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The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint
George is an order of chivalry
founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United
Kingdom,[1]
whilst he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III.
It is named in honour of two military saints, St.
Michael and St. George.
Description
The Order includes three classes, in descending order of
seniority:
- Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross
(GCMG)[1]
- Knight Commander (KCMG) or Dame Commander
(DCMG)[1]
- Companion (CMG)[1]
It is used to honour individuals who have rendered important
services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign
nations. People are appointed to the Order rather than awarded it.
British Ambassadors to foreign nations are regularly appointed as
KCMGs or CMGs. For example, the British Ambassador to the United States, Sir
David Manning, was appointed a CMG when he worked for the British
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (FCO), and then after his appointment as British
Ambassador to the United States, he was promoted to a Knight
Commander (KCMG). Often, when the Queen visits a
nation, the British ambassador to that nation automatically becomes
a Knight Commander of the Order, and thereafter may use the prefix
"Sir". It is the traditional award for members of the FCO. Ian
Fleming's spy, James
Bond, was fictionally decorated with the CMG in 1953 (mentioned
in the novel From Russia, with
Love). He was later offered the KCMG in The Man with the Golden
Gun.
The Order's motto is Auspicium melioris ævi (Latin for "Token of a better age").
Its patron saints, as the name suggests, are St. Michael the
Archangel and St. George. One of its primary symbols is
that of St Michael trampling over Satan.
The Order is the sixth-most senior in the British honours system, after The Most
Noble Order of the Garter, which is the pinnacle of the British
honours system, The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order
of the Thistle, The Most
Illustrious Order of St Patrick, The Most Honourable Order of the
Bath, and The Most Exalted Order of the
Star of India. The third of the aforementioned Orders—which
relates to Ireland, no
longer a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse;
no appointments have been made to it since 1934. The last of the
Orders on the list, related to India, has also been in disuse since
that country's independence in 1947.
History
On the Order's insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing
Satan
The Order was founded to commemorate the British amical protectorate over the Ionian Islands,
which had come under British control in 1814 and had been granted
its own constitution as the United States of the
Ionian Islands in 1817. It was intended to reward "natives of
the Ionian Islands and of the island of Malta and its dependencies, and for such other
subjects of His Majesty as may hold high and confidential
situations in the Mediterranean."[2]
In 1864, however, the protectorate ended and the Ionian Islands
became a part of Greece. The
Order's basis was revised in 1868; membership was granted to those
who "hold high and confidential offices within Her Majesty's
colonial possessions, and in reward for services rendered to the
Crown in relation to the foreign affairs of the Empire."
Accordingly, numerous Governors-General and Governors feature as recipients of awards
in the order.
Composition
The British Sovereign is the Sovereign of the
Order and appoints all other members of the Order (by convention,
on the advice of the Government). The next-most senior member is
the Grand Master. The office was formerly filled by the Lord High
Commissioner of the Ionian Islands; now, however, Grand Masters are
chosen by the Sovereign. Grand Masters include:
The Order originally included 15 Knights Grand Cross, 20 Knights
Commanders and 25 Companions. Several expansions have been made;
now, the limits are 125, 375 and 1750, respectively. Members of the
Royal Family who are appointed to the Order do not count towards
the limit; neither do foreigners appointed as "honorary
members".
The Order has six officers: the Prelate (as of 2006 the Rt Revd
David Urquhart), the Chancellor, the
Secretary, the Registrar, the King
of Arms and the Usher. The Order's King of Arms is not
a member of the College of Arms, like many other heraldic officers. The Usher
of the Order is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Blue
Rod; he does not, unlike his Order of the Garter equivalent
(the Gentleman Usher of the
Black Rod), perform any duties related to the House of
Lords.
Vestments and
accoutrements
Representation of the star of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross
Collar worn by a Knight or Dame Grand Cross
Members of the Order wear elaborate costumes on important
occasions (such as coronations), which
vary by rank:
- The mantle, worn only by Knights and Dames Grand
Cross, is made of Saxon blue satin lined with crimson silk. On the
left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle
is bound with two large tassels.
- The collar, worn only by Knights and Dames Grand
Cross, is made of gold. It consists of depictions of crowned lions,
Maltese Crosses, and the cyphers "SM" and "SG", all alternately. In
the centre are two winged lions, each holding a book and seven
arrows.
At less important occasions, simpler insignia are used:
- The star is an insignia used only by Knights and Dames
Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commanders. It is worn pinned to
the left breast. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' star includes
seven-armed, silver-rayed 'Maltese Asterisk' (for want of a better
description—see image of badge), with a gold ray in between each
pair of arms. The Knight and Dame Commander's star is a slightly
smaller eight-pointed silver figure formed by two Maltese Crosses; it does not include any
gold rays. In each case, the star bears a red cross of St George.
