George's Chapel Windsor Castle The holders of this Order as a Knights Companion, entitles the recipient the right to use the title 'Sir' before their Christian names as well as being entitled to add the letters 'K.G' ( Knight of the Garter ) or in the case of a Lady Companion 'L.G.' Lady of the Garter, after their surnames or title. The Order of the Garter Star King George III's diamond Star made in around 1800, is worn on the left breast, it had a 13-stone ruby cross centre set amongst diamonds in gold, encircled by the Garter in blue enamel. The Order of the Garter , its History and Ceremony : - Knights of the Garter :- The Procession and Service at St George's Chapel :- Ladies of the Order :- The Garter Knights Crowns, Crests, Coronets and Banners :- The procession of the Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle.

The Order of the Garter, Its History and Ceremony The Most Noble Order of the Garter is one of the oldest and most important of all such Orders throughout the world, with the concept of like minded brotherhood dedicated to service and chivalry, these core principals having survived intact and are as relevant today as at its conception over 650 years ago. With a thousand appointments of royalty, soldiers, statesmen, favourites, magnates, and a few traitors having been made since 1348. It was during the 11th and 12th centuries within the warrior-classes the idea of the medieval notion of chivalry and knighthood first developed. The Crusades in the Middle East had released these men from the previous constraints of feudalism. They could now express their new-found identity by the creation of religious and military orders of chivalry. The earliest orders of knighthood were amongst groups of like-minded men who being drawn from a particular social class were therefore bound together in a common purpose. It requires all members to assemble at Windsor on the eve of the feast day.

The Knights and Ladies put on the mantle of the Order and the Greater George and go to St George's Chapel for a service of thanksgiving. They then sup at the Dean's House. On St George's Day, the members attend a lunch in the Waterloo Chamber Then all go in procession to the Chapel for service wearing the full robes of the Order, including black velvet hats with white plumes, and any new members are installed. On the day after, the mantle only is worn. The Garter itself is worn throughout. The Greater George must be worn on all official holidays, on Ascension Day, at the funeral of a member of the Order, and when a member of the Order is created a Peer. Although the original medieval membership of the order consisted of the British sovereign and the Prince Wales, each with 12 companions, as if at a tournament. Membership was expanded in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to include supernumeraries such as members of the royal family (known as "royal knights companions"), lineal descendants of George I and George II, and foreigners (known as "extra knights"). The British sovereign and Prince of Wales are always members of the order.

Originally, existing knights elected new knights, but now appointment to the order is solely at the discretion of the British monarch. Women have been made ladies of the order, but they are not ranked among the 25 knights companions. The foundation of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III in the early fourteenth century, brought together in close companionship the Sovereign and twenty-five of the most outstanding military leaders of the country at that time as a means of marking and securing alliances; it also established a new fellowship in religious worship ' to the honour of Almighty God, the glorious Virgin Saint Mary and Saint George the Martyr'. Since foreign monarchs have been appointed to the Order from the fifteen century, one of the earliest such appointments was the Duke of Urbino by Edward IV in 1474. Such appointments were and are occasionally made to non-Christian rulers ( for example, the Shah of Persia in 1902 ), which prompted some debate over the possibility of removing Christian imagery ( the cross of St George ) from the Order when it is given to non-Christian recipients; in the end however the design remained unchanged.

The Garter Prince Albert's Garter was made in 1840 and was worn by the Knights beneath the left knee and by the Ladies above the Elbow. The Garterï¿½s motto 'Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense' is set in diamonds on dark-blue velvet, and the buckle is set with one small and seven large brilliants. Knights of the Garter It was thought that in 1344 King Edward III inspired by the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, made a spectacular demonstration of his interest in Arthurian legend during a massive joust at Windsor Castle. He also promised to renew King Arthur's fraternity of knights with all the paragons of knightly virtues with a complement of 300 men. Work also even began on a gigantic circular building two-hundred feet across within the upper ward of the castle to house this so-called Order of the Round Table. The renewal of war with France intervened with this project but in 1348 it was revived in a different guise.

