![Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Order of the Bath)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Royal_Coat_of_Arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_%28Order_of_the_Bath%29.svg)
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British
order of chivalry
An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order (distinction), order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic Military order (religious society), military orders of the ...
founded by
George I George I or 1 may refer to:
People
* Patriarch George I of Alexandria (fl. 621–631)
* George I of Constantinople (d. 686)
* George I of Antioch (d. 790)
* George I of Abkhazia (ruled 872/3–878/9)
* George I of Georgia (d. 1027)
* Yuri Dolgor ...
on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
ceremony
A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.
The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''.
Church and civil (secular) ...
for appointing a
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
, which involved
bathing
Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the term is ...
(as a symbol of purification) as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as "Knights of the Bath". George I "erected the Knights of the Bath into a regular
Military Order Military order may refer to:
Orders
* Military order (religious society), confraternity of knights originally established as religious societies during the medieval Crusades for protection of Christianity and the Catholic Church
Military organi ...
". He did not (as is commonly believed) revive the Order of the Bath, since it had never previously existed as an Order, in the sense of a body of knights who were governed by a set of
statutes
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by le ...
and whose numbers were replenished when vacancies occurred.
The Order consists of the Sovereign (currently
King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
), the
Great Master (currently vacant) and three Classes of members:
*Knight Grand Cross (
GCB) ''or'' Dame Grand Cross (
GCB)
*Knight Commander (
KCB) ''or'' Dame Commander (
DCB)
*Companion (
CB)
Members belong to either the Civil or the Military Division.
[''Statutes'' 1925, article 5.] Prior to 1815, the order had only a single class—Knight Companion (KB)—which no longer exists.
Recipients of the Order are now usually senior military officers or senior civil servants.
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
citizens who are not subjects of the British monarch and foreign nationals may be made Honorary Members.
The Order of the Bath is the fourth-most senior of the
British Orders of Chivalry, after
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cr ...
,
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The O ...
, and
The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick (dormant).
History
Knights of the Bath
![Mildmay Fane in oils](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Mildmay_Fane_in_oils.jpg)
In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
,
knighthood
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the knight-to-be taking a bath (possibly symbolic of spiritual purification)
[Risk, ''History of the Order of the Bath'', p. 6.] during which he was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He was then put to bed to dry. Clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a
vigil
A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' (Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become genera ...
. At dawn he made
confession
A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...
and attended
Mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
, then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight. He was then brought before the King, who after instructing two senior knights to buckle the
spur
A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to back ...
s to the knight-elect's heels, fastened a belt around his waist, then struck him on the neck (with either a hand or a
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
), thus making him a knight. It was this
accolade
The accolade (also known as dubbing or adoubement) ( la, benedictio militis) was the central act in the rite of passage ceremonies conferring knighthood in the Middle Ages. From about 1852, the term ''accolade'' was used much more generally to ...
which was the essential act in creating a knight, and a simpler ceremony developed, conferring knighthood merely by striking or touching the knight-to-be on the shoulder with a sword, or "dubbing" him, as is still done today. In the early medieval period the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families.
From the
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
of
Henry IV in 1399 the full ceremonies were restricted to major royal occasions such as
coronations
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
, investitures of the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
or
royal duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
s, and royal weddings, and the knights so created became known as ''Knights of the Bath''.
Knights Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the ...
continued to be created with the simpler form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created was the coronation of
Charles II in 1661.
From at least 1625, and possibly from the reign of
James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
*James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
*James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
*James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
, Knights of the Bath were using the
motto
A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mot ...
''Tria juncta in uno'' (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
for "Three joined in one"), and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both subsequently adopted by the Order of the Bath; a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however is not entirely clear. The 'three joined in one' may be a reference to the kingdoms of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and either
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
or
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, which were held (or
claimed in the case of France) by English and, later, British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in the badge. Another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the
Holy Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...
.
