The Honours thread 1: Until 2022


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New Years Honours

Knighthood for former PM Tony Blair
Order of the Garter for Duchess of Cornwall
Joanna Lumley and Vanessa Redgrave are made Dames.
Actor Daniel Craig is made a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Tom Daly gets an OBE
Matty Lee an MBE

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59809682
 
The Garter for Camilla !!!
What a wonderful surprise ! The ultimate accolade from the Queen, not less.
Well deserved.
 
I was not expecting Camilla to get the garter till Charles was King but what an honour from Her Majesty. She must be feeling very touched. I adore Daniel Craig getting the same honour as "Bond" and it's about time Lumley and Redgrave join the Dame club. So glad to see so many wonderful people honoured for their work and contributions.
 
Very pleased for Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, well deserved.
But Tony Blair!!! Not happy about this one.
 
Tarlita said:
Very pleased for Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, well deserved.
But Tony Blair!!! Not happy about this one.
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He’s a former Prime Minister. The Queen has given the Garter to all her former Prime Ministers up to Blair onwards. To pick and choose which ones she gives the honour to would be political. Either they all get it or none of them get it. There’s no other way without entering the political arena.

Really pleased for Camilla. I’m a little surprised Vanessa Redgrave accepted given her fervent left wing views. Maybe she’s mellowing with age. But I do think she deserves some form of recognition, she’s a great actress.
 
Wonderful news for Camilla, and for Kate Garraway !
 
Indeed a wonderful surprise that Camilla is appointed Royal Lady of the Garter. A clearer sign of trust from the queen isn't possible. She was also specifically mentioned in the Christmas speech, so the queen is sending a clear message that not only Charles is ready but Camilla as well (when the time comes).
 
Somebody said:
Indeed a wonderful surprise that Camilla is appointed Royal Lady of the Garter. A clearer sign of trust from the queen isn't possible. She was also specifically mentioned in the Christmas speech, so the queen is sending a clear message that not only Charles is ready but Camilla as well (when the time comes).
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Absolutely agree!
 
It is the use that female consorts are given the Garter by their spouse, as did happen to Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth.

Apparently the Queen thought that Camilla could receive that high honour now. Good for the Duchess, absolutely one of the hidden gems in The Firm.
 
Congratulations to HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Rothesay and Edinburgh KG GCVO RFO !
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
Congratulations to HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, Rothesay and Edinburgh KG GCVO RFO !
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What a journey, indeed, from the daily abuses and pettiness to the undisputable stature of a Consort.

Duty, hard work and discretion have paid off. HM just acknowledged that.
 
Both Princess Alexandra and the Princess Royal have K.G. behind their name, so I assume it will be K.G.
 
muriel said:
Great news. I had thought Camilla would have had to wait till Charles was King, but good to see the Queen demonstrate such confidence in Camilla publicly.
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I think the same. A very intelligent move from Her Majesty.
 
An Ard Ri said:
New Years Honours

Knighthood for former PM Tony Blair
Order of the Garter for Duchess of Cornwall
Joanna Lumley and Vanessa Redgrave are made Dames.
Actor Daniel Craig is made a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Tom Daly gets an OBE
Matty Lee an MBE

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59809682
Click to expand...

Tony Blair was also made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

I guess the induction of Camilla into the Order of the Garter is another sign of the Prince of Wales gradually taking over control of the Royal Household. Tony Blair's appointment came as a surprise to me though given his controversial role in the Iraq War
 
Mbruno said:
Tony Blair was also made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

I guess the induction of Camilla into the Order of the Garter is another sign of the Prince of Wales gradually taking over control of the Royal Household. Tony Blair's appointment came as a surprise to me though given his controversial role in the Iraq War
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From various media I distilled the idea Blair was a hindrance to have Brown, Cameron and May on the Honours List. By having him on the Honours List, the road is cleared for his successors, for an example the Order of the Thistle for Brown.

Apparently it was also felt that the number of Conservative politicans with a honour started to dwarf the number Labour politicians. To have some balance (for an example to honour Labour politicians like John Prescott or John Bercow), Blair "had" to be on the Honours List.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
It is the use that female consorts are given the Garter by their spouse, as did happen to Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth.

Apparently the Queen thought that Camilla could receive that high honour now. Good for the Duchess, absolutely one of the hidden gems in The Firm.
Click to expand...

Camilla is the second spouse of a British heir to be made a Royal Knight of the Garter. The precedent was set in 1947 with Sir Philip Mountbatten (later the Duke of Edinburgh).

Since it has happened twice in two consecutive reigns (George VI's and Elizabeth II's), I expect the precedent to be repeated in future reigns too.
 
