Possible new members of the Order of the Garter

[LoopyCrown3]

Appointments to the Order of the Garter are made on St George’s day if they are vacancies. There are currently vacancies two within the order following the deaths of the Duke of Grafton and Viscount Ridley.

Below I have outlined a few possible candidates

The Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington KStJ QPM DL (Former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police)

The Baroness Boothroyd OM PC (Former Speaker of the House of Commons)

The Lord Rees of Ludlow OM FRS (Current Astronomer Royal)

Mr Michael Middleton (Father of The Duchess of Cambridge)

The Lord Janvrin GCB GCVO QSO PC (Former Private Secretary to the Queen)

Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE DL (Former Chief of the Defence Staff)

The Earl Peel GCVO PC DL (Current Lord Chamberlain)

Tony Blair (Former British Prime Minister)

The Earl of Dalhousie DL (Current Lord Steward)

Air Chief Marshal The Lord Stirrup GCB AFC (Former Chief of the Defence Staff)

All replies would by great as this is my first post. I do have a twitter account its @LoopyCrown3 if you like hear news about royals.

[Turenne]

Welcome!

A pretty good list; though Michael Middleton hasn't got a chance. Lady Boothroyd and Tony Blair would be good choices. 

RL

[LoopyCrown3]

I know Michael Middleton hasn’t got much of a chance but the Queen Mother’s father Earl Strathmore and Kinghorne was made a Knight of the Garter in the 1937 Coronation Honours. So maybe when Charles becomes King he might get something. Thanks for your reply

[marquess]

Any one but the mass murderer Tony B'lair(er)!

[Michael Rhodes]

Dalhousie would qualify for the Thistle, I think.

[pablo]

A favourite game of mine!!

I have mentioned before that The Countess Mountbatten of Burma is a potential Lady of the Garter in my opinion

Lord Coe would be a popular choice

Prince Michael of Kent (by the way...isnt it time that Princess Michael of Kent is made a GCVO or is that just me?)

The Duchess of Kent, to recognise he recent 80th birthday (i think that is a long shot)

The Duke of Devonshire

[LoopyCrown3]

Great list

I thought of including Lord Coe but he just received a CH in the New Year’s honours for the Olympics so he might not be made KG

Prince Michael of Kent is good choice his is the only child of Prince George Duke of Kent that don’t receive funding from the government and still does charity work all self-funded

I forgot to mention following in my original list

Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-hamdon GCMG KBE PC

Lord Rothschild OM GBE

Sir Richard Branson

Lord Heseltine CH PC

Lord Saville of Newdigate PC QC

General Lord Walker of Aldringham GCB CMG CBE DL

Lord Tebbit CH PC



As for the stranger knights of the garter I think the following could a possibility

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg

Prince Willem-Alexander Prince of Orange (when he becomes king on 30th April 2013)

[Michael Rhodes]

Isn't Lord Rothschild a Jew?

[marquess]

Yes Lord Rothschild is Jewish, but do you have to be Christian to be a member of the order?

[Peter FitzGerald]

No - Akihito, Emperor of Japan, KG, is not.

[Turenne]

On Sunday, March 3, 2013 6:27:43 PM UTC, Peter FitzGerald wrote:

No - Akihito, Emperor of Japan, KG, is not.

Neither was Sir Edward Brampton, KG 1440–1508 , and ancestor of the Brandon dukes of Suffolk. He was born Duarte Brandão in Portugal. His mother was Jewish.

RL

[ThomasFoolery]

Mr. Peter Philips

The Duke of Norfolk, D.L.  (five out of the last six Dukes have been KGs)

The Marquess of Salisbury, K.C.V.O.

[malcolm davies]

The first thing to realise is that with membership limited to 24,there will be limited turnover if the members appointed are too young.So potential members need to be over 65 or 70.That rules out Michael Middleton,Tony Blair,Lord Stirrup,  the Earl of Dalhousie and the Duke of Norfolk.There are 2 Field Marshals who have the garter(Bramall and Inge) so a promotion of Lord Guthrie is unlikely.No private secretary to the monarch has received the garter,so Janvrin is unlikely(if he is specially regarded he may be given the Royal Victorian Chain like Lord Charteris).

One matter why Lord Salisbury may be appointed is his role in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.Another possible candidate is the current Duke of Devonshire who ticks what have been in the past the right boxes.Other possible candidates may be found in the Lord Lieutenants.

Foreign royal heads are not appointed on St Georges day-they are usually given the garter on state visits.Note that King Albert of Belgium would have a better claim than either Grand Duke Henri or Prince William of the Netherlands.Prince William when King is not likely to get the Garter until his mother is very old or dead.