Nicolas quotes a source (although he is sceptical of it) who claims that prior to James I the motto was ''Tria numina juncta in uno'' (three powers/gods joined in one), but from the reign of James I the word ''numina'' was dropped and the motto understood to mean ''Tria
egna
Neumarkt (literally "new market"; ; it, Egna ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about south of the city of Bolzano.
Geography
As of 30 November 2010, it had a population of 5,001 and an area of .All de ...
juncta in uno'' (three kingdoms joined in one).
Foundation of the order
![Robertwalpole](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Jean-Baptiste_van_Loo_-_Robert_Walpole.jpg)
The prime mover in the establishment of the Order of the Bath was
John Anstis
John Anstis (29 August 1669 – 4 March 1744) was an English officer of arms, antiquarian and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1702 and 1722. He rose to the highest heraldic office in England and became Garter King of Arms in 1 ...
,
Garter King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ...
, England's highest
heraldic
Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...
officer.
Sir Anthony Wagner
Sir Anthony Richard Wagner (6 September 1908 – 5 May 1995) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms. He was one of ...
, a recent holder of the office of Garter, wrote of Anstis's motivations:
It was Martin Leake's opinion that the trouble and opposition Anstis met with in establishing himself as Garter so embittered him against the herald
A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms.
Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...
s that when at last in 1718 he succeeded, he made it his prime object to aggrandise himself and his office at their expense. It is clear at least that he set out to make himself indispensable to the Earl Marshal
Earl marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the United Kingdom). He is the eig ...
, which was not hard, their political principles being congruous and their friendship already established, but also to Sir Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745; known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole) was a British statesman and Whig politician who, as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader ...
and the Whig ministry, which can by no means have been easy, considering his known attachment to the Pretender
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term is often used to suggest that a claim is not legitimate.Curley Jr., Walter J. P. ''Monarchs-in-Waiting'' ...
and the circumstances under which he came into office. ... The main object of Anstis's next move, the revival or institution of the Order of the Bath was probably that which it in fact secured, of ingratiating him with the all-powerful Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Sir Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745; known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole) was a British statesman and Whig politician who, as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader ...
.
The use of honours in the early eighteenth century differed considerably from the modern
honours system
An order is a visible honour awarded by a sovereign state, monarch, dynastic house or organisation to a person, typically in recognition of individual merit, that often comes with distinctive insignia such as collars, medals, badges, and sashes ...
in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people each year receive honours on the basis of deserving accomplishments. The only honours available at that time were hereditary (not life)
peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.
Peerages include:
Australia
* Australian peers
Belgium
* Belgi ...
s and
baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
cies,
knighthoods and the Order of the Garter (or the
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The ...
for Scots), none of which were awarded in large numbers (the Garter and the Thistle are limited to 24 and 16 living members respectively.) The political environment was also significantly different from today:
The Sovereign still exercised a power to be reckoned with in the eighteenth century. The Court remained the centre of the political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, but the choice remained his. The leader of an administration still had to command the King's personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, and other marks of Royal favour to the government's supporters.
![Mosnier, George Rodney](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Mosnier%2C_George_Rodney.jpg)
The attraction of the new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position. He made sure that most of the 36 new honorees were
peers
Peers may refer to:
People
* Donald Peers
* Edgar Allison Peers, English academician
* Gavin Peers
* John Peers, Australian tennis player
* Kerry Peers
* Mark Peers
* Michael Peers
* Steve Peers
* Teddy Peers (1886–1935), Welsh international ...
and MPs who would provide him with useful connections. George I having agreed to Walpole's proposal, Anstis was commissioned to draft statutes for the Order of the Bath. As noted above, he adopted the motto and badge used by the Knights of the Bath, as well as the colour of the
riband
A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Cloth ribbons are made of natural materials such as silk, cotton, and jute and of synthetic mater ...
and
mantle, and the ceremony for creating a knight. The rest of the statutes were mostly based on those of the Order of the Garter, of which he was an officer (as Garter King of Arms). The Order was founded by
letters patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
under the
Great Seal dated 18 May 1725, and the statutes issued the following week.
