Sixty Joyless De-Britished Uncrowned Commonpoor Years (1949-2009)

Elizabeth II Vice-Regal Saint: Remembering Paul Comtois (1895–1966), Lt.-Governor of Québec
Britannic Inheritance: Britain's proud legacy. What legacy will America leave?
English Debate: Daniel Hannan revels in making mince meat of Gordon Brown
Crazy Canucks: British MP banned from Canada on national security grounds
Happy St. Patrick's: Will Ireland ever return to the Commonwealth?
Voyage Through the Commonwealth: World cruise around the faded bits of pink.
No Queen for the Green: The Green Party of Canada votes to dispense with monarchy.
"Sir Edward Kennedy": The Queen has awarded the senator an honorary Knighthood.
President Obama: Hates Britain, but is keen to meet the Queen?
The Princess Royal: Princess Anne "outstanding" in Australia.
H.M.S. Victory: In 1744, 1000 sailors went down with a cargo of gold.
Queen's Commonwealth: Britain is letting the Commonwealth die.
Justice Kirby: His support for monarchy almost lost him appointment to High Court
Royal Military Academy: Sandhurst abolishes the Apostles' Creed.
Air Marshal Alec Maisner, R.I.P. Half Polish, half German and 100% British.
Cherie Blair: Not a vain, self regarding, shallow thinking viper after all.
Harry Potter: Celebrated rich kid thinks the Royals should not be celebrated
The Royal Jelly: A new king has been coronated, and his subjects are in a merry mood
Victoria Cross: Australian TROOPER MARK DONALDSON awarded the VC
Godless Buses: Royal Navy veteran, Ron Heather, refuses to drive his bus
Labour's Class War: To expunge those with the slightest pretensions to gentility
100 Top English Novels of All Time: The Essential Fictional Library
BIG BEN: Celebrating 150 Years of the Clock Tower

Friday 4 July 2008

Ancient Knights of the Thistle

Wearing the distinctive green silk velvet robes and egret-plume hats of the Ancient Order of the Thistle, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh make their way to St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh for the annual Thistle Service, 2 July 2008, to welcome two new members into the ancient brotherhood of knights.

queen-1aThe highest honour English subjects can receive from their Queen is the Order of the Garter. Across the border in Scotland, however, exemplary service is rewarded with membership of the 11th-century Order of the Thistle. The Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland and is presented to Scottish men and women who have held public office or who have contributed in a particular way to national life. The service celebrates the Order, its history and its current members.

Insight%20jul08%20gallery%20holy3%20largeLike the monarch, the Duke of Edinburgh was dressed in a green, white silk-lined gown, outsize gold and silver tassels and the order's badge, for the ceremony in the chivalric brotherhood's chapel at Edinbugh's St Giles Cathedral.

In line with the Order's original medieval roots - it later fell into disuse but was revived in the 17th century by James II - the royal couple were welcomed by a fanfare from the Household Trumpeters. Accompanied by the Princess Royal, and a green-clad page, they then proceeded through the cathedral into the Thistle Chapel where the historic ceremony was being held.

The recipents of the Order - who take for their motto the words 'Nemo me impune lacessit' - No one provokes me with impunity - were senior retired judge Lord Cullen, and East Lothian Lord Lieutenant Sir Garth Morrison.

1 comments:

Beaverbrook said...

Now why would anyone by the name of Tweedsmuir give a rat's behind about the Thistle :-)