[Kiwiboy]

Looks like you were correct on the last choice, Air Chief Marshal The Lord Stirrup GCB AFC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22257870

On Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:58:47 UTC+11, LoopyCrown3 wrote:

[malcolm davies]

So only one appointment, when there could have been two(Lady Thatcher died to close to the announcement date to enable her place to be filled).

Lord Stirrup is a youthful choice, and surely the Garter is now full as regards military members(2 generals,an admiral and an air chief marshal).I don't think there have been so many since immediately after World War 2.

When the next Lord Lieutenant is appointed to the order,don't be surprised if it is a woman.

On Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:58:47 UTC+11, LoopyCrown3 wrote:

[www.maltagenealogy.com]

wasn't there talks of the former PM John Howard from Australia to
receive a KG? He highly deserves it after saving Australia a
generation from becoming a Republic !!.


C.

On Apr 24, 2:33 pm, malcolm davies

[Richard R]

I hear they still have a name to announce. But it's strange it wasn't done at the same time as Jock Stirrup!

[malcolm davies]

There was talk of it in 2008,but he was appointed to the Order of Merit in 2012.It is unlikely he will be appointed as a Garter because of that,although a chance may occur when Sir Ninian Stephen dies,on the basis that it is desirable to have an Australian in the Order.

[Michael Rhodes]

The Earl of Home and the Baron Smith of Kelvin appointed to the Order of the Thistle, New Year's Hons, 2014. Lord Smith Chancellor of the Order. Most unusual for Thistle appointments to be made in the New Year's Honours ??

[Observer]

The Earl of Selborne, GBE, FRS, might make a Knight of the Garter. The background of Lord Selborne, the fourth earl, is in agriculture and science, and he has been a university chancellor. The second Earl of Selborne was a Knight of the Garter. 

I agree that Thistle appointments are most unusual in the New Year Honours, and so are Order of Merit appointments. I wonder why things have been done differently this time.

On Tuesday, December 31, 2013 7:44:05 AM UTC, Michael Rhodes wrote:

[Michael Rhodes]

Will the three vacancies be filled tomorrow? Any further suggestions on last year's debate?

[LoopyCrown3]

Here are a few possible candidates

Lord Sacks

Baron Vestey

Lord Howe of Aberavon

Lord Hurd of Westwell

Marquess of Lothian

Lord Levene of Portsoken

Earl Peel

Duke of Norfolk

Baroness Boothroyd

Duke of Devonshire

Lord Winston

Duke of Marlborough

Viscount Rothermere

[malcolm davies]

First comments on the people on your list:

Lord Vestey-the Master of the Horse is usually given the GCVO

Marquess of Lothian-more likely to be appointed as a Knight of the Thistle

Duke of Norfolk-under 65 so too young(57 at present)

Duke of  Marlborough-if he was to get the garter presumably he would have been appointed by now

Viscount Rothermere-would make a first for a press baron to be appointed.Doesn't he reside mostly outside the UK for tax reasons?-that would make him unsuitable.

Of the ones not on your list,Tony Blair is now over 60 so can be considered.You haven't listed any Lord Lieutenants-Lord Shuttleworth,Lord Tollemache,Dame Mary Fagan and Lady Gass would all qualify on length of service.The Marquess of Salisbury might be considered for organising the Jubilee celebrations.

[Michael Rhodes]

Two of three vacancies have been filled by former Gov of the Bank of England Mervyn King and former head of MI5, Elizabeth Manningham-Buller, baroness (lifer).

[hopewell]

I would like to see Countess Mountbatten on that list.

[ThomasFoolery]

Prince George?!

[LoopyCrown3]

We are near that time of year again when we all try and guess who will be appointed to the Order of the Garter.

There are currently three vacancies within the order following the deaths of Baron Kingsdown, Baroness Soames and The Duke of Wellington

Here are a few possible candidates

The Earl of Leicester CBE

The Baroness Boothroyd OM PC

The Marquess of Salisbury KCVO PC

Lord Rothschild OM GBE

Countess Mountbatten of Burma CBE MSC CD

Lord Shuttleworth KCVO

The Earl of Snowdon GCVO

The Honourable John Howard OM AC

The Rt Hon. Tony Blair

The Duke of Devonshire KCVO CBE

The Earl Peel GCVO PC

Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-hamdon GCMG KBE PC

[malcolm davies]

My comments on your suggestions:

  Baroness Boothroyd-at 85 she would probably be considered to be too old

  Lord Rothschild-no jew has been appointed to the order before and,in the case of foreign sovereigns the fact that they are not Christians has been considered an obstacle-see Hugo Vickers book  Royal Orders 1994.In any case he is already the recipient of the OM & GBE.

