order of the garter listorder of the garter list

Edward III used his garter as a signal at the Battle of Crcy. List of the Knights of the Garter 1(inv 1348) Edward, Prince of Wales (Founder). In the aftermath, Mary I (daughter of Catherine of Aragon), the rightful heir, did not want to have her executed, but reluctantly had to agree to her beheading too, (months after those of the Northumberlands') as she would always be an unwilling contender (after the Wyatt riots in February 1554) to the Catholic faith she (Mary) so passionately defended. The way is lined by security and ceremonial soldiers, such as the beefeaters and yeoman guards. Of the various chivalric orders, the Order of the Garter is the oldest and the most illustrious. Created by Edward III of England c. 1348 CE, the chivalric order was one of the first of a growing trend where rulers and noble knights sought to differentiate themselves from the increasing number of knights in the late medieval period. Updates? He was to be Arthur, and those in the Order were to be his knights of the Round Table. Those who are in it carry the letters KG (Knight of the Garter) or LG (Lady of the Garter) at the end of their name, says Royal UK. Then, for those occasions when the full robes are not worn, say on a military dress uniform (see HRH Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge on his wedding day in 2011 CE) there is the star of the order which was introduced by Charles I (r. 1625-1649 CE) in 1629 CE. The hero of the battles of Crcy 2(inv 1348) Henry (Plantagenet), styled "of Lancaster" (Founder). Accompanied by two knights who sponsor them, the monarch gives the robes and insignias of membership, and a garter is tied around the inductee's left leg and held in place by the Garter King of Arms while the following admonition is read out: To the honour of God Omnipotent and in Memorial of the Blessed Martyr, Saint George, tie about they leg, for thy renown, this most Noble Garter. Placed in it are his banner, helmet, and a stall plate bearing his arms. Cartwright, M. (2018, May 23). In order of precedence among knights, Knights of the Garter are ranked above Knights of the Thistle, these two orders being the oldest and most honoured in Britain. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Edward, the Black Prince (son of Edward the III) was the first Knight of the Order of the Garter. We care about our planet! WebThe Order of the Garter Great George is an enamelled three-dimensional figure of St George the Martyr (on horseback and fighting a dragon) worn suspended from the collar. Historic UK goes on to speculate that even in medieval times dropping a garter should not have been so scandalizing. 07 Apr 2023. We want people all over the world to learn about history. Nor his next one she died. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Order_of_the_Garter/. Aside from the splendid finery members of the order may wear, they are also entitled to put the letters KG after their name and add Sir or Lady to their forename. To emphasize his claim on the throne of France, the garter took on the traditional colors of France, blue and gold. Membership consists of the British sovereign and the prince of Wales, each with 25 knight companions.. The Order today. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Most-Noble-Order-of-the-Garter, GlobalSecurity.org - "most noble" Order of the Garter, Ancient Origins - The Legendary Origins of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, World History Encyclopedia - Order of the Garter, The Home of the Royal Family - The Order of the Garter. Women companions, according to St. George's College, wear a corded silk garter complete with gold embroidery and pendant on the left arm. The knight-to-be either sets his foot on a stool or kneels. THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER IN BLUE SILK, VELVET, GOLD WIRE AND 22 CARAT GOLD, 1835. Little has changed, the order today consisting of the Queen, her consort the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, and 24 Knights Companion (excluding the Queens other sons and the Ladies of the Garter). The flag hangs above the member's private stall in the church which is also indicated by a metal plaque bearing their name. First, for the particular prestige that has always been attached to the order, and second for its survival to the present day. Male members are known as Knights Companion, whilst female members are known as Ladies Companion. 