orders

Order of the Garter

The Order of the Garter is the most senior and the oldest British Order of Chivalry and was founded by Edward III in 1348. The Order, consisting of the King and twenty-five knights, was intended by Edward III to be reserved as the highest reward for loyalty and for military merit.

The origin of the emblem of the Order, a blue garter, is obscure. It is said to have been inspired by an incident which took place whilst the King danced with Joan, Countess of Salisbury. The Countess's garter fell to the floor and after the King retrieved it he tied it to his own leg. Those watching this were apparently amused, but the King admonished them saying, 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' (Shame on him who thinks this evil). This then became the motto of the Order. Modern scholars think it is more likely that the Order was inspired by the strap used to attach pieces of armour, and that the motto could well have referred to critics of Edward's claim to the throne of France.

The patron saint of the Order is St George (patron saint of soldiers and also of England) and the 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 and sword and an enamelled stallplate. These 'achievements' are taken down on the knight's death (and the insignia are returned to the Sovereign), but the stallplates remain as a memorial and these now constitute one of the finest collections of heraldry in the world.

Order of the Thistle

The Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland, and it is second in the UK, after the Order of the Garter. The date of the foundation of the Order is not known. It is possible that the Order may have been founded by James III (1488-1513), who was responsible for changes in royal symbolism in Scotland, including the adoption of the thistle as the royal plant badge.

The statutes stated that the Order was 'to continue to consist of the Sovereign and twelve Knights-Brethren in allusion to the Blessed Saviour and his Twelve Apostles'. A statute of 1827 established the increasing of Knights-Brethren to 16, and in 1987 a statute enabled ladies to join the Order. In 1962, King Olav V of Norway became the first foreigner to be admitted to the Order for over 200 years.
The patron saint of the Order is St Andrew (also the patron saint of Scotland), who appears on the Order's badge. The breast star of the Order, instituted by George I in 1714, consists of a silver saltire with a pointed ray between each of the arms of the cross: at the centre is a gold medallion contained in an enamelled representation of the thistle, surrounded by a green border on which the Order's motto is written in gold. The motto is 'Nemo me impune lacessit' (No one harms me with impunity).

The chapel for the Order is adjacent to St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, in which its services and ceremonies can be held. When practicable, and when there is to be the installation of a new knight, a service of the Order is held each year during the week spent by The Queen at Holyrood.

Order of St Patrick

The Order of St Patrick was founded in 1783, to reward those in high office in Ireland and Irish peers on whose support the government. It therefore served as the national Order of Ireland as the Garter was for England and the Thistle for Scotland.

The Knights wore mantles of sky-blue satin, and the star of the Order was embroidered in silver on the right breast. The Order's most famous insignia were the badge and star used by the Lords.

Originally, the number of Knights of St Patrick was 15, and this increased to 22 in 1833. The Order effectively went into abeyance with the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The Order became disused in 1974 with the death of the last surviving recipient, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.