Order of the Garter 2003-2019: Ceremonies and Information

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Claire

Not sure. They appear to have changed the rules regarding family honors if there ever were any. Camilla wasn't married to Charles two years before she got a family honour, while Sarah never received one.
Don't know about GCVO? Charles will be getting rid of those honours. Sophie will just have to be happy with the honour she has it will probably be the only one she ever receives.

And i wonder why Sarah never recieved one.
I very very much doubt that Charles will get rid of the Royal Victorian Order. Or anything else for that matter. Sophie was given the family order in 2004 and she married n 1999. I hope Sophie recieves the order one day.
It says that appointments are announced on St Georges Day.
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[Mermaid1962]

I think that, in some way, HM had her reservations about Sarah.

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

And i wonder why Sarah never recieved one.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by Claire

Yep that was a premeditate event that was thought of at William's birth. Something about the monarch of the future should be the 100th knight.
Harry's knighthood will depend on future events. Camilla will be a knight the year Charles becomes king. You can bet the house on that. Sophie will never be one.

The idea that William would be the 1000th knight would only work if the right number of knights died in the 26 years between his birth and his creation.


I doubt if the 1000th position became vacant 15 years ago, when he was 11 that he would have been created a knight or that the Order would have been minus one knight for any lenght of time.

As he got older and the number got closer I can see that it was possible - one of the reasons why I suspect that Andrew and Edward got their knighthoods when they did was to open the way for William to be the 1000th.

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

And i wonder why Sarah never recieved one.
I very very much doubt that Charles will get rid of the Royal Victorian Order. Or anything else for that matter. Sophie was given the family order in 2004 and she married n 1999. I hope Sophie recieves the order one day.
It says that appointments are announced on St Georges Day.
x

Sarah was only married for such a short time and remember the actual marriage before separation was only 7 years.

Originally Posted by Zonk

This year's Garter ceremony will be held on June 15, 2009.

Does anyone know if there will be any new members?

Are there any vacancies?

This is a limited order regarding numbers so there could only be new members if there is a vacancy.

[MAfan]

Originally Posted by lumutqueen

And i wonder why Sarah never recieved one.
I very very much doubt that Charles will get rid of the Royal Victorian Order. Or anything else for that matter. Sophie was given the family order in 2004 and she married n 1999. I hope Sophie recieves the order one day.
It says that appointments are announced on St Georges Day.
x

I also hope that Sophie will be given the Order of the Garter soon...she seems to be the only child-in-law of the Queen to "endure" in the Royal Family, and the only one to have a good feeling with Her Majesty...

[Count langley]

The Royal Family Personal Order is generally bestowed on royal ladies after one year of service or whenever the Queen determines they award has been sufficiently earned. I for one would like to see Camilla and Sophie receive the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order this year; however, I am doubtful if that will happen.

With the Exception of Camilla, It is highly unlikely that any royal consort will ever receive the Garter. Prince Michael of Kent stands a better chance than anyone and I don't see that happening for some time if ever.

[Al_bina]

It will be great if Prince Michael receives the Garter. Her Majesty is said to favour Prince Michael. Prince and Princess Michael did a good job representing the UK on the behalf of the British Royal family. He rarely undertakes any official engagements nowadays. Thus, it is impossible for me to determine his chances of getting the Garter. If Prince Michael does get the Garter, the British mass media is likely to rehash all stories about him and his family.

[RoyalistRiley]

Originally Posted by Claire

Sophie will never be one.

I can see why she won't but also why she should. Her and Edward do their work hard and out of the spotlight as well as raising 2 young children; although it probably won't matter to Charles. Perhaps he sees giving Camilla the Garter as another way for the public to accept her...

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by RoyalistRiley

I can see why she won't but also why she should. Her and Edward do their work hard and out of the spotlight as well as raising 2 young children; although it probably won't matter to Charles. Perhaps he sees giving Camilla the Garter as another way for the public to accept her...

The spouse of the monarch has been a member of the Garter throughout the 20th C.

Edward VII created Alexandra a Lady Knight in 1901, the first woman added to the list since 1488. Followed by George V who created Mary one, in 1910, and George VI who created the Queen Mum one in 1936. Each of these ladies gained that title in the year of their husband's accesion to the throne.

It would be strange, given that tradition, for Charles not to treat his spouse the same way. It has nothing to do with the public acceptance but her due as the spouse of the monarch. I would expect Camilla to become a Lady Knight shortly after Charles accesion to the throne, in keeping with the tradition followed by Edward VII, George V and George VI.

[MAfan]

And the Duke of Edinburgh? When was he created Knight of the Garter?

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by MAfan

And the Duke of Edinburgh? When was he created Knight of the Garter?

1947.

It was one of the many titles he was given in the lead up to his marriage to the then Princess Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was created a lady knight one day and he the next ensuring that she had seniority.

A couple of days later was the wedding.

[RoyalProtocol]

I will be present in St. George's Chapel Windsor for the Garter service on June 15th

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by Claire

Camilla will be a knight the year Charles becomes king. You can bet the house on that. Sophie will never be one.

All spouses of Kings received the Garter, Camilla won't be any different, and it was always given by their husbands. Sophie won't get one simply because spouses of minor royals don't. The current Dukes of Gloucester and Kent have the Garter their wives don't. Neither did Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent nor Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

William received his at a young age due to the Queen wanting him to be the 1000th Knight. Anne was made to wait until her 50ties, Princess Alexandra 60ties (?) Andrew and Edward 40ties. Harry will probably get it when he's in his 40ties.

