King Charles has formally appointed Queen Camilla and Prince Edward to the Order of the Thistle, which is Scotland’s highest order of valor.
Prince Edward Was Appointed To The Order On His 60th Birthday
They were appointed Royal Knights at a private ceremony at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince William attended the ceremony. Charles’s younger brother, Edward, was appointed earlier today on his 60th birthday.
However, the Princess of Wales was absent as she continued her cancer treatment. The Royal Family was also bombarded by protests from anti-monarchy groups who were chanting “Not My King.”
The Queen and Edward donned dramatic green velvet robes, and King Charles also appointed Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Scotland’s first black professor, Baroness Sue Black, a forensic anthropologist distinguished lawyer, and Baroness Helena Kennedy, a barrister and women’s rights campaigner, to the Order.
The Duke of Edinburgh is also a patron of several Scottish charitable organizations, including the Edinburgh International Festival. Prince William and Princess Anne are also Royal Knights of the Chapel.
The service took place in the Thistle Chapel, located in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. It is the private Chapel for Order of the Thistle.
The Thistle Chapel is one of a kind and contains a great deal of detail, and much of it is Scottish. For example, there are several statues of angels playing bagpipes.
Between 1829 and 1833, architect William Burn reconstructed and refaced the St. Giles Cathedral, designing much of the building that stands today.
Camilla is a patron or president of several charities in Scotland. This includes Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and Horseback UK, Crathie Opportunity Holidays. She is an honorary member of the local Ballater Women’s Institute and the Upper Deeside Art Society.
The History Of The Order Of The Thistle
Officially called “The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle,” the Order honors those who have significantly served or contributed to National life.
The true origins of Order remain a mystery, but a few theories and legends are at play. The first legend surmises that the Order of the Thistle was first established in 786 after the cross of St. Andrews appeared in the sky to Achaius, King of Scots, after a victory in battle.
Another version of events suggests that it was initiated in 809 when King Achaius partnered with Emperor Charlemagne. And yet again, another version of events states that James III started the Order of the Thistle in the 15th Century.
The Order was revived with new rules in 1687 by James VII. It consists of the Sovereign, 16 knights brethren, and additional members created by statute. It is the Scottish equivalent of England’s Order of the Garter.
George VI appointed his consort, Queen Elizabeth, a Lady of the Thistle in 1937 by decree. In 1987, Elizabeth II permitted the induction of women into both the Order of the Thistle and the Order of the Garter.
The reigning British monarch is the Sovereign of the Order, whose emblem is Scotland’s national flower, the thistle.
King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh came to Scotland for Holyrood week. It is the City of Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary.
Daily Soap Dish fans, please let us know what you think in the comments section below. Also, don’t forget that we are your source for all of the latest celebrity news right here.
