King Charles appoints trio to Order of the Garter on St George's Day
The last changes to Order of the Garter were made by King Charles on St George's Day in 2024
King Charles has granted Britain's highest chivalric accolade to three notable members of the House of Lords, celebrating St George's Day with their appointments to the Order of the Garter.
On Thursday, Lord Peter Hennessy, Lord Augustine Thomas O'Donnell, and Lord Ian Burnett were honored with this time-honored recognition.
Lord Hennessy brings a wealth of knowledge in government history, with an impressive career spanning publications like The Times, the Financial Times, and the Economist, in addition to contributions to BBC Radio 4.
He is now active as a board member in the global well-being movement.
In 2017, Lord Burnett made history by becoming the youngest Lord Chief Justice at 59 since 1958.
Selections as Companions of the Garter are made personally by the monarch, often acknowledging those who have served in public office, made significant national contributions, or directly assisted the monarch.
With Thursday's appointments, the number of companions reaches 23, leaving just one open spot out of the 24 maximum allowed.
The current members of the Order boast distinguished individuals such as former Prime Ministers Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major.
Annually, the Order is celebrated with a ceremonial parade and service at the historical Windsor Castle grounds, upholding traditions that have persisted for almost seven centuries.
The Order stands as the oldest and highest honor in the country, founded by Edward III in 1348 nearly 700 years ago.
Historical records suggest that the medieval king took inspiration from the tales of King Arthur, aiming to establish his own group of knights similar to the legendary Round Table.
Initially, the Garter was given to men who fought for the King and his eldest son.
There have been slightly over a thousand Knights of the Garter to date.
The last changes to the Order of the Garter were made by King Charles on St George's Day in 2024.
Inclusions to the distinguished Order included Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach, Lord Kakkar, and Lord Lloyd-Webber.