The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Prince of the blood Royal as Principal Knight, a Great Master and thirty-five Knights Companion. Seven officers (see below) were attached to the Order. These provided yet another opportunity for political patronage, as they were to be
sinecure
A sinecure ( or ; from the Latin , 'without', and , 'care') is an office, carrying a salary or otherwise generating income, that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service. The term originated in the medieval chu ...
s at the disposal of the Great Master, supported by fees from the knights. Despite the fact that the Bath was represented as a military Order, only a few military officers were among the initial appointments (see
List of Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath
This is a list of those men who were made Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath from the date of the Order's revival by King George I of Great Britain, 18 May 1725, to its reorganisation on 2 January 1815. During this period the Order was lim ...
). They may be broken down into categories as follows (note that some are classified in more than one category):
* Members of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
: 14
* The
Royal Household or sinecures: 11
* Diplomats: 4
* The Walpole family, including the Prime Minister: 3
* Naval and Army officers: 3
* Irish peers: 2
* Country gentlemen with Court appointments: 2
![George Callaghan - Project Gutenberg eText 18334](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/George_Callaghan_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_18334.jpg)
The majority of the new Knights Companions were knighted by the King and invested with their ribands and badges on 27 May 1725.
[Risk, p. 16.] Although the statutes set out the full medieval ceremony which was to be used for creating knights, this was not performed, and indeed was possibly never intended to be, as the original statutes contained a provision allowing the Great Master to dispense Knights Companion from these requirements. The original knights were dispensed from all the medieval ceremonies with the exception of the Installation, which was performed in the Order's Chapel, the
Henry VII Chapel
The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...
in
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, on 17 June. This precedent was followed until 1812, after which the Installation was also dispensed with, until its revival in the twentieth century. The ceremonies however remained part of the Statutes until 1847.
Although the initial appointments to the Order were largely political, from the 1770s appointments to the Order were increasingly made for naval, military or diplomatic achievements. This is partly due to the conflicts Britain was engaged in over this period.
The
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
resulted in so many deserving candidates for the Bath that a statute was issued allowing the appointment of ''Extra Knights'' in time of war, who were to be additional to the numerical limits imposed by the statutes, and whose number was not subject to any restrictions. Another statute, this one issued some 80 years earlier, had also added a military note to the Order. Each knight was required, under certain circumstances, to supply and support four men-at-arms for a period not exceeding 42 days in any year, to serve in any part of Great Britain. This company was to be captained by the Great Master, who had to supply four trumpeters, and was also to appoint eight officers for this body. However, the statute was never invoked.
Restructuring in 1815
In January 1815, after the end of the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
, the Prince Regent (later
George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...
) expanded the Order of the Bath
to the end that those Officers who have had the opportunities of signalising themselves by eminent services during the late war may share in the honours of the said Order, and that their names may be delivered down to remote posterity, accompanied by the marks of distinction which they have so nobly earned.
The Order was now to consist of three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. The existing Knights Companion (of which there were 60) became Knight Grand Cross; this class was limited to 72 members, of which twelve could be appointed for civil or diplomatic services. The military members had to be of the rank of at least
major-general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
or
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
. The Knights Commander were limited to 180, exclusive of foreign nationals holding British commissions, up to ten of whom could be appointed as honorary Knights Commander. They had to be of the rank of
lieutenant-colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
or
post-captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of Captain (Royal Navy), captain in the Royal Navy.
The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:
* Officers in command of a naval vessel, who were (and still are) ...
. The number of Companions was not specified, but they had to have received a
medal
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
or been
mentioned in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
since the start of the war in 1803. A list of about 500 names was subsequently published. Two further officers were appointed, an "Officer of arms attendant on the Knights Commanders and Companions", and a "Secretary appertaining to the Knights Commanders and Companions".
The large increase in numbers caused some complaints that such an expansion would reduce the prestige of the Order.
