Princess Anne’s unusual request when handed major royal honour | Royal | News
Princess Anne broke tradition when she was given major honor (Image: Getty)
Princess Anne made an unusual request when she was given a major royal honor in 1994. The Princess Crown was appointed to the Order of the Garter in 1994, but requested a change that broke centuries of tradition.
Garter Day, an annual ceremony celebrating the Most Noble Order of the Garter, will take place at Windsor Castle on Monday, June 15. It will show the King and the Knights of the Garter wearing velvet robes and feathered hats. In 1994, Queen Elizabeth II. When Elizabeth appointed Princess Anne to the Order of the Garter, the Princess Crown specifically requested to be appointed a Royal Knight Companion rather than a Lady Companion.
In its “Royal Princess – 75 facts out of 75” section, the Royal Family website says: “In 1994, the Queen appointed the Royal Princess to the Order of the Garter. However, the Royal Princess requested to be appointed a Royal Knight of the Order, not a Lady.”
He requested the change to ensure he had the same rank, title and status as his brothers King Charles III, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Historically, Ladies of the Order did not enjoy the same privileges as their male counterparts.
His request was granted by the Queen and the decision helped modernize the ancient order of chivalry. It paved the way for non-royal women to be accepted with full knightly status.
Princess Anne was appointed to the Order of the Garter in 1994. (Image: Getty)
This demand not only ensured that female members of the royal family were held in the same status as male royal companions, but also strengthened Princess Anne’s public image as a champion of equal rights. He earned the right to display the same military and dynastic exploits as male knights in St George’s Chapel.
The Order of the Garter is the highest order of chivalry in the United Kingdom. Membership is awarded in recognition of outstanding public service, national contribution or personal service to the Sovereign.
“In the Middle Ages, King Edward III was so inspired by the tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he founded his own honorary group of knights called the Order of the Garter,” the Royal Family website says.
Crown Princess requests appointment as Royal Knight Companion instead of Lady (Image: Getty)
He adds: “After nearly 700 years, the Order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. Knights, now both male and female, were formerly restricted to the aristocracy, but today they are selected from a variety of backgrounds for their public service.”
It continues: “Today, the Order includes the King, the Sovereign of the Garter, several senior Members of the Royal Family and twenty-four knights selected for their work. Knights of the Garter are personally selected by the Monarch to honor those who have held public office, contributed to national life in a particular way or served the Monarch personally. These include Marshal of the RAF, Lord Stirrup, and former Prime Ministers Sir John Major and Sir Winston Churchill.
“The patron saint of the Order is St George (patron saint of soldiers and also of England) and if there are vacancies in the Order, appointments are announced on St George’s Day (23 April). The spiritual home of the Order is St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Each knight is required to display a helmet, crest and sword in the Chapel and a banner consisting of his arms together with an enamel sign.”