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 contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally. Last modified May 23, 2018. A lunch is then held, followed by a procession led by a marching band to St. George's Chapel. Being that there are only 24 available slots, it is one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. The pomp and ceremony of the Order of the Garter was something more, though, and it would spawn many other famous orders at home and abroad such as the Order of the Golden Fleece, created by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy (1419-1467 CE) in 1430 CE. Son of John Balliol, king of Scots, and himself titular king of Scots (133256). The most popular candidate is Joan, Fair Maid of Kent, the kings cousin, but Katharine Grandison, Countess of Salisbury, has a strong claim, and one Tudor historian named the lady as the queen, Philippa of Hainault. These members are called "Companions". Originally, when there came a vacancy in the order, the living knights elected new knights to fill the vacancies. However, these explanation seem apocryphal and sort of silly. These became part of the yearly rituals at the Requiem Mass for Deceased Companions, which offers these items of all deceased knights. Scandalized by mocking courtiers, the countess fell into embarrassment, but the king picked up the garter, buckled it to his knee, and said, "Honi soit qui mal y pense," meaning "shame on any who think evil of this." These items become property of the college, but spiritually, the meaning is that the offering is that of the accomplishments of that knight or lady. Married to Guilford Northumberland (son of the Duke of Northumberland), most people found it unbearable he should be made King in her stead as Queen, not least her, who was worried that the Crown might after all not rightfully be hers. You can wear clothes worthier than what you see at a Renaissance Faire. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The stallplates remain as a memorial and these now form one of the finest collections of heraldry in the world. At this party, a lady, possibly Joan, Countess of Salisbury, was unfortunate enough to have lost her garter on the dance floor. New members are invested into the order in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle. He and his son, Edward the Black Prince, saw victory over the French at several victories, including the Battle of Crcy in 1346 where the English decimated the French. World Encyclopedia More From encyclopedia.com Edward Balliol Balliol, Edward (c.12801364). The monarch then takes the blue garter and fastens it to the knee (in men) or on the elbow (in women). Most prominent is a pendant depicting St. George slaying a dragon. In 2019, for example, Royal Central reported that Queen Elizabeth II appointed two companions Mary Peters, a gold medal pentathlete who has gone on to help young people in sport through her foundation, and Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, marquess of Salisbury, who was chairman of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Foundation known for charitable work. Yet most people don't know a thing about the Order of the Garter. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. The orders emblem is a blue ribbon or garter worn by men below the left knee and by women on the left arm. The appointment of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter is in The Queen's gift (i.e. World History Encyclopedia. The conferment of the honour has even been refused. Cartwright, Mark. A lunch is given in the Waterloo Chamber, after which the knights process to a service in St George's Chapel, wearing their blue velvet robes (with the badge of the Order - St George's Cross within the Garter surrounded by radiating silver beams - on the left shoulder) and black velvet hats with white plumes. If there are to be any new knights invested in the order, there is a morning service in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle. To further emphasize the connection of the chapel with the Order of the Garter, St. George's College explains how the quire also displays the banners of the currently living companions. The monarch is the Grand Master and there are usually 25 Knights of the Order. 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 orders chapel. As described by Britannica, there are 24 knights or ladies who are appointed by the monarch with the sovereign and the prince of Wales added. Finally, such secular chivalric orders were a good way for a sovereign to ensure the loyalty of their best knights who otherwise may have joined an order whose members, instead, swore allegiance to the church (the then-defunct Knights Templar being an example of such an order). Each stall was and is identified with a particular companion being named with a brass plate. Edward III, according to St. George's College, believed that women should be associated with it. Willem III en zijn nakomelingen ==Links:==* The Peerage * Geneall * Holbek * Johann the Younger #1139 + #1405. pt.wikipedia.org Pedro II do Brasil ; * en.wikipedia.org Pedro II of Brazil. ; Pedro II de Alcntara Imperador do Brasil* Origem: Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre. The display of medieval pageantry is rivalled only by such royal occasions as a coronation and is a marvellous example of the continuity of medieval traditions in Britain. They offer that garters were used as a symbol of witchcraft, and the king was merely saving the countess from accusations. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. On men, it is worn on the left leg below the knee. Saint George's Chapel, WindsorJosep Ranalias (CC BY-SA). The banners and helmets of the knights are taken down after their death, but the stall plates, of which the oldest dates probably from 1390, remain permanently fixed in the stalls. Married 1st Thomas Swinbourne; 2ndly Sir Thomas Trivet, who died 1388. The Order has five officers: Prelate (who is always the Bishop of Winchester), Chancellor, Registrar (Dean of Windsor since the reign of Charles I), Garter King of Arms, and Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. All this garb, as described by "The Elizabeth II Pocket Bible," are returned upon the death of a companion. These members are called "Companions". Sotheby's shows how ostrich plumed floppy caps and velvety robes are for those special occasions when members of the order need to be a little showy. King Edward III was in attendance at this ball and, seeing the mishap, he chivalrously collected the garter and uttered the following comment: These words now appear within the blue garter of the order's emblem, and they may refer to Edward admonishing anyone who drew attention to the mishap at the ball or, more likely, it actually refers to the King's claim of sovereignty over France and admonishes anyone who doubts it. WebThe Most Noble Order of the Garter is a British order of chivalry. Because the earliest records of the order were destroyed by fire, it is difficult for historians to be certain of its original purposes, the significance of its emblem, and the origin of the orders motto. World History Encyclopedia, 23 May 2018. This emphasis faded, and eventually the power of appointment shifted entirely to the monarch. In the medieval ceremony, knights of the Garter had to swear to certain rules of behaviour such as never fighting on opposing sides, never to leave England without the king's permission, and to always wear the garter at tournaments and battle. WebThe Order of the Garter is made up of a very small number of people. The chapel, as described by St. George's College, was originally dedicated to St. Edward the Confessor when it was built by Henry III in the early 13th century. The Sovereign alone grants membership to the Order. Perhaps the coolest part of the Order of the Garter is the investiture ceremony. Daughter of Sir Philip Timbury. This is called the Great George. Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Baroness Amos are to be appointed as members of the Order of the Garter, England's oldest and most senior order of chivalry. Related Content Afterwards Duke of Lancaster. From 1987 CE the order accepted women as members again, this time with full rights and known as Lady Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Garter, Order of the Most ancient of chivalric orders in Britain, created by Edward III in 1348. What do these companions (as they are called) do? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As St. George is the patron saint of the order, April 23rd (St. Georges Day) is its feast day. The hero of the battles of Crcy 2(inv 1348) Henry (Plantagenet), styled "of Lancaster" (Founder). WebThe Order of the Garter (also known as the Most Noble Order of the Garter) is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III in 1348 and regarded as the most prestigious British order of chivalry (though in precedence inferior to the military Victoria Cross and George Cross) in England and later the United Kingdom. There are some key differences, however. There are also numerous symbols associated with the order. As bystanders snickered, Edward gallantly picked up the garter and put it on his own leg, admonishing the courtiers in French with what is now the orders motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame to him who thinks evil of it). Appointments to the Order of the Garter are therefore in the same category as the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order which are also in The Queen's gift. The result, as explained by Britannica, became a notable example of the perpendicular style of Gothic architecture.