Originally it was intended that the Order of the Garter was to consist of twenty four knights, however during 1349/50 it consisted of himself as Sovereign together with twenty five Knights Companion, one of whom was the Prince of Wales, the black Prince. These 'founder knights' were military men, skilled in battle and tournaments, few of these knights were much over the age of 30 and four were under the age of 20. The other founder-knights had all served in the French campaigns of the time, including the battle of Crï¿½cy and three were foreigners who had previously sworn allegiance to the English king, making twenty six knights in all. it was intended by Edward III to be reserved as the highest reward for loyalty and for military merit. These Knights included some who owed allegiance to King Edward not as King of England, but as Lord of Gascony . These Companions were known as Stranger Knights a distinction from subjects of the English Crown. Such was the prestige of the Order that during the next hundred yearï¿½s foreign monarchs in the Order are admitted and known as 'Stranger Knights' and are in addition to the number allowed by statute.

The Regalia The Collar is of gold and weighs 30 troy ounces and consists of twenty six red enameled roses each interspersed with twenty six gold knots with a pendant representing St George and the Dragon. The roses and knots are placed alternately and joined to each other by gold links. The insignia of the Order has gradually developed over the centuries, starting with a garter and badge depicting St George and the Dragon. A collar was added in the sixteenth century with the star and broad ribbon being added in the seventeenth century. Although the collar could not be decorated with precious stones (the statutes forbid it), the other insignia could be decorated according to taste and affordability. As part of the original College of St George, Edward III established a community of twenty-six impoverished military veterans known as 'Poor Knights' who were required to pray daily for the Sovereign and the Knights of the Garter during life and also for their souls after death. In return they received maintenance and lodgings in Windsor Castle. This number of twenty-six was reduced to thirteen by Elizabeth I at the request of her father Henry VIII.

The Military Knights During the early years of the nineteenth century these Poor Knights who were all retired army officers, objected to being termed 'poor' and petitioned the Sovereign William IV to be allowed to wear the uniform of Unattached Officers a uniform and to change their name. In 1834 the name was subsequently changed to Military Knights and the members no longer had to wear their red cloaks but instead were allowed to wear their new uniforms with its plumed and cocked hat which is still worn today. Each newly appointed Knight, or more recently Lady of the Order is assigned a stall in St George's Chapel Windsor from which their banner displaying their coat of arms is hung. Beneath the banner is a Knights helm (helmet) on which is placed the carved and painted representation of the Knights Crown or Crest. In the case of Stranger Knights who are Sovereign, Princes or Princesses, instead of a carved Crest their carved and gilded representation of the State Crown is placed upon the Knights helm. For Ladies Companion, who, as women by the rules of English Heraldry has no right to a Crest, a Coronet of rank, if they are a peeress, is placed upon the helm.

Heraldry are often seen as an exciting picture language using stunning images, vibrant design and visual colour, incorporating a glorious mï¿½lï¿½e of signs and symbols which are frequently chosen not only to reflect the life but also the career of the person concerned. Although Heraldry is viewed by many today as an ancient art form, its images are as strong today as they were in the Middle Ages. All over the world Heraldic Arts traditional striking designs of realistic and fanciful creatures are frequently borrowed and turned into successful corporate trademarks and modern logos. A small selection of the over eighty Crowns, Coronets and Crests that have been carved and painted by Ian G Brennan before they were placed in St George's Chapel Windsor and Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey for the Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and Most Honourable Order of the Bath. top row - Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk - HM King Juan Carlos I of Spain - Baroness Margaret Thatches - Lady's and Knights of the Order of the Garter bottom row - Lord Beetham - Sir Frank Cooper - Sir Henry Leach - Knights of the Order of the Bath.