The Family Order, there are only a certain amount made. Jewellery experts can identify them, during the years Sarah was married (1986-early 1992) there was no spare medallion. All the recipiants were alive. Since then the QM and Princess Margaret have died, that made one available for Sophie to receive in 2004 and I would assume that Camilla received the one worn by the QM. (Followers of royal jewellery can identify them) From my calculations there are 2 spare ones at the moments, the one Diana wore ( possibly being kept for William's future wife) and the one worn by Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, she died in 2004. So if both princes marry during the Queen's life time their wives would receive the Family Order. And poor Princess Michael of Kent remains without one!

[ghost_night554]

Ok this is going to sound dumb but has any of the people awarded a Garter ever missed a ceremony/parade. Because I was thinking will William be able to go this year I think the ceremony/parade is on Monday so he would have to get special leave from the RAF.

[windsorgirl]

OK, I'm no garter expert but I'll take a stab at this question because I know for sure that the extra knights companion and ladies of the order, which are other countries' royals, do not always attend. For example, Emperor Akihito of Japan is an extra knight companion and I don't recall him attending recently. Feel free to chime in if you know differently.

Not being a British subject, I'm less familiar with the "regular" companions so I don't know if they attend every year or not. To answer a question further up, the British royal website states that there are only 24 regular companions, and I counted 24 in the list, so I doubt we'll see anybody new this year, royal or not.

Further, IMO, Prince William had better attend since he's so new at this! Looking forward to the ceremony!

[Iluvbertie]

Yes sometimes the knights do miss - e.g. for health reasons.

Remember that they hold the title for life and sometimes they are too ill in the last years of their lives to actually attend.

It would be rare but it does happen.

William will either get special leave to attend or the day isn't a scheduled training day or he won't attend. I suspect the first.

[wbenson]

Originally Posted by windsorgirl

OK, I'm no garter expert but I'll take a stab at this question because I know for sure that the extra knights companion and ladies of the order, which are other countries' royals, do not always attend. For example, Emperor Akihito of Japan is an extra knight companion and I don't recall him attending recently. Feel free to chime in if you know differently.

None of the stranger nights came last year. I think the last time any of them attended was for the Golden Jubilee (and I don't believe Emperor Akihito was there for that).

Originally Posted by windsorgirl

To answer a question further up, the British royal website states that there are only 24 regular companions, and I counted 24 in the list, so I doubt we'll see anybody new this year, royal or not.

We won't. That would have been announced in April.

[ghost_night554]

Thanks to everyone who tried to answer my question as best as possible. I do hope William shows up or else I have this feeling the press will somehow manage to turn it against him.

Originally Posted by Charlotte1

It's already on the official diary on the Prince of Wales site, William is attending the Garter ceremony this year.

Thanks, I have no idea why I didn't check the site beforehand. Don't mean to turn this into a Wills/Kate thread but I wonder if Kate will attend.

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by ghost_night554

Thanks to everyone who tried to answer my question as best as possible. I do hope William shows up or else I have this feeling the press will somehow manage to turn it against him.

It's already on the official diary on the Prince of Wales site, William is attending the Garter ceremony this year.

[GuidoG]

Sovereign of the Order

HM The Queen

Ladies of the Order

HRH Princess Ann, The Prince Royal
HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Royal Knights Companion

HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh
HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales
HRH Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent
HRH Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester
HRH Prince Andrew, The Duke of York
HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
HRH Prince William of Wales

Extra Knights Companion and Ladies of the Order

HRH Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg
HM Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark
HM Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden
HM Juan Carlos I, King of Spain
HM Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands
HIM Akihito, Emperor of Japan
HM Harald V, King of Norway

Officers of the Order

Prelate - The Bishop of Winchester
Chancellor - The Right Honourable Lord Carrington
Register - The Dean of Windsor
Garter King of Arms - Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones
Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod - Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Viggers
Secretary - Patric Laurence Dickinson

Companions (maximum 24)

The Most Noble Hugh Denis Charles, Duke of GRAFTON

The Right Honourable Gordon William Humphreys, Lord RICHARDSON OF DUNTISBOURNE

The Right Honourable Peter Alexander Rupert, Lord CARRINGTON

The Most Noble Arthur Valerian, Duke of WELLINGTON

Field Marshal the Right Honourable Edwin Noel Westby, Lord BRAMALL

The Right Honourable Matthew White, Viscount RIDLEY

The Right Honourable John Davan, Lord SAINSBURY OF PRESTON CANDOVER

The Right Honourable John Francis Harcourt, Lord ASHBURTON

The Right Honourable Robert, Lord KINGSDOWN

The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Martin STEPHEN

The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda, Baroness THATCHER

Sir Timothy James Alan COLMAN

The Most Noble James, Duke of ABERCORN

Sir Erskine William GLADSTONE, Bt.

Field Marshal the Right Honourable Peter Anthony, Lord INGE

Sir Antony Arthur ACLAND

The Most Noble Gerald Cavendish, Duke of WESTMINSTER

The Right Honourable Frederick Edward Robin, Lord BUTLER OF BROCKWELL

The Right Honourable John, Lord MORRIS OF ABERAVON

Mary, The Right Honourable Baroness SOAMES

The Right Honourable Thomas Henry, Lord BINGHAM OF CORNHILL

The Right Honourable Sir John MAJOR

The Right Honourable Richard Napier, Lord LUCE

Sir Thomas Raymond DUNNE

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by Mermaid1962

I think that, in some way, HM had her reservations about Sarah.

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

Sarah was only married for such a short time and remember the actual marriage before separation was only 7 years.

My statement about Sarah was a sarcastic remark to how she behaved when she was a royal. That is why i believe Sarah never got one.

Can't wait for the ceremony this year.
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