  Countess Mountbatten-at 91 too old.

  Earl of Snowdon-at 85 getting too old.What service has he rendered that makes him eligible?His son,Viscount Linley might be a possibility but not for another 10 years or so.

  John Howard-already has the OM.The recent controversy over the knighthood in the Order of Australia might also be a dissuasive factor.

  Tony Blair-still on the young side(ie less than 65).Also the Queen may not be keen to appoint him until he retires from consultancy work through Tony Blair & Associates.

  Lord Ashdown-has been awarded the CH  recently and the GCMG & KBE as well.

  Apart from the names you have suggested,there may be an appointment from among the ranks of Lord Lieutenants or former Lord Lieutenants and from former Governors or Governors General.With representatives from the armed services it seems unlikely that a general,admiral or air marshal will be appointed as they are already represented by Lords Bramall,Boyce & Stirrup.Lords Wilson,Turnbull and O'Donnell are possibilities arising from their service as cabinet secretaries.Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers,who has held the offices of Master of the Rolls,Lord Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court is also a possibility, although traditionally lawyers were not so rewarded(Lord Bingham being an exception).The living retired governor of the Bank of England is already in the order(Lord King of Lothbury).

  That leaves the academic world but I am not up to date as to who might be considered there(and remember academics are generally well honoured).

[BREMENMURRAY]

Would the Duke of Richmond be a possibility?

[Jelena JS]

I would like to see Joan Rowling :) and Lord Coe on that list.

[Guru]

What about General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC?

Governor General in centenary year of Gallipoli and the saviour of East Timor

[malcolm davies]

After he has completed his term perhaps-but he has only just started.

[malcolm davies]

His age is against him-he is 85.

[Michael Rhodes]

On Monday, 6 April 2015 10:39:30 UTC+1, BREMENMURRAY wrote:

Would the Duke of Richmond be a possibility?

I don't think so. 

[ThomasFoolery]

All eleven Dukes of Devonshire have been Garter Knights.  You'd figure the twelvth has got to be a lock at some point, especially considering his closer relationship to the Royal Family, holding a KCVO for managing the Queen's racing, or something like that. 

[www.maltagenealogy.com]

Time for John Howard to become a KG.. I doubt that the Australian people annoyed if the Brits give Howard a KG.. At the same time, Howard said he will never accept a AC. So wait and see.

[Guru]

I believe he was already offered it around 2009. There was media talk of it at the time. Declined it and was subsequently offered the OM which he accepted.

Was probably worried about being the first new knight in Australia for 30 years. If it had been a few years later......Who knows?

[www.maltagenealogy.com]

Well John Howard saved Australia from becoming a republic so that is worth a KG sooner then later.  The Australian republic might make a fuss about it, though now after 10 years since his Primeministership, much from both sides of politics reflect on how good his days as PM were.

[LoopyCrown3]

According to Alastair Bruce OBE the Current Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary. “No New Knights of the Garter to be named on 23Apr St Georges Day. Palace implies (3) vacancies may be filled later on” 

[LoopyCrown3]

Her Majesty the Queen has appointed Sir David Brewer, CMG, CVO, JP (born 28 May 1940) and Charles Kay-Shuttleworth, 5th Baron Shuttleworth, KCVO (born 2 August 1948)

https://www.royal.uk/appointments-knights-companion-most-noble-order-garter

[ThomasFoolery]

Good for Sir David. If you perused the Coirt Circular, there was hardly a day that went by without his being involved in at least one Royal event in London.

[malcolm davies]

Safe but not notable appointments.As has become usual the age of the new appointees is over 65.I wonder why only 2 out of the 3 vacancies was filled?

[Michael Rhodes]

On Wednesday, 18 May 2016 22:59:19 UTC+1, malcolm davies wrote:

Safe but not notable appointments.As has become usual the age of the new appointees is over 65.I wonder why only 2 out of the 3 vacancies was filled?

I have read that Her Majesty prefers to install Knights in pairs.

[malcolm davies]

Michael,

             Perhaps that is her preference-but that is not what has happened in the past.In 1972,1974,1983 & 2003 she appointed 3 ordinary knights at the same time.Not only that,but there are a further 11 occasions where she has appointed 3 knights with 1 or more being a royal or extra knight,so it is always wise not to take these things at face value.