Victorian era
![Admiral Alexander Milne (1808-1896), by Walter William Ouless](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Admiral_Alexander_Milne_%281808-1896%29%2C_by_Walter_William_Ouless.jpg)
In 1847,
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
issued new statutes eliminating all references to an exclusively military Order. As well as removing the word 'Military' from the full name of the Order, this opened up the grades of Knight Commander and Companion to civil appointments, and the Military and Civil Divisions of the Order were established. New numerical limits were imposed, and the opportunity also taken to regularise the 1815 expansion of the Order. The 1847 statutes also abolished all the medieval ritual, but they did introduce a formal
Investiture
Investiture (from the Latin preposition ''in'' and verb ''vestire'', "dress" from ''vestis'' "robe") is a formal installation or ceremony that a person undergoes, often related to membership in Christian religious institutes as well as Christian k ...
ceremony, conducted by the Sovereign wearing the Mantle and insignia of the Order, attended by the Officers and as many GCBs as possible, in their Mantles.
In 1850, a special statute authorised appointments of Knight Commander and Companion, in the Military Division, to
Commissariat
A commissariat is a department or organization commanded by a commissary or by a corps of commissaries.
In many countries, commissary is a police rank. In those countries, a commissariat is a police station commanded by a commissary.
In some ar ...
and
Medical officers serving with the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
, including those serving with the
East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
.
In 1859 a further edition of the Statutes was issued; the changes related mainly to the costs associated with the Order. Prior to this date it had been the policy that the insignia (which were provided by the Crown) were to be returned on the death of the holder; the exception had been foreigners who had been awarded honorary membership. In addition foreigners had usually been provided with stars made of silver and diamonds, whereas ordinary members had only
embroidered
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...
stars. The decision was made to award silver stars to all members, and only require the return of the
Collar
Collar may refer to:
Human neckwear
*Clerical collar (informally ''dog collar''), a distinctive collar used by the clergy of some Christian religious denominations
*Collar (clothing), the part of a garment that fastens around or frames the neck
...
. The Crown had also been paying the fees due to the officers of the Order for members who had been appointed for the services in the recent war. The fees were abolished and replaced with a salary of approximately the same average value. The offices of Genealogist and Messenger were abolished, and those of Registrar and Secretary combined.
[Risk, p. 70.]
Contemporary era
![Sir Richard Johns](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Sir_Richard_Johns.jpg)
In 1910, after his accession to the throne,
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
Born duri ...
ordered the revival of the Installation ceremony,
perhaps prompted by the first Installation ceremony of the more junior
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
, held a few years earlier, and the building of a new chapel for the Order of the Thistle in 1911. The Installation ceremony took place on 22 July 1913 in the
Henry VII Chapel
The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...
, and Installations have been held at regular intervals since.
Prior to the 1913 Installation it was necessary to adapt the chapel to accommodate the larger number of members. An appeal was made to the members of the Order, and following the Installation a surplus remained. A Committee was formed from the Officers to administer the 'Bath Chapel Fund', and over time this committee has come to consider other matters than purely financial ones.
Another revision of the statutes of the Order was undertaken in 1925, to consolidate the 41 additional statutes which had been issued since the 1859 revision.
Women were admitted to the Order in 1971.
In the 1971
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other Commonwealth realms also mark this ...
,
Jean Nunn
Jean Josephine Nunn, CB, CBE (21 July 191624 November 1982) was a senior British civil servant. She served as Principal Private Secretary to James Chuter Ede and Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, during their time as Home Secretary. She later served as ...
became the first woman admitted to the order. In 1975,
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, (born Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott; 25 December 1901 – 29 October 2004) was the wife of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. She was the mothe ...
, an aunt of
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
, became the first woman to reach the highest rank, Dame Grand Cross.
Princess Alice (née Douglas-Montagu-Scott) was a direct descendant of the Order's first Great Master, and her husband, who had died the previous year, had also held that office. The second Dame Grand Cross,
Sally Davies, was appointed in the
2020 New Year Honours
The 2020 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...
.
Composition
Sovereign
The
British Sovereign
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwi ...
is the Sovereign of the Order of the Bath. As with all honours except those in the Sovereign's personal gift, the Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
.