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I find Tony Blair very annoying - he is always on TV, giving his opinion on things as if he knows better than anyone else - but it *is* the norm for a former PM to be honoured in some way. Peerages are rarely given these days, so it had to be a knighthood. David Cameron's been involved in some controversial lobbying, but I don't think anyone would object to honours for Gordon Brown or Theresa May: whatever anyone's political views, both are honourable enough people who did their best. Camilla's elevation to the Order of the Garter is very much deserved - and Labour politician Baroness Amos becomes the first black Lady of the Garter.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
It is the use that female consorts are given the Garter by their spouse, as did happen to Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth.

Apparently the Queen thought that Camilla could receive that high honour now. Good for the Duchess, absolutely one of the hidden gems in The Firm.
Click to expand...

I suppose she is following the precedent of her husband who was given the Garter during his father-in-law's reign?

Official announcement:
https://www.royal.uk/new-appointments-order-garter-announced-0


Duc_et_Pair said:
From various media I distilled the idea Blair was a hindrance to have Brown, Cameron and May on the Honours List. By having him on the Honours List, the road is cleared for his successors, for an example the Order of the Thistle for Brown.

Apparently it was also felt that the number of Conservative politicans with a honour started to dwarf the number Labour politicians. To have some balance (for an example to honour Labour politicians like John Prescott or John Bercow), Blair "had" to be on the Honours List.
Click to expand...


Correct.

Tony Blair lined up for knighthood to 'unblock' queue of PMs waiting for titles


Sources say efforts to hand Mr [Gordon] Brown the Order of the Garter have stalled as the Queen is unwilling to give the same title to Mr [Tony] Blair because of anger at his handling of the death of Princess Diana.

All but one of the Queen’s nine prime ministers before Blair were made Knights of the Garter, an honour created by Edward III in 1348.

A source said: “Blair is the block but they just won’t do it.”

However, they added there is “concern in the palace that senior orders are beginning to look politically unbalanced”.

Of the 102 posts in the four highest honours — the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, Order of Merit and Order of the Companions of Honour —- the Tories hold 22, Labour four and Lib Dems three.
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btsnyder said:
Female spouses of baronets and knights in the United Kingdom are entitled to use the style "Lady". Sir Elton, as a Commander of the British Empire would be afforded that courtesy if he were married to a woman.
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No, Elton John would not be afforded any courtesy title in virtue of marriage, regardless of the gender or titles of his spouse. In the British system, the right to titles through marriage only applies to female spouses of titled men.
 
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Yes I wondered about the other former PMs Gordon Brown, David *Cameron and Theresa May.


For instance John Major was made a Companion of Honour in 1999 and in April 2005 he was knighted and received the Order of the Garter in June 2005.

Margaret Thatcher received the Order of Merit in December 1990 ,made Baroness Thatcher in 1992 and received the Order of the Garter in 1995.
 
An Ard Ri said:
Yes I wondered about the other former PMs Gordon Brown, David *Cameron and Theresa May.


For instance John Major was made a Companion of Honour in 1999 and in April 2005 he was knighted and received the Order of the Garter in June 2005.

Margaret Thatcher received the Order of Merit in December 1990 ,made Baroness Thatcher in 1992 and received the Order of the Garter in 1995.
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I guess that these three former PM's have not given that the Garter or other orders was because Tony Blair had not given any. Would probably have looked not so good if they got one but he didn't
 
I'm no fan of Tony Blair, but I thought he handled Diana's death as well as could have been expected. It was an unprecedented situation, no-one was prepared for it, and he'd only been Prime Minister for a short time and had no previous experience of government. But maybe it didn't seem that way to the Queen. The senior royals chose not to speak publicly at first. I understand why they did that, but somebody had to take charge and say something to the nation, and that had to be the Prime Minister.
 
Probably back then the Queen felt trapped and outmanoeuvred by Tony Blair and maybe she was not at all amused with his label People's Princess for someone no part of the royal family. That was a qualification accidentally setting them apart: "So, we, the royal family, are not with the people, then?

But by hindsight the young Prime Minister did his best. That monarchs sometimes have an issue with a former Prime Minister is probably of all times and happens in all monarchies. In my country in the last 40 years, there were only 4 Prime Ministers. Usually they receive the protocollary rank and honorific of Minister van Staat after some time but the PM from 2002-2010 is still waiting after 12 years and it is rumoured the palace holds a grudge against him for his clumsy handling of royal affairs.

We all are human and hold emotions, monarchs have long toes too...
 
I don't think he meant anything by People's Princess. It was just a slogan, like Cool Britannia or New Labour. I understand that the Royals needed to stay in the peace and quiet of Balmoral and focus on supporting William and Harry, but what was going on in London and elsewhere was huge, and somebody had to say something. But, yes, we all have people we dislike or hold grudges against, for one reason or another!

There are very few politicians on this year's list - sports stars are the ones making the headlines.
 
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