Crowns, Coronets and Crests for the Royal Knights, Extra Knights and Ladies, Knights and more recently, Lady Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter have been placed above the Knights stalls (seats) in St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle for almost six Centuries. The latest Ladies and Knights of the Garter are officially announced on 23 April; St George's Day from Buckingham Palace. For over years all the carved, painted and gilded Crowns, Coronets and Crests for the Order of the Garter and Knights of the Bath have been produced by sculptor Ian G Brennan. They are mostly carved from lime wood which Ian then paints and gilds and are between 12 - 28 inches high. The Knights Crests were originally worn on top of the Knights helm (helmet) during pageants and tournaments in the fourteenth century and used as a form of identification. Fighting at tournaments was also a good way of training for battle. Each Crest Ian produces which is placed upon a wreath he also carves from lime wood to represent a circle of two twisted ropes of silk, each of a different colour.

The original purpose of the wreath was to disguise the join between the helm and the Crest. Up until the seventieth century all the wreaths in St George's Chapel were still made from actual twisted cloth, however since that time they have all been mostly carved from lime wood. One of the carvings by Ian G Brennan commissioned to be placed in Westminster Abbey is of a Medieval Knight in full battle armour having scored a point whilst riding in tournament, depicted by the Knights broken lance. When a Knight was jousting he would try and score the best of three points from three lances to win the match. The Knights lances were tipped with Cornell's which blunts them so as to reduce the chance of serious injury to the opponent. One point is made by breaking the lance between the waist and neck of the opposing Knight. Two points we made by breaking the lance on the helm of the opponent, this was more difficult to do as the head sweeps back with the force of the blow which would often leave the lance unbroken. Three points would be made by breaking the lance and also bringing the rider to the ground. The victor on this occasion would also win the defeated knights horse.

Only Knights of Noble birth over at least three generations would be allowed to ride at tournament. Ian's wood sculpture of a Knight celebrating winning a point at tournament commissioned for Westminster Abbey For almost two centuries each year, usually at St George's - tide in April the Sovereign and Knights of the Garter met at Windsor Castle for a Festival which lasted for three days. They gathered in Chapter, feasted in St George's Hall and occupied their stalls in St George's Chapel for Matins, the Eucharist, Evensong and Requiem for departed Knights. From 1674 onwards until 1805 services were held less frequently and during the remainder of the 19th century the life of the Order was restricted to Chapter meetings for investitures and elections normally held in London. In 1948 His late Majesty King George VI commanded the Knights of the Garter to once again assemble at Windsor Castle for a Chapter meeting, to Process through the Castle and to have a Service at St George's Chapel. Since that time a Garter Day of this type has been regularly held each June.

The procession taken by the Garter Knights from the Upper ward to the Royal Chapel is a public witness to the long tradition of the Sovereign and the leaders of the nation giving their allegiance and thanksgiving to God for creating, renewing and sustaining the World. The number of Knights Companion remained at twenty six until the reign of George III when additional or Supernumerary appointments were made. Firstly from 1786 all the sons of the Sovereign were declared to be eligible to be appointed in addition to the twenty six (George had nine sons) from1805 the Prince of Wales upon his creation immediately become a member of the Order of the Garter. In 1813 all Stranger Knights were appointed as Supernumerary. HRH Prince Charles The Prince of Wales, along with HRH The Duke of Gloucester and HRH The Duke of Kent wearing the blue velvet robes and black velvet hats with white plumes, as worn by the Knights of the Garter during the Garter procession at Windsor Castle From the Eighteenth century to 1946, appointments to the Order of the Garter were made on advice from the government.

Today the Order has returned to its original function as a mark of royal favour; Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have served the Sovereign personally or who have contributed in a particular way to national life. Although for much of its history, the Garter was limited to the aristocracy, today the Garter knights are from a variety of backgrounds. Since the first Knight of the Garter Edward, Prince of Wales (the Black Prince) was installed by King Edward III in around 1348, there have been 1000 Knights of the Garter, Prince William of Walesbeing the 1000 knight who was installed into the Order by HM The Queen in 2008. most recent sovereign being HM King Harold V of Norway who was installed during the Queens Golden Jubilee in 2002 There have been many famous Knights of the Garter installed during the HM the Queen's present 50 year reign.