Great Master
![Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath.jpg)
The next-most senior member of the Order is the Great Master, of which there have been nine:
* 1725–1749:
John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu
John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, (1690 – 5 July 1749), styled Viscount Monthermer until 1705 and Marquess of Monthermer between 1705 and 1709, was a British peer.
Life
Montagu was an owner of a coal mine.
Montagu went on the grand tour wi ...
* 1749–1767: (Vacant)
* 1767–1827:
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (Frederick Augustus; 16 August 1763 – 5 January 1827) was the second son of George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, and his consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. A soldier by profess ...
* 1827–1830:
Prince William, Duke of Clarence and St Andrews (later King William IV)
* 1830–1837: (Vacant)
* 1837–1843:
Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, (27 January 1773 – 21 April 1843) was the sixth son and ninth child of King George III and his queen consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the only surviving son of George III who did not ...
* 1843–1861:
Albert, Prince Consort
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Franz August Karl Albert Emanuel; 26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the consort of Queen Victoria from their marriage on 10 February 1840 until his death in 1861.
Albert was born in the Saxon duch ...
* 1861–1897: (Vacant)
* 1897–1901:
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
(later King Edward VII)
* 1901–1942: Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
* 1942–1974: Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
* 1974–2022: Charles III, Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III)
Originally a Prince of the Blood Royal, as the Principal Knight Companion, ranked next after the sovereign. This position was joined to that of the Great Master in the statutes of 1847. The Great Master and Principal Knight is now either a descendant of George I or "some other exalted personage"; the holder of the office has custody of the Seal (emblem), seal of the order and is responsible for enforcing the statutes.
Members
![Order of the Bath](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Order_of_the_Bath.jpg)
The statutes also provide for the following:
* 120 Knights or Dames Grand Cross (GCB) (of whom the Great Master is the First and Principal)
* 355 Knights Commander (KCB) or Dames Commander (DCB)
* 1,925 Companions (CB)
Regular membership is limited to citizens of the United Kingdom and of other Commonwealth countries of which the British monarch is Sovereign. Appointees are usually officers of the armed forces or senior civil servants, such as Permanent secretary#United Kingdom, permanent secretaries.
Members appointed to the Civil Division must "by their personal services to [the] crown or by the performance of public duties have merited ... royal favour." Appointments to the Military Division are restricted by the minimum rank of the individual. GCBs hold the rank of Admiral (Royal Navy), admiral in the Royal Navy, General (United Kingdom), general in the British Army or Royal Marines, or air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force.
[''Statutes'' 1925, article 8.] KCBs must at least hold the rank of Vice admiral (Royal Navy), vice admiral, Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), lieutenant general in the Army or Marines, or air marshal. CBs tend be of the rank of Rear admiral (Royal Navy), rear admiral, Major-general (United Kingdom), major general in the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Marines, or air vice marshal in the Royal Air Force, and in addition must have been Mentioned in Despatches for distinction in a command position in a combat situation, although the latter is no longer a requirement. Non-line officers (e.g. engineers, medics) may be appointed only for meritorious service in wartime.
![First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas KCB DSC ADC MOD 45155508](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/First_Sea_Lord_Admiral_Sir_George_Zambellas_KCB_DSC_ADC_MOD_45155508.jpg)
Commonwealth citizens not subjects of the British monarch and foreigners may be made Honorary Members. Queen Elizabeth II established the custom of awarding an honorary GCB to visiting (republican) heads of state, for example Gustav Heinemann and Josip Broz Tito (in 1972), Ronald Reagan (in 1989), Lech Wałęsa (in 1991),
Censu Tabone (in 1992), Fernando Henrique Cardoso, George H. W. Bush (in 1993), Nicolas Sarkozy (in 2008), and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (in 2012), as well as Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Slovenian President Danilo Türk, Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and South African President Jacob Zuma (Royal Heads of State are instead usually made Order of the Garter#Supernumerary members, Stranger Companions of the Order of the Garter). Foreign generals are also often given honorary appointments to the Order, for example: Marshal Ferdinand Foch and Marshal Joseph Joffre during the First World War; Marshal Georgy Zhukov, King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George C. Marshall, General Douglas MacArthur, and General George S. Patton Jr. during the Second World War; and General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Colin Powell after the Gulf War. A more controversial member of the Order was Robert Mugabe, whose honour was stripped by the Queen, on the advice of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, on 25 June 2008 "as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided."
