Order of St Michael and St George

Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Collar and Badge of the Grand Cross
Awarded by Sovereign of the United Kingdom
Type	Order of chivalry
Established	28 April 1818
Motto	Auspicium Melioris Ævi Token of a Better Age
Eligibility	Typically British or Commonwealth realm citizens
Awarded for	At the monarch's pleasure, though typically awarded for extraordinary non-military service in a foreign country and for services to foreign and commonwealth affairs.
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	Prince George, Prince Regent
Sovereign	Queen Elizabeth II
Grand Master	Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
Grades	Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCMG) Knight/Dame Commander (KCMG/DCMG) Companion (CMG)
Precedence
Next (higher)	Order of the Star of India
Next (lower)	Order of the Indian Empire
Ribbon bar of the Order of St Michael and St George

Star of a Knight or Dame Commander

The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later King George IV,^[1][2] while he was acting as regent for his father, King George III.

It is named in honour of two military saints, St Michael and St George.

The Order of St Michael and St George was originally awarded to those holding commands or high position in the Mediterranean territories acquired in the Napoleonic Wars, and was subsequently extended to holders of similar office or position in other territories of the British Empire.^[2] It is at present awarded to men and women who hold high office or who render extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country, and can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.^[2]

Description[]

The Order includes three classes, in descending order of seniority and rank:

• Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG)^[1][2]
• Knight Commander (KCMG) or Dame Commander (DCMG)^[1][2]
• Companion (CMG)^[1][2]

St George and the Dragon by Mattia Preti (1678)

Coat of arms of the British monarch as sovereign of the Order of St Michael and St George

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 former 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 US, he was promoted to a Knight Commander (KCMG). It is the traditional award for members of the FCO.

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, patron saint of England. One of its primary symbols is that of St Michael trampling over and subduing Satan in battle.

The Order is the sixth-most senior in the British honours system, after The Most Noble Order of the Garter, 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 fully a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have been made to it since 1936. The last of the Orders on the list, related to India, has also been in disuse since that country's independence in 1947.

History[]

The Order's insignia often depict St Michael subduing Satan

Heraldic collar of the Order of St Michael and St George

The Prince Regent founded the Order to commemorate the British amical protectorate over the Ionian Islands, which had come under British control in 1814 and had been granted their 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".^[3]

In 1864, however, the protectorate ended and the Ionian Islands became part of Greece. A revision of the basis of the Order in 1868, saw membership 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.

In 1965 the order was opened to women,^[4] with Evelyn Bark becoming the first female CMG in 1967.^[5]

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:

• 1818–1825: Sir Thomas Maitland
• 1825–1850: Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
• 1850–1904: Prince George, Duke of Cambridge
• 1904–1910: George, Prince of Wales
• 1910–1917: None
• 1917–1936: Edward, Prince of Wales
• 1936–1957: Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
• 1957–1959: Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
• 1959–1967: Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
• 1967–present: Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

The Order originally included 15 Knights Grand Cross, 20 Knights Commanders, and 25 Companions but has since been expanded and the current limits on membership are 125, 375, and 1,750 respectively. Members of the Royal Family who are appointed to the Order do not count towards the limit, nor do foreign members appointed as "honorary members".

Officers[]

The Order has six officers. 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 or Lady Usher of the Blue Rod. Blue Rod does not, unlike the usher of the Order of the Garter, perform any duties related to the House of Lords.

• Prelate – David Urquhart KCMG (Bishop of Birmingham)
• Chancellor – Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT GCMG PC
• Secretary – Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE
• Registrar – Sir David Manning GCMG KCVO
• King of Arms – Baroness Ashton of Upholland GCMG PC
• Lady Usher of the Blue Rod – Dame DeAnne Julius DCMG CBE

Habit and insignia[]

Mantle of the Order.

Representation of the star of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross

Star and badge of a Knight or Dame Commander

Collar worn by a Knight or Dame Grand Cross

Members of the Order wear elaborate regalia 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 English lions, Maltese Crosses, and the cyphers "SM" and "SG", all alternately. In the centre are two winged lions of St. Mark, each holding a bible and seven arrows—the emblem of the seven united Ionian Islands.