Since 5th December 1953 the Queen who is the Thirtieth Sovereign has installed over eighty Knights into the Order which have included many of the most prominent figures in recent years from British public life, including former war time leader Sir Winston Spencer Churchill, as well as many foreign Royals. These also include other former British Prime Ministers, Major, Heath, Wilson and Callaghan who all became Knights of the Garter, Baroness Thatcher was installed as a Lady Companion and HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH Prince Philip are Royal Knights. Juan Carlos, King of Spain, Carl Gustaf, King of Sweden and more recently King Harald V of Norway became extra Knights Companions, as is His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito of Japan, who was made a Garter Knight in 1998. On the 18th of June 2001 the two Garter Knights installed by Her Majesty the Queen in St George's Chapel were Sir Anthony Acland, KG and Field Marshal Lord Inge, KG. On the 16th of June 2002 the only Knight to be installed during HM The Queens Golden Jubilee Year was HM King Harald V of Norway KG.

Ian's carved and gilded Crown prepared for King Harald V was placed upon a Knights helmet above the Kings stall in St George's Chapel, shortly before he was installed as a Garter Knight at Windsor Castle in 2002 A selection of Royal Crowns and Coronets produced by Ian G Brennan for HM King Harald V of Norway ï¿½ HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands - HRH Prince Anne; The Princess Royal and former Britsh Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher As per tradition on the 23 April, St George's Day the latest Knights of the Garter were officially announced from Buckingham Palace. On the 16th of June 2003 in glorious sunshine the pomp and splendour of the Garter procession could once again be seen as the latest Lady Companion and Knights of the Garter, along with the other previously installed Knights and Lady Companions of the Garter began the procession at Castle Hill walking down from the State Apartments at Windsor Castle to the lower wards before entering St George's Chapel. These included the Queens first cousin, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Hon.

Lady Ogilvy, GCVO who was then installed in St George's Chapel as a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. This high honour was a personal gift of the Queen in recognition of her charity work and seniority within the Royal Family. Princess Alexandra's appointment as a Member of the Royal Family, is in addition to the established number of 24 Companions. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was created a Knight in 1947, HRH The Prince of Wales in 1958, HRH The Duke of Kent in 1985, HRH The Princess Royal in 1994, and more recently in 1997, HRH The Duke of Gloucester. The appointment of Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order is in The Queen's Personal Gift and is made without Prime Ministerial advice.

The three Knights of the Garter who were also installed in 2003 at Windsor Castle were The Duke of Westminster, OBE, TD, DL, The Right Honourable Lord Butler of Brockwell, GCB, CVO the former Cabinet Secretary and The Right Honourable Lord Morris of Aberavon, QC. These three Crests and the Coronet for HRH Princess Alexandra were completed early in 2004 and placed in position above their stalls in St George's Chapel. The appointment of Knights and Ladies of the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order is in The Queen's Personal Gift and is made without Prime Ministerial advice. The three Knights of the Garter who were also installed in 2003 at Windsor Castle were The Duke of Westminster, OBE, TD, DL, The Right Honourable Lord Butler of Brockwell, GCB, CVO the former Cabinet Secretary and The Right Honourable Lord Morris of Aberavon, QC. These three Crests and the Coronet for HRH Princess Alexandra were completed early in 2004 and placed in position above their stalls in St George's Chapel.