Honorary members do not count towards the numerical limits in each class. In addition the statutes allow the Sovereign to exceed the limits in time of war or other exceptional circumstances.
Officers
The Order of the Bath now has six officers:
* Dean: Dean of Westminster ''(ex officio)'', the Very Rev. David Hoyle (priest), David Hoyle
* Bath King of Arms, King of Arms: Air Chief Marshal Stephen Dalton, Sir Stephen Dalton
* Registrar and Secretary: Rear Admiral Iain Henderson (Royal Navy officer), Iain Henderson
[''Court Circular'', 13 June 2006.]
* Deputy Secretary: Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave
* Genealogist: David White (officer of arms), David White, Esq.
* Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod: Major General James Gordon (British Army officer, born 1957), James Gordon
There were originally seven officers, each of whom was to receive fees from the Knights Companion both on appointment and annually thereafter. The office of Messenger was abolished in 1859.
The office of Genealogist was abolished at the same time, but revived in 1913. The offices of Registrar and Secretary were formally merged in 1859, although the two positions had been held concurrently for the previous century. An Officer of Arms and a Secretary for the Knights Commander and Companions were established in 1815,
but abolished in 1847. The office of Deputy Secretary was created in 1925.
Under the Hanoverian kings certain of the officers also held heraldic office. The office of Blanc Coursier Herald of Arms was attached to that of the Genealogist, Brunswick Herald of Arms to the Gentleman Usher, and Bath King of Arms was also made Gloucester King of Arms with heraldic jurisdiction over Wales. This was the result of a move by Anstis to give the holders of these sinecures greater security; the offices of the Order of the Bath were held at the pleasure of the Great Master, while appointments to the heraldic offices were made by the King under the Great Seal and were for life.
Habit and insignia
![KCB civil star and badge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/KCB_civil_star_and_badge.jpg)
Members of the Order wear elaborate costumes on important occasions (such as its quadrennial installation ceremonies and
coronations
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
), which vary by rank:
The ''mantle'', worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of crimson satin lined with white taffeta. On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle is bound with two large tassels.
[''Statutes'' 1925, article 23.]
The ''hat'', worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander, is made of black velvet; it includes an upright plume of feathers.
The ''collar'', worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold and weighs 30 troy ounces (933 g). It consists of depictions of nine imperial crowns and eight sets of flowers (roses for England, thistles for Scotland and shamrocks for Ireland), connected by seventeen silver knots.
On lesser occasions, simpler insignia are used: The ''star'' is used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander. Its style varies by rank and division; it is worn pinned to the left breast:
The star for ''military Knights and Dames Grand Cross'' consists of a Maltese Cross (symbol), Maltese Cross on top of an eight-pointed silver star; the star for ''military Knights and Dames Commander'' is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. Each bears in the centre three crowns surrounded by a red ring bearing the motto of the Order in gold letters. The circle is flanked by two Laurus nobilis, laurel Laurel wreath, branches and is above a scroll bearing the words ''Ich dien'' (older German for "I serve") in gold letters.
Stylised versions of this are known as ''Bath stars'' and are used as epaulette pips to indicate British Army officer rank insignia, British Army officer ranks and for Police ranks of the United Kingdom, police ranks.
The star for ''civil Knights and Dames Grand Cross'' consists of an eight-pointed silver star, ''without'' the Maltese cross; the star for ''civil Knights and Dames Commander'' is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. The design of each is the same as the design of the military stars, except that the laurel branches and the words ''Ich dien'' are excluded.
