The Most Noble Order of the Garter is a British order of chivalry . It is the world's oldest national order of knighthood in continuous existence and the pinnacle of the British honours system (after the Victoria Cross and George Cross ). Its membership is extremely limited, consisting of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales —both being members ex officio and gaining membership upon acceding to one of the titles if not already held—and not more than 24 full members known as Companions. Male members are known as Knights Companion, whilst female members are known as Ladies Companion. The Order can also include supernumerary members (members of the British royal family and foreign monarchs), known as "Royal" and "Stranger" Knights and Ladies (Companion), respectively. The Sovereign alone grants membership to the Order, meaning that ministerial advice is not sought.
Name
Year of appointment
Present age
Banner
Charles III (ex officio )
1958 as Prince of Wales; Sovereign since 2022
77
Royal Knights and Ladies (Companion)[ edit ]
Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion [ edit ]
Name
Year of appointment
Present age
Banner
Notes
Margrethe II , former queen of Denmark
1979
85
Also recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain
Carl XVI Gustaf , King of Sweden
1983
79
Also recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain and Honorary Admiral in the Royal Navy
Juan Carlos I , former king of Spain
1988
87
Also recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands
1989
87
Also recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain and Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Akihito , Emperor Emeritus of Japan
1998
91
Also Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Harald V , King of Norway
2001
88
Also recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain, Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Honorary General in the British Army and Honorary Colonel in the Royal Marines
Felipe VI , King of Spain
2017
57
Also Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Willem-Alexander , King of the Netherlands
2018
58
Naruhito , Emperor of Japan
2024
65
Knights and Ladies Companion [ edit ]
Member number[ N 1]
Name
Year of appointment
Present age
Banner
Known for
1-(986)
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
1999
91
Lord Steward and Lord-Lieutenant of Tyrone
2-(992)
Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell
2003
87
Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Home Civil Service
3-(994)
Sir John Major
2005
82
Prime Minister
4-(999)
Richard Luce, Baron Luce
2008
89
Lord Chamberlain and Governor of Gibraltar
5-(1002)
Nick Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers
2011
87
Lord Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court
6-(1004)
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Jock Stirrup , Baron Stirrup
2013
75
Chief of the Defence Staff
7-(1005)
Eliza Manningham-Buller , Baroness Manningham-Buller
2014
77
Director General of the Security Service
8-(1006)
Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
77
Governor of the Bank of England
9-(1007)
Charles Kay-Shuttleworth, 5th Baron Shuttleworth
2016
77
Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire
10-(1010)
Alan Brooke, 3rd Viscount Brookeborough
2018
73
Lord in Waiting to the monarch and Lord-Lieutenant of Fermanagh
11-(1011)
Lady Mary Fagan
86
Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire
12-(1013)
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury
2019
79
Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire and Leader of the House of Lords
13-(1014)
Lady Mary Peters
86
Olympic gold medallist and Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast
14-(1015)
Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos
2022
71
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator , Leader of the House of Lords and Secretary of State for International Development
15-(1016)
Sir Tony Blair
72
Prime Minister
16-(1017)
Catherine Ashton , Baroness Ashton of Upholland
2023
69
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Leader of the House of Lords
17-(1018)
Chris Patten , Baron Patten of Barnes
81
Governor of Hong Kong , Chairman of the BBC Trust , and Chancellor of the University of Oxford
18-(1019)
Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach , Baron Peach
2024
69
Chief of the Defence Staff and Chair of the NATO Military Committee
19-(1020)
Ajay Kakkar, Baron Kakkar
61
Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission and Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission
20-(1021)
Andrew Lloyd Webber , Baron Lloyd-Webber
77
Composer and impresario of musical theatre
21
Vacant [ N 2]
22
Vacant [ N 3]
23
Vacant [ N 4]
24
Vacant [ N 5]
Prelate: Philip Mounstephen , Bishop of Winchester (ex officio , 2023)
Chancellor : The Baroness Manningham-Buller LG , DCB , HonFRS , FMedSci (2024)
Register:[ 2] Christopher Cocksworth , Dean of Windsor (ex officio , 2023)
King of Arms: David White OStJ , Garter Principal King of Arms (ex officio , 2021)
Secretary: Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (2024)
Usher: Lieutenant General Ed Davis RM , CB , CBE , KStJ , Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (ex officio , 2025)
Coats of arms of current Knights and Ladies of the Garter
Knights and Ladies Companion
Arms of James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
Arms of Robin Butler, Baron Butler
Arms of Sir John Major
Arms of Richard Luce, Baron Luce
Arms of Nick Phillips, Baron Phillips
Arms of Jock Stirrup , Baron Stirrup
Arms of Eliza Manningham-Buller , Baroness Manningham-Buller
Arms of Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
Arms of Charles Kay-Shuttleworth, 5th Baron Shuttleworth
Arms of Lady Mary Fagan
Arms of Alan Brooke, 3rd Viscount Brookeborough
Arms of Lady Mary Peters
Arms of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury
Arms of Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos
Arms of Sir Tony Blair
Arms of Catherine Ashton , Baroness Ashton
Arms of Chris Patten , Baron Patten
Arms of Stuart Peach , Baron Peach
Arms of Ajay Kakkar, Baron Kakkar
Arms of Andrew Lloyd Webber , Baron Lloyd-Webber
Vacant
Vacant
Vacant
Vacant
^ a b c d e f g h Stranger Knights and Ladies do not embellish the arms they use in their countries with British decorations.
Sovereign Royal Knights and Ladies (Companion) Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion Knights and Ladies Companion Officers