“Garter Day”
King Charles and the Order of the Garter
King Charles and Queen Camilla on Garter Day.
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The Order of the Garter meeting is one of the most important events in the royal calendar. This is what you need to know about Garter Day.
This is what happens on “Garter Day”
The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III (1312-1377) in 1348. It was supposedly inspired by the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Order of the Garter is still the oldest and highest British order of knighthood. At the annual gathering on Garter Day, the new knights of the order are inducted into office by the monarch in a private ceremony in the throne room at Windsor Castle.
After lunch, the Knights of the Garter then march down the hill to St George’s Chapel, where the Order’s annual service is held. The famous procession is accompanied by troops from the Household Division, which is responsible for ceremonies in Windsor and London, and members of the King’s Bodyguard, including the Corps of Gentlemen, the Yeoman Guards and the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters).
This is how the order is structured
The “Order of the Garter” is the highest order of knighthood and membership is the third most important award in the United Kingdom, only surpassed by the “Victoria Cross” and the “George Cross”. The monarch alone can award membership, and it is considered a personal gift from the king. Individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the kingdom or the sovereign are eligible.
King Charles is the “Sovereign of the Garter” (order sovereign), heir to the throne Prince William (41) is called the “Royal Knight Companion of the Garter”. In addition to a few high-ranking members of the royal family, a maximum of 24 other “Knights and Ladies Companions” can join the order as members, including the current former Prime Ministers Tony Blair (71) and John Major (81). Other honorary members from abroad who, like the British royals, are not among the 24 “Companions” include Margrethe of Denmark (84) and Carl Gustaf of Sweden (78).
In addition to Charles and William, members of the British royal family currently include Princess Anne (73), Prince Andrew (64), Prince Edward (60) and Queen Camilla (76). New this year is Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester (77).
The following are now being introduced into the Order as official members: former Air Chief Marshal Stuart William Peach (68), physician Ajay Kumar Kakkar (60) and well-known composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (76). With them, the number of members rises to 21. In addition, the former Director General of the domestic intelligence service MI5, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller (75), was appointed Chancellor of the Order of the Garter in June. She is the first woman to hold this position.