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. Prior to 2011, the devil was portrayed with black skin while St Michael was shown as being white; this was changed that year to show both with same skin color, although St Michael's wings were changed from being multi-color to being pure white. The alleged racism of this imagery has resulted in the government of Jamaica suspending the use of the badge entirely.^[6][7][8] In June 2020, calls were made for a complete redesign of the insignia,^[9] including from Sir Michael Palin of Monty Python fame, a Knight Commander of the Order^[10]

On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform or morning 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 chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George in St Paul's Cathedral, London.

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. 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 was commissioned from Henry Poole in 1927.^[11]

Precedence and privileges[]

Members of the Order of St Michael are assigned positions in the order of precedence in England and Wales. 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.)

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 (foreign) members and clergymen do not receive the accolade and thus are not entitled to use the prefix "Sir" or "Dame". 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^[12] by his Private Secretary Bernard Woolley about what the various post-nominals stand for. From Season 2, Episode 2 "Doing the Honours":

Woolley: In the [civil] service, CMG stands for "Call Me God". And KCMG for "Kindly Call Me God".
Hacker: What does GCMG stand for?
Woolley (deadpan): "God Calls Me God".

Both sexes use the same post-nominal initials, except that there is a distinctly female form of Knight Commander of St Michael and St George. This is Dame Commander of St. Michael and St George (DCMG).

Ian Fleming's spy, James Bond, a commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) was fictionally decorated with the CMG in 1953. (This is mentioned in the novels From Russia, with Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and on-screen in his obituary in Skyfall.) He was offered the KCMG (which would have elevated him from Companion to Knight Commander in the Order) in The Man with the Golden Gun, but he rejected the offer as he did not wish to become a public figure. Dame Judi Dench's character "M" is "offered" early retirement and a GCMG in Skyfall after a series of events resulting in the loss of a list that named every NATO espionage operative.

Long-time Doctor Who companion Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart wore the ribbon of the order as the highest of his decorations in the series' classic era.

Current Knights and Dames Grand Cross[]

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(NOTE: For clarity, the table denotes holders of the GCMG only; all other posts-nominal shown, for respective members, are for the sake of completeness alone.)

• Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II
• Grand Master: His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent KG GCMG GCVO CD ADC (1967)

Knights and Dames Grand Cross[]

