The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an British order of chivalry. The King or Queen of the United Kingdom is Sovereign of the Order, which is limited to 24 living Knights or Ladies Companion. Stranger Knights (i.e. non-British recipients, usually Heads of State) and Royal Knights do not count towards this limit. The Order also has six officers - Secretary, Registrar, Prelate, Chancellor, Garter King of Arms and Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.
A service of thanksgiving is held annually at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The members of the order make their way in procession from the Upper Ward of the castle to the chapel and are usually preceded by the Military Knights of Windsor, the Officers of Arms of the College of Arms and are followed by a detachment of the Yeomen of the Guard.
[edit] Service of the Order of the Garter
Annual service of the Garter with solemn procession of the Knights and Ladies in Windsor Castle on Garter Day.
-
Military Knights of Windsor
-
-
-
Queen Elizabeth, Sovereign of the Order, with the Duke of Edinburgh, a Royal Knight
-
Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Prince Andrew and Prince Charles
-
-
Patric Dickinson, Secretary
-
Peter Gwynn-Jones, Garter King of Arms
[edit] Current Knights and Ladies Companion of the Order of the Garter
-
-
-
-
-
Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster
-
-
-
-
John Baring, 7th Baron Ashburton
-
-
Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover
-
Matthew Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley
-
-
Arthur Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington
-
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Chancellor of the Order
-
[edit] History
-
King Edward III, first sovereign of the Order
-
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
-
John Chandos, founder of the Order
-
Otho Holland, founder of the Order
-
Sir Henry Guildford, 1527, wearing the Collar of the Order
-
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, 1539, wearing the Collar of the Order
-
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
-
Edward Fiennes de Clinton, 1512-85, 1st Earl of Lincoln
-
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, with his arms surrounded by the Garter
-
William Cecil, Baron Burghley
-
Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, 1598
-
Lord Admiral Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, c. 1620
-
-
-
-
-
-
Charles Stewart 3rd Duke of Richmond
-
-
-
-
-
-
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
-
Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
George5queen.jpg
King George V and Queen Mary wearing the Star of the Garter
-
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
-
-
-
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
-
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire as Governor General of Canada
-
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught as Governor General of Canada
-
John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer
-
Statue of Sir Keith Holyoake
-
Elizabeth and Philip wearing the Garter star
-
Elizabeth wearing Sash and Star
-
Emperor Meiji receiving the Order of the Garter
-
-
-
[edit] Insignia
-
-
-
-
The Garter awarded to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
-
The Garter Star depicted on Victoria's image on a medal
-
-
Mantle and hat of the Order
[edit] Diploma
-
Diploma for Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 1902
[edit] Buttons