The completed carved, painted and gilded coronets and crests for the latest Ladies and Knights of the Garter photographed during 2006, 2007 and 2008 in sculptor Ian G Brennan's studio Please click images to enlarge The crests and coronets pictured above were commissioned for : - Lady Soames LG - (Coronet): Lord Bingham of Corhill KG (Griffin): Sir John Major KG (Stag) --- the Royal Crests for HRH Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex and HRH Prince Andrew The Duke of York --- Sir Thomas Dunne(snakes) : HRH Prince William: Lord Luce.(swan) Various Crests and coronet placed in position in St Georgeï¿½s Chapel Windsor In 2005 the Knights of the Garter appointed to this the most senior and oldest order chivalry was John Major who was the former Conservative Prime Minister and now becomes Sir John Major. KG, one of the 24 Knights. The Queen also appointed Lady Soames, the daughter of Sir Winston Churchill. Her appointment as a Lady of the Garter is the first non-royal, father daughter appointment in the orders 650-year history.

Lord Bingham of Cornhill who was the former lord chief justice was the third of that years appointments. Crest for HRH Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex - Crest for HRH Prince Andrew the Duke of York The Duke of Yorkï¿½s Crest placed in position in St Georgeï¿½s Chapel. On 23 April in 2006, St George's day; The Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex were both made Royal Knights of the Garter by Her Majesty the Queen. Prince Andrew and Prince Edward are both appointed to this the most senior British order of chivalry amid a weekend of celebrations to mark Her Majesties 80th birthday. This high honour recognises their seniority with the Royal Family and joins their father HRH Prince Philip, their brother HRH The Prince of Wales and sister The Princess Royal in the Order and more recently HRH Prince William of Wales. HRH Prince Williamï¿½s Royal Crest and Sword made by Ian G Brennan now placed upon the Princeï¿½s helmet in St Georgeï¿½s Chapel Windsor Castle.

As the second in line to the British throne; Prince William of Wales like his father the Prince of Wales, also uses a white label of three points but in addition on the lion is a small carved red ï¿½escallopï¿½ to honour the memory of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. The decision for Prince William to recognise his mother this way is a break with tradition as it is highly unusual for members of the Royal Family to include maternal symbols in their heraldic emblems. HRH Prince Williamï¿½s Royal Crest ï¿½ The Princeï¿½s Crest and Sword in St Georges Chapel Windsor ï¿½ the small red escallop. Windsor Castle Windsor Castle, is the largest inhabited stronghold in the world and is furnished with works of art from the Royal Collection. This historic fortress is situated alongside the River Thames in Berkshire in Southern England and stands proudly on its wooded chalk ridges which has been the home to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and earlier sovereigns of England since the days of the Norman Conquest over 900 years ago.

It first existed as a Norman stronghold built of earth and timber by the forces of William the Conqueror to control the country after his invasion in 1066. King William who reigned from 1066 to 1087, was the first Norman King of England after he defeated Harold Godwinson (King Harold II ) at the famous Battle of Hastings in 1066, where Harold was killed after being hit in the eye by an arrow. William was subsequently crowned King of England on Christmas Day. Windsor Castle formed one of a ring of garrisons built to command the area around London, this particular site being of strategic importance not only because it dominated the Thames, then the main freight route into the interior but also because the castle was only one dayï¿½s march from the Tower of London. King Henry II rebuilt the castle in stone and began the curtain wall and the subsequent construction of the Round Tower. Henry III is credited with then adding the five circular towers to this curtain wall and Edward III then undertook extensive construction which included building an inner gatehouse with cylindrical towers, the College of St George, new Royal apartments for the King and Queen, the Great Hall and the Royal Chapel.

Over the centuries successive monarchs continued to add to these alterations and improvements including George III and George IV who were responsible for further extensive improvements to the castle and are now buried along with William IV, in the Albert Memorial Chapel. The Royal Standard flying above the Round Tower at Windsor Castle, flown wherever the Sovereign is present The only disruption to royal ownership for 900 years was in 1642 when the English Civil war broke out and King Charles I who was not popular in Windsor fled to York after there was rioting in the town.. Consequently having made no attempt to defend his stronghold at Windsor the castle fell into the hands of Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces in the charge of Colonel Venn. Thousands of troops were billeted in the town and Fairfax and Cromwell were frequent visitors. These forces then proceeded to steal treasures and plate from St George's Chapel. The dean and cannons not only had to then endure the indignity of being evicted from their houses, but also of knowing the nave of the chapel was to be used as a stable for the horses of the parliamentary forces.