In medieval Europe, a code of ethics known as chivalry developed Edward III of England reigned as king from 1327 to 1377 CE. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Knights_and_Ladies_of Edward, Prince of Wales Plantagenet, Edward, The Black Prince, Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, William de Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Earl of Ulster Lione, Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer, Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick, Thomas le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer, Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby, Eric VII, King of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, lvaro Vaz de Almada, 1st Count of Avranches, William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonvillede Chuton, Walter Devereux, 7th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Hercules d'Este, Duke of Modena and Ferrara, Philip, Archduke of Austria and Duke of Burgundy, Gerald Mr FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, Charles, Infant of Spain, Archduke of Austria and Duke of Burgundy, Ferdinand, Infant of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden, Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Baron Wriothesley, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham, Charles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham, Henry le Scrope, 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton, Thomas Howard, 1st Baron Howard de Walden, Thomas Scrope, 10th Baron Scrope of Bolton, Henry Frederick, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Howard of Bindon, Christian, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbttel, Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland, Bernard de Nogaret de Foix, Duc d'pernon, William Seymour, 1st Marquess of Hertford, Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle, Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg, John Gaspar Ferdinand de Marchin, Comte de Granville, Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, Frederic Herman de Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg, William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire, George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lneburg, John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, Prince George Augustus of Brunswick-Lneburg, William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough, Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 7th Earl of Dorset, Prince Frederick Lewis of Brunswick-Lneburg, Prince Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lneburg, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, Evelyn Pierrepont, 2nd Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, Johann Adolf II, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels, Charles William Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Henry Pelham-Clinton, 9th Earl of Lincoln, William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Earl of Hertford, Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple, Adolphus Frederick IV, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, Charles William Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbttel, Granville Leveson-Gower, Viscount Trentham, Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford, William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl of Chesterfield, George Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford, Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford, Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd Earl of Moira, Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquess of Wellington, Alexander I, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, Leopold George Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Marquess of Buckingham, George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford, Charles Sackville-Germain, 5th Duke of Dorset, Nicholas I, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond, George Ashburnham, 3rd Earl of Ashburnham, William Maximilian Frederick Lewis, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbttel, Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne, George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland, Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster, Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford, Constantine Phipps, 1st Marquess of Normanby, Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl Fitzwilliam, Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, Charles Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, Frederick William Nicholas Charles, Crown Prince of Prussia, William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 6th Earl Fitzwilliam, Frederick William, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland, George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne, Louis III, Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, Alexander II, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough, Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster, Ernst August of Hanover, 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Alexander III, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, William Compton, 4th Marquess of Northampton, Algernon Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland, William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny, Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry, Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire, Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia, Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane, Prince Alfred of Edinburgh, also Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland, Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Baron Roberts, Frederick William Victor Augustus Ernest, Crown Prince Imperial of Germany, Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia, Prince Emanuel Philibert of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, Prince Charles Edward, Duke of Albany, also Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland, Charles Gordon-Lennox, 7th Duke of Richmond, Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Earl Carrington, Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, 1st Earl of Crewe, William Compton, 5th Marquess of Northampton, Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, Adolf Frederick V, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Edwyn Scudamore-Stanhope, 10th Earl of Chesterfield, George Curzon, 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston, Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst, James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury, Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, Edmund FitzAlan-Howard, 1st Viscount FitzAlan of Derwent, H. H. Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk, Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, Christopher Addison, 1st Viscount Addison, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma, Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, Harold Alexander, 1st Viscount Alexander of Tunis, Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, William Cavendish-Bentinck, 7th Duke of Portland, Wentworth Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Allendale, William Leveson-Gower, 4th Earl Granville, William Pleydell-Bouverie, 7th Earl of Radnor, A. V. Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Hillsborough, Derick Heathcoat-Amory, 1st Viscount Amory, Geoffrey Waldegrave, 12th Earl Waldegrave, R.A. Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden, Evelyn Baring, 1st Baron Howick of Glendale, Miles Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk, Admiral of the Fleet Terence Lewin, Baron Lewin, Gordon Richardson, Baron Richardson of Duntisbourne, James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk, Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, Matthew White Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley, John Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Preston Candover, Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire, L10 HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, Thomas Bingham, Baron Bingham of Cornhill, Nicholas Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, Eliza Manningham-Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller, Charles Kay-Shuttleworth, 5th Baron Shuttleworth, Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury.

Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For the first two centuries of the order's history only those with martial experience were eligible, but even today there is always a good number of the 24 knights who once held senior positions in the armed forces. World History Encyclopedia. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. WebThe Order of the Garter is the most senior and the oldest British Order of Chivalry and was founded by Edward III in 1348. While officially these ladies were not in the order as companions, there is some evidence to suggest that they may have been given the garter to wear as an honor since it is seen in images in their tombs. Ladies served as objects inspiring knights and took part in festivities. Today, the Order includes The King, who is Sovereign of the Garter, several senior Members of the Royal Garter Day. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. The College of St. George describes the ceremony as extremely formal. Women are therefore included in this number and currently The Baroness Manningham-Buller holds this honour. There are now 21 non-royal companions in the order out of a maximum of 24. List of the Knights of the Garter 1(inv 1348) Edward, Prince of Wales (Founder).