In the centre of the star is a dark blue ring bearing the motto of
the Order. Within the ring is a representation of St Michael
trampling on Satan.
- The badge is the only insignia used by all members of
the Order; it is suspended on a blue-crimson-blue ribbon. Knights
and Dames Grand Cross wear it on a riband or sash, passing from the
right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commanders and male
Companions wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; Dames
Commanders and female Companions wear it from a bow on the left
shoulder. The badge is a seven-armed, white-enamelled 'Maltese
Asterisk' (see Maltese
Cross); the obverse shows St Michael trampling on Satan, while
the reverse shows St George on horseback killing a dragon, both
within a dark blue ring bearing the motto of the Order.
On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members
attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their
military uniform or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on
collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge
is suspended from the collar.
All collars which have been awarded since 1948 must be returned
to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. The other
insignia may be retained.
Chapel
The original home of the Order was the Palace of St Michael and
St George in Corfu, the
residence of the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands and
the seat of the Ionian Senate. Since 1906, the Order's chapel has
been in St Paul's Cathedral in London. (The Cathedral also
serves as home to the chapels of The Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire and The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.)
Religious services for the whole Order are held quadrennially; new
Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services.
The Sovereign and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted
stalls in the choir of the chapel, above which their heraldic
devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall
is his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest.
Under English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear
helms or crests; instead, the coronet appropriate to the dame's
rank, if there is one, is used (see coronet). Above the crest or coronet, the
stall's occupant's heraldic banner is hung, emblazoned with his or
her coat of arms. At a considerably smaller scale, to the back of
the stall is affixed a piece of brass (a "stall plate") displaying
its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order.
Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling and crest
are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather,
they remain permanently affixed somewhere about the stall, so that
the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of
the Order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1906.
The reredos within the
chapel were commissioned from Henry Poole in 1927.[3]
Precedence and
privileges
Members of the Order of St Michael are assigned positions in the
order of precedence. Wives of male members also feature on the
order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of
Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of female
members, however, are not assigned any special precedence. (As a
general rule, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers
or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.) (See order of
precedence in England and Wales for the exact positions.)
Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders prefix "Sir", and
Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders prefix "Dame", to their
forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames,
but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such
forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of
the former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore,
honorary members and clergymen do not receive the accolade or adopt
the title.
Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal "GCMG"; Knights
Commanders and Dames Commanders use "KCMG" and "DCMG" respectively;
Companions use "CMG".
Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive
heraldic supporters. They may, furthermore, encircle
their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the
motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top
of the latter. Knights and Dames Commanders and Companions may
display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms.
The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet.
Popular
references
In the satirical British television programme Yes Minister, Jim Hacker MP is told an
old joke[4] by his
Private Secretary Bernard Woolley about what the various
post-nominals stand for.
Woolley: In the service, CMG stands
for "Call Me God". And KCMG for "Kindly Call Me God".
Hacker: What does GCMG stand for?
Woolley: "God Calls Me God".
In the James Bond
book The Man with the Golden Gun, James Bond is offered
KCMG but refuses it as he does not wish to become a public
figure.
Current Knights and
Dames Grand Cross
The
Lord Tweedsmuir, a
former Knight Grand Cross wearing the riband, badge and star of the
order
Knights and Dames Grand
Cross
- Sir Ellis
Clarke, TC,
GCMG (1972)
- Sir Edward Peck, GCMG (1974)
- The Rt. Hon. Sir
Zelman Cowen, AK, GCMG, GCVO, QC
(1977)
- Sir Tore
Lokoloko, GCL, GCMG, GCVO, OBE (1977)
- Sir
Michael Palliser, GCMG (1977)
- Sir Donald
Maitland, GCMG (1977)
- The Rt. Hon. The
Viscount Soulbury, GCMG GCVO, DL
(1978)
- Sir Paul Scoon,
GCMG, GCVO, OBE (1979)
- Sir David Scott, GCMG (1979)
- Sir Baddeley
Devesi, GCMG, GCVO (1980)
- Sir Donald
Tebbit, GCMG (1980)
- Sir Clive Rose, GCMG (1981)
- Sir Oliver
Wright, GCMG, GCVO, DSC
(1981)
- The Rt. Hon.