Parliament later commanded "to take care that there be no disorders and disturbance made in the Chapel at Windsor" However despite this decree many monuments and windows were smashed and furnishings looted. The castle itself was then used as a prison for Royalist prisoners, including the now captured Charles I who was held at the castle before his trial for High Treason and subsequent execution outside London's Banqueting Hall at Whitehall. King Charles I body was bought back to the castle on the 8 February 1649 and was buried inside St George's Chapel in silence, as the Parliamentary authorities would not allow the use of the funeral services as prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer. The location of the king's tomb which remaining unknown for over 150 years was subsequently found underneath the floor of the Quire, this vault also contained the remains of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. During the next 11 years England was governed by Oliver Cromwell, the ' Lord Protector', after the death of Cromwell, the castle eventually returned as a royal residence when King Charles II ascended to the throne. The castle and much of the interior survived however, later to be restored and added to during the reigns of Charles II, George IV and Queen Victoria.

It was however a close call as shortly after the Civil War, the bill in parliament to pull the castle down was only defeated by one vote Following the English Civil War, the Castle's primary role became that of a royal palace. During the Second World War, Windsor Castle was home to the young Princess Elizabeth later to become HM Queen Elizabeth II.. Today The Queen regularly uses the Castle spending most of her weekends there. The Castle has remained largely unchanged since the early nineteenth century, apart from the restoration work following the fire which took place on 20 November 1992. The fire broke out in the north-east part of the Castle in the Private Chapel, when a spotlight came into contact with a curtain and ignited the material. The fire spread at roof level to surrounding areas of the castle despite frantic efforts of castle staff and the fire brigade to control the flames. Fortunately most treasures and works of art had been removed temporarily and so few items were lost, although over 100 rooms in the Castle were badly damaged or destroyed.

The fire consumed the ceilings of George IV's and Grand Reception Room and gutted the Private Chapel, the State Dining Room, the Crimson Drawing room, Brunswick Tower and St George's Hall which for many centuries was the place were State banquets were held for Royalty and Heads of State. Just prior to the fire such dignitaries being entertained by HM The Queen in St George's Hall included the former Polish president Leck Walesa and former United States president Ronald Reagan. It took 250 fire-fighters one-and-a-half million gallons of water and some 15 hours to extinguish the fire. Nine principal rooms and over 100 other rooms over an area of 9,000 square metres were damaged or destroyed by the fire, approximately one-fifth of the Castle area. It then took five years to restore Windsor Castle at a cost of ï¿½ 37 million to its former glory. St George's Chapel Windsor The Queen's Free Chapel, or more commonly known as St George's Chapel is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

St George and St Edward the Confessor of St George was founded in 1475 by King Edward IV as the chapel for the Order of the Garter and was eventually completed by King Henry VIII 50 years later. 'Free' in this sense means that the Chapel is a "Royal Peculiar" therefore it falls under the direct authority of the Queen, rather than any of the normal Church of England structures. St George's Chapel is also the final resting place of Ten Royal Sovereigns including Charles I, Henry VIII and King George VI. St George's Chapel shares the distinction along with Westminster Abbey of being not only one of the most revered hallowed Royal shrines of the British Monarchy, but also one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind in the world, rich in history, and a place of prayer. The Chapel belongs to the College of St George which is a self governing community of priests and laymen. St George's Chapel Windsor Castle Dominating the lower ward of Windsor Castle for over 500 hundred years St George's Chapel one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England, is the home of the College of St George and the Order of the Garter.

