New appointments to the Order of the Thistle

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Prince William, The Earl of Strathearn, to be a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

Background:

Appointments to the Order of the Thistle are entirely in the personal gift of The Queen and are not made on the advice of the Prime Minister, as are most other Honours.

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland. Revived by King James VII, the Order has a complement of 16 Knights (KT). In 1987, The Queen decided that ladies should be eligible for the Thistle in the same way as men.

The Motto of the Order is Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity).

A list of the current holders of the Order is as follows:

ROYAL KNIGHTS OF THE THISTLE

Her Majesty The Queen

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T., O.M., G.B.E., A.C., Q.S.O.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay, K.G., K.T., G.C.B., O.M., A.K., Q.S.O., A.D.C.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, K.G., K.T., G.C.V.O., Q.S.O.

KNIGHTS AND LADY OF THE THISTLE

The Earl of Airlie K.T., G.C.V.O. (Chancellor of the Order of the Thistle)

The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, K.T., C.D.

The Viscount of Arbuthnott, K.T., C.B.E., D.S.C.,

The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, K.T., G.C.V.O.

Lady Marion Fraser, L.T.

The Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden, K.T.

The Lord Mackay of Clashfern, K.T.

The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn, K.T, G.C.M.G.

The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood, K.T

Sir Eric Anderson, K.T.

The Lord Steel of Aikwood, K.T., K.B.E.,

The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, K.T., G.C.M.G.

The Lord Cullen of Whitekirk, K.T.

Sir Garth Morrison, K.T., C.B.E.

The Lord Hope of Craighead, K.T.

The Lord Patel, K.T.