Sir Ninian Stephen, KG, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, QC
(1982)
- Sir Percy
Cradock, GCMG (1983)
- Sir
Clement Arrindell, GCMG, GCVO, QC
(1984)
- Sir Hugh
Cortazzi, GCMG (1984)
- Sir James Craig, GCMG (1984)
- Sir Michael Butler, GCMG (1984)
- The Rt. Rev. The
Hon. Sir Paul Reeves, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, CF,
QSO (1985)
- Sir John Thomson, GCMG (1985)
- Abdelaziz bin Khalifa Al
Thani, GCMG (1985)
- Sir Antony Acland, KG,
GCMG, GCVO (1986)
- Sir John Fretwell, GCMG (1987)
- Sir George
Lepping, GCMG, MBE (1988)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord
Carrington, KG, GCMG, CH, MC, PC, DL (1988)
- Sir Crispin
Tickell, GCMG, KCVO (1989)
- The Rt. Hon. The
Lord Wright of Richmond, GCMG (1989)
- Sir Toaripi
Lauti, GCMG (1990)
- Sir
Shridath Ramphal, OE, OM,
GCMG, ONZ, AC, QC (1990)
- The Rt. Hon.
Sir Michael Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF
(1990)
- The Hon.
Dame Catherine Tizard, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO (1990)
- Sir Howard
Cooke, ON, GCMG, GCVO, CD
(1991)
- Sir David Goodall, GCMG (1991)
- The Rt. Hon. The
Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, KT, GCMG (1991)
- Sir Stanislaus James, GCMG (1992)
- Sir Reginald
Palmer, GCMG (1992)
- Sir John Whitehead, GCMG, CVO (1992)
- Sir James
Carlisle, GCMG (1993)
-
Sir Ewen Alastair John Fergusson, GCMG, GCVO (1993)
- Sir
Rodric Braithwaite, GCMG (1994)
- Sir Julius Chan,
GCL, GCMG, KBE (1994)
- His Excellency
Sir Colville Young, GCMG, MBE (1994)
- Sir Nicholas Fenn, GCMG (1995)
- The Rt. Hon. The
Lord Hannay of Chiswick, GCMG, CH (1995)
- Sir Moses
Pitakaka, GCMG (1995)
- Sir
Orville Turnquest, GCMG, QC (1995)
- The
Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys, GNZM, GCMG, QSO (1996)
- His
Excellency Sir Clifford Husbands, GCMG, KA,
CHB, QC
(1996)
- Sir Christopher Mallaby, GCMG, GCVO (1996)
- Sir Tulaga
Manuella, GCMG (1996)
- His
Excellency Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, GCMG, OBE (1996)
- Sir Daniel
Williams, GCMG (1996)
- Sir John Coles, GCMG (1997)
- Sir George
Mallet, GCMG, CBE (1997)
- The Rt. Hon.
The Lord Williamson of Horton, GCMG, CB, PC (1998)
- Sir John Lapli,
GCMG (1999)
- Her
Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, GCMG (1999)
- Sir Andrew Wood, GCMG (2001)
- Sir Tomu Sione,
GCMG (2001)
- Sir John
Goulden, GCMG (2001)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord
Kerr of Kinlochard, GCMG (2001)
- Sir David Wright, GCMG, LVO (2002)
- Sir
Jeremy Greenstock, GCMG (2003)
- Sir John Young, GCMG (2003)
- The Rt.
Hon. The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, KT,
GCMG, PC (2004)
- Sir John Wall, GCMG, LVO (2004)
- His
Excellency Sir Nathaniel Waena, GCMG, CSI (2005)
- The Rt. Hon. The
Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC (2006)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Jay
of Ewelme, GCMG (2006)
- The Rev. Sir
Filoimea Telito, GCMG, MBE (2007)
- Sir Emyr
Jones Parry, GCMG (2007)
- Sir Kenneth
Hall, ON, GCMG, OJ (2007)
- Sir David
Manning, GCMG, CVO (2008)
- Sir Carlyle
Glean, GCMG (2008)
- Sir Patrick
Allen, ON, GCMG, CD
(2009)
- Sir Frank Kabui,
GCMG, CSI, OBE (2009)
Officers
Honorary
Appointments
- Lee Kwan Yew, Honorary GCMG, CH (1972)
- Chandrika Prasad
Srivastava, Honorary KCMG (1990)
- Fidel V.