It is the last in a succession of chapels in the castle , of which the earliest was built in the late 11th century for the needs of the garrison, king and court. In 1240 King Henry III ordered a chapel to be built in the lower ward, close to his new apartments. It was dedicated to St Edward the Confessor and stood on the present Albert Memorial Chapel. The Windsor beasts and gargoyles on the outside pinnacles and buttresses Unlike most other great churches, the show front of St Georges Chapel is on the south side facing the visitor entering Windsor Castle by means of the main King Henry VIII Gate. The outside of the magnificent building is compact and almost symmetrical with octagonal chapels protruding from three of its four corners. The chapel roof which is supported externally by flying buttresses,. is decorated with fourteen different types of 'Windsor Beasts' repeating along the roof making seventy-six beasts in total, of which six of these are unique to the Windsor series. There has always been a strong connection between the Royal Family and St George's Chapel. Over the centuries members of the Royal Family have been baptised, married and buried there.

HM The Queen is closely involved with the life of the College and attends matins at the chapel on Easter Day, there are also many other times when The Queen and the Royal Family attend the Chapel, especially every June when they can all be seen attending the annual ceremony of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. The Chapel was also the venue where the service of blessing took place after the royal wedding took place between HRH Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and more recently on the 9 April 2005 the Royal wedding of HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH Camilla Duchess of Cornwall. More than 800 guests were at the Chapel which including all the members of the British Royal Family, European royalty, politicians and show business stars, to witness Prince Charles and Camilla pledge their love for one another at the most elaborate Service of Prayer and Dedication, presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury and watched by over 500 million TV viewers worldwide.

Choir and Chancel looking West and East Many of these Royal Crowns, Coronets and Crests carved by Ian G Brennan on the South and North Stalls within the Choir and Chancel of St George's Chapel; photographs taken in 2004. For a panoramic view of many of the 39 Royal Crowns, Coronets and Crests created by Ian G Brennan between 1989 and 2009 commissioned for the Royal Knights, Knights and Ladies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in St Georgesï¿½s Chapel Windsor Castle. Please click here. Ian G Brennan was invited to Windsor Castle to give a talk about the various aspects of his work as a sculptor. This talk to the invited audience held in St George's Chapel was not only about the wide variety of sculptures he has produced for the past twenty three years for the Royal Household, but also how he starter his career as a sculptor.

A selection of the unique bronze wildlife sculptures and heraldic woodcarvings created by Ian G Brennan which were also on display during Ianï¿½s talk within the wonderful setting of the Nave of St George's Chapel Each Knight of the Garter is allotted a stall (seat) in St George's Chapel Windsor Castle and above it is placed the medieval symbols of chivalry, his banner which was often carried in battle bearing his coat of arms, these arms were also often worn as a tabard over his armour which helped to identify him. On top of the stall is the knights helm (or helmet) on this is placed his crest or in the case of foreign sovereigns the crest is replaced with a crown, which again is used as a form of recognition. Various stall-plates - Wreath for a Deceased Garter Knight The Garter Knights brightly coloured brass enamel stall-plate showing the knights full coat of arms, title and the date of appointment to the Order which is affixed to the back of the stall soon after the instillation service and remains there in perpetuity.

At present there are almost 800 Garter Knights stall plates in St George's Chapel the earliest surviving plate is that of Ralph, Lord Basset of Drayton who was elected to the Order in 1368. He was one of the leaders of the English army which, led by the Black Prince defeated the French at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. The stall-plates in St Georges Chapel provide one of the best examples of the fine history of heraldic designs during the past six centuries. Such is the prestige of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, when Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965 his Garter Crest depicting a 'Lion holding a staff' was taken down from above his stall in St George's Chapel Windsor Castle, the crest was then mounted on a stave and carried with great ceremony throughout Sir Winston's State Funeral procession.