The ''badge'' varies in design, size and manner of wearing by rank and division. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' badge is larger than the Knight and Dame Commander's badge, which is in turn larger than the Companion's badge; however, these are all suspended on a crimson ribbon. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear the badge on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip.
Knights Commander and male Companions wear the badge from a ribbon worn around the neck. Dames Commander and female Companions wear the badge from a bow on the left side:
The ''military badge'' is a gold Maltese Cross of eight points, enamelled in white. Each point of the cross is decorated by a small gold ball; each angle has a small figure of a lion. The centre of the cross bears three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock, emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side. Both emblems are surrounded by a red circular ring bearing the motto of the Order, which are in turn flanked by two laurel branches, above a scroll bearing the words ''Ich dien'' in gold letters.
The ''civil badge'' is a plain gold oval, bearing three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock, emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side; both emblems are surrounded by a 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 eveningwear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar.
The collars and badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross are returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood upon the decease of their owners. All other insignia may be retained by their owners.
File:GCB-Military-Star.svg, Star, Knight Grand Cross Military Division
File:Knight Commander of the Bath neck badge, awarded to Cecil Fane de Salis (1859-1948) in 1935.jpg, Neck badge, awarded to Cecil Fane de Salis (1859-1948) in 1935
File:Knight Commander of the Bath star, awarded to Cecil Fane de Salis (1859-1948) in 1935.jpg, Star, awarded to Cecil Fane de Salis
File:Order of the Bath, Breast Star and Badge, Knight Commander, Saxe-Ernestine House Order, awarded to Major-General Sir Charles Taylor du Plat, British Army - Glenbow Museum - DSC00629.JPG, Star and neck Badge awarded to Sir Charles Taylor du Plat
File:Order of the Bath UK ribbon.svg, Medal Ribbon of the Order of the Bath
Chapel
![Henry7Chapel 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Henry7Chapel_01.jpg)
The Chapel of the Order is the Henry VII Lady Chapel in
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
.
[''Statutes'' 1925, article 21.] The Sovereign, Great Master and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted Choir stall, stalls in the choir of the chapel, above which their Heraldic device, heraldic devices are displayed.
Every four years, an installation ceremony, presided over by the Great Master, and a religious service are held in the chapel. The last such service was on Tuesday 24 May 2022, and was presided over by the Prince of Wales. The Sovereign and each knight who has been installed is allotted a stall in the Cathedral diagram, choir of the chapel.
As there are a limited number of stalls in the chapel, only the most senior Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed. A stall made vacant by the death of a military Knight Grand Cross is offered to the next most senior uninstalled military GCB, and similarly for vacancies among civil GCBs.
Waits between admission to the Order and installation may be very long; for instance, David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley, Marshal of the Air Force Lord Craig of Radley was created a Knight Grand Cross in 1984, but was not installed until 2006.
Above each stall, the occupant's heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his Helmet (heraldry), helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his Crest (heraldry), crest. Under Law of heraldic arms#England and Wales, English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear helms or crests; instead, the coronet appropriate to the dame's rank (if she is a Peerage of the United Kingdom, peer or member of British royal family, the Royal family) is used.
Above the crest or coronet, the knight's or dame'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 (or coronet or crown) 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 now Dames) throughout history.
When the grade of Knight Commander was established in 1815 the regulations specified that they too should have a banner and stall plate affixed in the chapel.
This was never implemented (despite some of the KCBs paying the appropriate fees) primarily due to lack of space, although the 1847 statutes allow all three classes to request the erection of a plate in the chapel bearing the member's name, date of nomination, and (for the two higher classes) optionally the coat of arms.
Precedence and privileges
Members of the Order of the Bath 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 Commander; relatives of female members, however, are not assigned any special precedence. Generally, 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 Commander prefix "Sir", and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander 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 Peerage of the United Kingdom, peers and Prince, princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore, honorary foreign members and Clergyman, clergymen do not receive the accolade of knighthood, and so are not entitled to the prefix "Sir", unless the former subsequently become Commonwealth citizens.
Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the list of post-nominal letters, post-nominal "GCB"; Knights Commander use "KCB"; Dames Commander use "DCB"; Companions use "CB".
Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive Supporter, heraldic supporters. Furthermore, they may encircle their arms with a depiction of the Circlet (heraldry), circlet (a red circle bearing the motto) with the badge pendant thereto and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter.
Knights and Dames Commander and Companions may display the circlet, but not the collar, around their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. Members of the Military division may encompass the circlet with "two laurel branches issuant from an escrol Azure (heraldry), azure inscribed ''Ich dien''", as appears on the badge.
Members of the Order of the Bath and their children are able to be married in Westminster Abbey in London.
Revocation
It is possible for membership in the Order to be Revocation, revoked. Under the 1725 statutes the grounds for this were heresy, high treason, or Desertion, fleeing from battle out of cowardice. Knights Companion could in such cases be degraded at the next Chapter meeting. It was then the duty of the Gentleman Usher to "pluck down the escocheon [i.e. stallplate] of such knight and spurn it out of the chapel" with "all the usual marks of infamy".
Only two people were ever degraded – Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, Lord Cochrane in 1813 and Sir Eyre Coote, GCB, General Sir Eyre Coote in 1816, both for political reasons, rather than any of the grounds given in the statute. Lord Cochrane was subsequently reinstated, but Coote died a few years after his degradation.
Under Queen Victoria's 1847 statutes a member "convicted of treason, cowardice, felony, or any infamous crime derogatory to his honour as a knight or gentleman, or accused and does not submit to trial in a reasonable time, shall be degraded from the Order by a special ordinance signed by the sovereign". The Sovereign was to be the sole judge, and also had the power to restore such members.
The situation today is that membership may be cancelled or annulled, and the entry in the register erased, by an ordinance signed by the Sovereign and sealed with the seal of the Order, on the recommendation of the appropriate Minister. Such cancellations may be subsequently reversed.
In 1923 the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was made an honorary Knight Grand Cross, by King George V. Mussolini was stripped of his GCB in 1940, after he had declared war on the UK.
George Pottinger, a senior civil servant, lost both his status of CB and Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1975 when he was jailed for corruptly receiving gifts from the architect John Poulson.
Romanian president Nicolae Ceauşescu was stripped of his honorary GCB status by Queen Elizabeth II on 24 December 1989, the day before his execution. Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe, was stripped of his honorary GCB status by the Queen, on the advice of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, on 25 June 2008 "as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided."
Vicky Pryce, former wife of Chris Huhne, was stripped of her CB by Queen Elizabeth II on 30 July 2013, following her conviction for perverting the course of justice.
Current Knights and Dames Grand Cross
* Sovereign:
King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
* Grand Master: Vacant
Knights and Dames Grand Cross
Honorary Knights and Dames Grand Cross
See also
For people who have been appointed to the Order of the Bath, see the following categories:
* :Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
* :Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
* :Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
* :Dames Commander of the Order of the Bath
* :Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath
* List of Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
*
List of Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath
This is a list of those men who were made Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath from the date of the Order's revival by King George I of Great Britain, 18 May 1725, to its reorganisation on 2 January 1815. During this period the Order was lim ...
* :Knights of the Bath
* :Companions of the Order of the Bath
* List of honorary British knights and dames
* List of people who have declined a British honour
* List of revocations of appointments to orders and awarded decorations and medals of the United Kingdom
Notes
References
*
*
* Hanham, Andrew. "The Politics of Chivalry: Sir Robert Walpole, the Duke of Montagu and the Order of the Bath." ''Parliamentary History'' 35.3 (2016): 262–297.
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External links
Search recommendations for the Order of the Bath on The UK National Archives' website.* Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society
(2002, 2020). "The Most Honourable Order of the Bath".
{{DEFAULTSORT:Order Of The Bath
1725 establishments in Great Britain
Awards established in 1725
Orders of chivalry awarded to heads of state, consorts and sovereign family members, Bath, Order of the
Orders of chivalry of the United Kingdom, Bath
Order of the Bath,