Ramos, Honorary GCMG (1995)
- Ong Teng
Cheong, Honorary GCMG (1998)[5]
- Anson Chan, GBM, Honorary GCMG, CBE, JP
(2002)[6]
- Hamid Karzai,
Honorary GCMG (2003)
- Ryszard Kaczorowski, Honorary GCMG
(2004)[7]
- Kofi Annan,
Honorary GCMG (2007)[8]
- Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, Honorary GCMG
(2008)
- Shimon Peres,
Honorary GCMG (2008)[9][10]
Select
former recipients
- Sir John Young, GCB, GCMG, PC (1807–1876);
second Governor General of Canada (1869-1872)
- Sir John
Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC (1815–1891); first Prime
Minister of Canada (1867–1873)(1878–1891)
- Sir Charles Stanley
Monck, 4th Viscount Monck, GCMG, PC (1819–1894); first Governor
General of Canada (1867-1869)
- Sir Donald Alexander
Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, GCMG, GCVO, PC, DL
(1820–1914)
- Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet, GCMG, CB,
PC (1821–1915); Premier of Nova Scotia (1864-1867), sixth Prime
Minister of Canada (1896)
- Sir
John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, KCMG, PC, QC (1821–1893); third
Prime Minister of Canada (1891-1892)
- Sir Richard Francis Burton, KCMG
(1821-1890)
- Sir Wilfred
Thomason Grenfell, KCMG (February 28, 1865-October 9, 1940);
medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Sir Mackenzie Bowell, KCMG, PC (1823–1917);
fifth Prime Minister of Canada (1894-1896)
- Sir Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood,
KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1826–1902); third Governor General
of Canada (1872-1878)
- Matsukata Masayoshi, GCMG
(1835–1924)
- Sir Henry Binns
KCMG (1837-1899); Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal (1897-1899)
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC
(1841–1919); seventh Prime Minister of Canada (1896-1911)
- Sir Ernest Mason Satow, GCMG
(1843–1929)
- Menelik II of Ethiopia, GCMG
(1844–1913)
- Sir
John Sparrow David Thompson, KCMG, PC, QC (1845–1894); Premier
of Nova Scotia (1882); fourth Prime Minister of Canada
(1892-1894)
- Sir John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland
Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll , KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC
(1845–1914); fourth Governor General of Canada (1878-1883)
- Sir Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th
Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1845–1927);
fifth Governor General of Canada (1883-1888)
- Sir George Vandeleur Fiddes, GCMG,
CB (1858-1936), Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the
Colonies
- Sir Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, KG,
GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC (1845–1914); eighth Governor General of Canada
(1898-1904)
- Admiral Sir James Andrew Thomas
Bruce (1846-1921) Invested KCMG in 1900.[11]
- Sir John
Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1847–1934);
seventh Governor General of Canada (1893 to 1898)
- Prince
Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (Arthur William
Patrick Albert), KG, KT, KP, PC, GCMG, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, GCB, VD,
AdC(P) (1850–1942); tenth Governor General of Canada
(1911-1916)
- Sir Frank
Athelstane Swettenham GCMG CH (1850–1946)
- Sir Albert Henry
George Grey, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1851–1917); ninth Governor General
of Canada (1904-1911)
- Sir John Henry Birchenough, GCMG
(1853–1937)
- Sir Robert
Laird Borden, GCMG, PC, KC (1854–1937); eighth Prime Minister
of Canada (1911-1920)
- Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, OM,
GCMG, GCVO, KCB (1857–1941); founder of the Scout Movement
- Katō
Takaaki, (1860–1926)
- Field Marshal Sir Julian
Hedworth George Byng, GCB, GCMG, MVO, DCO, LLD(hc) Alb
(1862–1935); twelfth Governor General of Canada (1921-1926)
- Sir
Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna
Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, KCMG, Maha Mudaliyar and JP of Ceylon
(1862-1946)
- The Hon Lionel Cripps (1863–1950)
- Major Sir Freeman
Freeman-Thomas, PC, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GBE, (1866–1941);
thirteenth Governor General of Canada (1926-1931)
- Major-General Sir Pomeroy Holland-Pryor, KCB, CMG, DSO, MVO
(1866-1955)
- Sir Victor Christian William Cavendish, KG, PC,
GCMG, GCVO, JP (1868–1938); eleventh Governor General of Canada
(1916-1921)
- The Earl of Athlone, Major-General Sir
Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge, 1st
Earl of Athlone, KG, PC, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, ADC(P,) FRS
(1874–1957); sixteenth Governor General of Canada (1940-1946)
- Sir John Buchan, 1st Baron
Tweedsmuir, PC, CH, GCMG, GCVO, (1875–1940); fifteenth Governor
General of Canada (1935-1940)
- Captain Sir Vere Brabazon
Ponsonby,PC, GCMG (1880–1956); fourteenth Governor General of
Canada (1931-1935)
- Lieutenant General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO (1880–1963)
- Sir George Bailey Sansom, KCMG
(1883–1965)
- Field Marshal Sir Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, KG,
PC, PC, GCB, OM, GCMG, CSI, DSO, MC, CD, (1891–1969); seventeenth
Governor General of Canada (1946-1952)
- Sir Gerard Edward
James Gent KCMG, DSO, OBE, MC (1895–1948)
- Sir Henry Lovell
Goldsworthy Gurney KCMG |KStJ (1898–1951)
- Sir Gerald
Walter Robert Templer KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE (1898–1979)
- Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, GCMG (1912-1988); Ninth
Sultan of Sultanate of Yogyakarta
- President Ibrahim Nasir, KCMG
(1926-2008)
- General Sir Hudson
Lowe, GCMG (1769-1844)
- Field Marshal Živojin Mišić, GCMG (1855-1921); Serbian
field marshal
See also
References
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