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| Tony Blair to join Queen's highest chivalry order at Windsor ceremony | Tony Blair to join Queen's highest chivalry order at Windsor ceremony |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sir Tony Blair received a knighthood last week and now will join the top royal order | Sir Tony Blair received a knighthood last week and now will join the top royal order |
| Sir Tony Blair, the Duchess of Cornwall and Baroness Amos are to be installed as members of the Order of the Garter, a prestigious royal order of chivalry, at a ceremony later on Monday. | |
| The Queen will attend but is unlikely to appear in public parts of the ceremony, in Windsor. | |
| The former PM received his knighthood from the Queen on Friday and will now join this medieval royal order. | |
| The Duke of York is attending - but is staying out of the public procession. | |
| It means Prince Andrew will not appear before crowds watching the colourful procession of members of the order and will not attend the church service, in what has been described as a "family decision". | |
| The duke, who missed the Platinum Jubilee celebrations after testing positive for Covid, will limit his attendance to the investiture and private lunch at the Order of the Garter ceremony. | |
| The Queen, who has been having mobility problems, will also attend the lunch and investitures only and not the public ceremonies of "Garter Day". | |
| Baroness Amos becomes the first black member of the order | Baroness Amos becomes the first black member of the order |
| The ceremony, at Windsor Castle, will see Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister and UN under-secretary, become the first black member of the order since it was founded in 1348. | |
| Baroness Amos, born in Guyana, said the honour was "absolutely amazing" and she was thinking about her parents who "worked so hard and were so supportive". | |
| Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about reports the Prince of Wales had privately criticised sending refugees to Rwanda, she said she would not comment on Prince Charles but, in her own personal view, the policy was "shameful". | |
| It is understood that Sir Tony, Baroness Amos and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall have already been given the insignia of the order in private meetings with the Queen. | It is understood that Sir Tony, Baroness Amos and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall have already been given the insignia of the order in private meetings with the Queen. |
| Queen becomes second-longest reigning monarch | Queen becomes second-longest reigning monarch |
| Tony Blair to become member of top royal order | Tony Blair to become member of top royal order |
| Queen on balcony for closing act of Jubilee | Queen on balcony for closing act of Jubilee |
| Pomp and ceremony of Order of the Garter | Pomp and ceremony of Order of the Garter |
| The honour, which is a personal gift of the Queen, comes with the status of a knight and Sir Tony received his knighthood, without any publicity, from the Queen in an audience at Windsor last week. | |
| Sir Tony had been one of the longest-serving prime ministers during the Queen's 70-year reign, including the tumultuous times that followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. | |
| A petition had been launched against Sir Tony receiving a knighthood, with opponents criticising his involvement in the Iraq War. | |
| The appointments to the Order of the Garter were announced at New Year, but new members are formally installed at an annual ceremony in June, with the day including a public procession of members wearing velvet robes and plumed hats. | |
| Members of the order parade through Windsor | Members of the order parade through Windsor |
| It is usually a regular date in the Queen's diary, although the ceremony had been cancelled during the pandemic. | It is usually a regular date in the Queen's diary, although the ceremony had been cancelled during the pandemic. |
| Camilla becomes one of the "royal companions", with her appointment seen as a personal sign of approval by the Queen. | Camilla becomes one of the "royal companions", with her appointment seen as a personal sign of approval by the Queen. |
| Sir Tony and Baroness Amos become "knight and lady companions" of the order, which has up to 24 members. | Sir Tony and Baroness Amos become "knight and lady companions" of the order, which has up to 24 members. |
| Other members include former prime minister Sir John Major and former MI5 director-general Baroness Manningham-Buller. The oldest member is 90-year-old Lord Morris, a former Labour cabinet member. | Other members include former prime minister Sir John Major and former MI5 director-general Baroness Manningham-Buller. The oldest member is 90-year-old Lord Morris, a former Labour cabinet member. |
| The order, instituted by Edward III, originated from medieval chivalry and senior figures around a monarch. | The order, instituted by Edward III, originated from medieval chivalry and senior figures around a monarch. |
| According to Buckingham Palace, the current purpose is to "honour those who have undertaken public service, who have contributed in a particular way to national life". | |
| In Scotland, the Order of the Thistle was founded in 1687. Two new members were recently appointed, Sir George Reid and Lady Elish Angiolini. | In Scotland, the Order of the Thistle was founded in 1687. Two new members were recently appointed, Sir George Reid and Lady Elish Angiolini. |