Queen Camilla appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle

Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Camilla has been appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

Any appointments to the Order of the Thistle are entirely in the personal gift of the King. This version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland (King James II of England), and it consists of the Sovereign and sixteen Knights and Ladies, as well as some “extra” knights.

The current Knights and Ladies are

1. The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine
2. The Earl of Airlie
3. The Lord Mackay of Clashfern
4. The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn
5. The Lord Steel of Aikwood
6. The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen
7. The Lord Cullen of Whitekirk
8. The Lord Hope of Craighead
9. The Lord Patel
10. The Lord Smith of Kelvin
11. The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry
12. Sir Ian Wood
13. Lady Elish Angiolini
14. Sir George Reid

There are currently two vacant seats.

The extra Knights and Ladies are the Princess Royal, the Duke of Rothesay (the Prince of Wales) and now the Queen.

The statement from Buckingham Palace reads, “The Queen has supported The King in visits to all corners of Scotland and joined him for many national moments, including COP 26, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Opening of the Scottish Parliament.”