His coffin placed upon a gun carriage and draped with the Union Flag, Sir Winstonï¿½s insignia as a Knight of the Garter, his collar, garter and star gleamed in lone splendour upon a black velvet cushion placed upon the coffin of the gun carriage which was pulled by a Gun's crew of naval ratings, for the State Funeral service which was held at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Sir Winston Churchill's Garter Crest and Stall plate along with the carved and gilded Coronet carved by Ian G Brennan for Lady Soames; Sir Winston Churchill's daughter. Although a number of Garter knights have been 'degraded' over the years for the crimes of heresy or cowardice, one of the main reasons that a Knight is removed from the Order during his lifetime is for Treason against the Sovereign. In ancient times this would often mean being beheaded, with Henry VIII alone accounting for six. Between 1387 and 1716 twenty Knights were removed, six of whom were subsequently reinstated. Most degradation occurred because a Knight fought on the wrong side and then lost!

Two of the most famous of these disgraced Knights during this period was " Warwick the Kingmaker" Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick who was appointed in 1460 but was later killed at the battle of Barnet in 1471 and later in the 16th century Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Suffolk incurred the displeasure of Henry VIII and was executed on Tower Hill at the Tower of London. During World War II, the crests and swords of the "extra knights" Emperor Hirohito of Japan and King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy were removed from the order's St George's Chapel. The conferment of this high honour has also been refused however, in 1945 when Winston Churchill's Conservative party was voted out of office Mr Churchill refused the Order of the Garter when it was first offered to him. In private he explained, "I can hardly accept the Order of the Garter from the King after the people have given me the Order of the Boot." However, Mr Churchill relented and in 1953 he was inducted into the order. Ladies of the Order During the middle ages ladies were associated with the Order although they did not enjoy full membership.

One of the last medieval ladies to be honoured was the mother of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIII, Lady Margaret Beaufort. After her death in 1509 the Order remained exclusively male, except for reigning queens as Sovereign of the Order. This situation remained until 1901 when Queen Alexandra was made a Lady of the Order by Edward VII. In 1987 Her Majesty the Queen decided that ladies should be eligible for admission as Companions of the Order, with the same rank and privileges as Knights Companions. The first Lady Companion to be appointed was Lavinia Duchess of Norfolk in 1990, followed in 1995 by the former British Prime Minister Baroness Thatcher. . Lady companions are now included in the establishment and have the same rights, duties and privileges as Knights Companions. Their style and titles is shown as 'LG' after their names, as opposed to the 'KG' used by Knights Companions. Ladies do not display helmets, mantles and swords but only their carved Crowns and Coronets are placed in position above their stalls, The exception is HM the Queen who as Sovereign of the Order, displays the helmet, mantle, crest and sword.

Her Majesty Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands joins HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, her own mother Princess Juliana and Queen Margarethe of Denmark as the contemporary Ladies of the Order and HM The Queen's daughter HRH Princess Ann, The Princess Royal who was the first Princess since the Middle Ages to be awarded such a high honour. In 2003 the Queen's first cousin, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra was also installed Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Lady Soames who is the daughter of Sir Winston Churchill was installed as a Lady of the Garter on the 13 June 2005 and is the first non-royal, father daughter appointment in the orders 650-year history. The Procession and Service at St George's Chapel Windsor Every June, the Knights of the Garter gather at Windsor Castle, where the new Knights take the oath and are invested with the insignia of the Order, which consists of the Garter, Star, Riband, Collar and Mantle. The Knights and Ladies of the Garter and their spouses receive a royal salute by the Guards on duty as they enter Windsor Castle via the King George IV Gate entrance.

The investiture of the new knights takes place in one of the oldest parts of the castle, the 12th century Garter Throne Room. After lunch in the Waterloo Chamber the latest Lady Companion and Knights of the Garter, along with the other previously installed Knights and Lady Companions of the Garter began the procession at Castle Hill walking down from the State Apartments at Windsor Castle to the lower wards before entering St George's Chapel HM The Queen as Sovereign of the Order of The Garter, attends the Garter service along with other members of the Royal family who are in the Order, including HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, HRH the Prince of Wales, HRH the Princess Royal, HRH The Duke of Kent and HRH the Duke of Gloucester. (Click on image below to enlarge) Picture PA

Question: Which is the highest order of chivalry in England?
Answer: Order of the Garter