Seven Butlers Have Been Awarded The Highest Order of Chivalry
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an English order of knighthood and the highest order of chivalry. The order was founded by King Edward III in 1348 and is awarded at the sovereign’s sole discretion, usually in recognition of a national contribution, public service, or for personal service to the sovereign. Members have the right to use the title “Sir,” add KG after their names, and are entitled to circle their heraldic arms with the blue garter that symbolizes the order.
The order’s emblem may owe its origin to a wardrobe malfunction. According to one popular story, King Edward III and an unnamed partner were dancing at a gathering when one of his partner’s blue garters dropped to the floor. As onlookers snickered, the king gallantly picked up the garter and put it on his leg telling the crowd “Honi soit qui mal y psense,” which translates to “Shame to him who thinks evil of it.”
Each member of the order has an assigned stall in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The stall contains the knight’s banner, helmet, and a stall plate that bears the member’s arms. The banner and helmet are taken down upon the knight’s death, but the stall plate remains permanently fixed.
Seven Butlers have been members of The Most Noble Order of the Garter:
- James Butler, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (elected before April 23, 1459)
- Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond (elected 1588)
- James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde and later Duke of Ormonde (elected 1649)
- Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory (elected 1672)
- James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (elected 1688)
- R.A. Butler, Baron Butler of Saffron Walden (elected 1971)
- Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell (elected 2003)
Primary Sources:
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “The Most Noble Order of the Garter”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Mar. 2017.
- Image 1: By Josep Renalias – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Image 2: User: Sodacan.