Number	Name	Post-nominals	Known for	Year appointed
1	Sayyid Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah of Zanzibar	GCMG	Sultan of Zanzibar	1963
2	The Duke of Kent	KG GCMG GCVO	Royal family	1967
3	Sir Antony Acland	KG GCMG GCVO	British diplomat	1986
4	Sir Crispin Tickell	GCMG KCVO	British diplomat	1989
5	Sir Shridath Ramphal	GCMG AC ONZ OE OM OCC QC	Commonwealth Secretary-General	1990
6	Dame Catherine Tizard	ONZ GCMG GCVO DBE QSO	Governor-General of New Zealand	1990
7	The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn	KT GCMG	Governor of Hong Kong	1991
8	Sir Wiwa Korowi	GCMG	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea	1992
9	Sir James Carlisle	GCMG	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda	1993
10	Sir Rodric Braithwaite	GCMG	British diplomat	1994
11	Sir Julius Chan	GCL GCMG KBE	Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea	1994
12	Sir Colville Young	GCMG MBE	Governor-General of Belize	1994
13	The Lord Hannay of Chiswick	GCMG CH	British diplomat	1995
14	Sir Orville Turnquest	GCMG QC	Governor-General of the Bahamas	1995
15	Sir Michael Hardie Boys	GNZM GCMG QSO	Governor-General of New Zealand	1996
16	Sir Christopher Mallaby	GCMG GCVO	British diplomat	1996
17	Sir Tulaga Manuella	GCMG	Governor-General of Tuvalu	1996
18	Sir Daniel Williams	GCMG	Governor-General of Grenada	1996
19	Sir John Coles	GCMG	British diplomat	1997
20	Sir Silas Atopare	GCL GCMG	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea	1998
21	Sir John Lapli	GCMG	Governor-General of the Solomon Islands	1999
22	Dame Pearlette Louisy	GCMG	Governor-General of Saint Lucia	1999
23	Sir Andrew Wood	GCMG	British diplomat	2001
24	Sir John Goulden	GCMG	British diplomat	2001
25	The Lord Kerr of Kinlochard	GCMG	British diplomat	2001
26	Sir Tomasi Puapua	GCMG KBE PC	Governor-General of Tuvalu	2002
27	Sir David Wright	GCMG LVO	British diplomat	2002
28	Sir Jeremy Greenstock	GCMG	British diplomat	2003
29	Sir Rob Young	GCMG	British diplomat	2003
30	The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen	KT GCMG PC	Secretary General of NATO	2004
31	Sir Stephen Wall	GCMG LVO	British diplomat	2004
32	Sir Paulias Matane	GCL GCMG OBE	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea	2005
33	Sir Nathaniel Waena	GCMG CSI KStJ	Governor-General of Solomon Islands	2005
34	The Lord Jay of Ewelme	GCMG	British diplomat	2006
35	Sir Emyr Jones Parry	GCMG	British diplomat	2007
36	Sir Kenneth O. Hall	GCMG OJ	Governor-General of Jamaica	2007
37	Dame Louise Lake-Tack	GCMG	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda	2007
38	Sir David Manning	GCMG KCVO	British diplomat	2008
39	Sir Carlyle Glean	GCMG	Governor-General of Grenada	2008
40	Sir Patrick Allen	ON GCMG CD	Governor-General of Jamaica	2009
41	Sir Frank Kabui	GCMG OBE CSI	Governor-General of Solomon Islands	2009
42	Sir Arthur Foulkes	GCMG	Governor-General of the Bahamas	2010
43	Sir Iakoba Italeli	GCMG	Governor-General of Tuvalu	2010
44	The Lord Ricketts	GCMG GCVO	British diplomat	2011
45	Sir Nigel Sheinwald	GCMG	British diplomat	2011
46	Sir Elliott Belgrave	GCMG QC	Governor-General of Barbados	2012
47	Dame Cécile La Grenade	GCMG OBE	Governor-General of Grenada	2013
48	Sir Edmund Lawrence	GCMG OBE	Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis	2013
49	Dame Marguerite Pindling	GCMG	Governor-General of the Bahamas	2014
50	Sir Rodney Williams	GCMG	Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda	2014
51	The Baroness Ashton of Upholland	GCMG PC	British diplomat	2015
52	Sir John Sawers	GCMG	British diplomat	2015
53	Sir Tapley Seaton	GCMG CVO QC JP	Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis	2015
54	Sir Simon Fraser	GCMG	British diplomat	2016
55	Sir Peter Westmacott	GCMG LVO	British diplomat	2016
56	Sir Robert Dadae	GCMG	Governor-General of Papua New Guinea	2017
57	Dame Sandra Mason	GCMG DA QC	Governor-General of Barbados	2017
58	Sir Mark Lyall Grant	GCMG	British diplomat & National Security Adviser	2018
59	Sir Neville Cenac	GCMG	Governor-General of Saint Lucia	2018
60	Sir Cornelius A. Smith	GCMG	Governor-General of the Bahamas	2019
61	Sir David Vunagi	GCMG	Governor-General of Solomon Islands	2019
62	Dame Susan Dougan	GCMG OBE	Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2020
63	Sir David Attenborough	OM GCMG CH CVO CBE	Television broadcaster and conservationist	2020
64	Sir Tim Barrow	GCMG LVO MBE	British diplomat	2020
65	Sir Julian King	GCMG KCVO	British diplomat	2020
66	The Lord McDonald of Salford	GCMG KCVO	British diplomat	2021

Honorary[]

See List of current honorary Knights and Dames of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Gallery[]

• 

  Riband, badge and star of a GCMG worn by Lord Tweedsmuir.

• 

  Riband (worn incorrectly), star and collar of GCMG worn by Lord Grenfell

• 

  The Duke of Kent, Grand Master of the Order, and the Duchess of Kent

• 

  German shipping magnate Rickmer Clasen Rickmers (1807–1886) wearing the insignia of a C.M.G. (centre)

See also[]

• List of people who have declined a British honour
• Order of the Bath
• Order of the British Empire
• Order of the Garter
• Order of the Thistle
• Royal Victorian Order
• Russian Order of St George

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Order of St Michael and St George.

• "Knighthood and Chivalry", (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed. London: Cambridge University Press.
• Orans, L. P. "The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George"
• Velde, F. R. (2003). "Order of Precedence in England and Wales"
• State Library of New South Wales: Nelson Meers Foundation Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine—gallery to full set of insignia, including images of both sides of the badge and a close-up of the star.