Edward III's Garter Club

The Order of the Garter, Britain’s highest chivalric order, was established by King Edward III on 24th June, 1348. 

Influenced by Arthurian legend and the popularity of the Crusades, monarchs all over Europe dreamt up similar orders to boost their own support. But in Britain, the Garter ceremony is still held annually, at Windsor’s St. George's Chapel, featuring knights in elaborate costumes, including velvet cloaks and Tudor bonnets.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick the membership criteria for being in this monarch’s mates club; explore the apocryphal origin story of the order, featuring a lady’s modesty on the dancefloor; and consider who should occupy the three currently vacant spaces in King Charles’s Order…

Further Reading:

• ‘What is the Order of the Garter? The ancient honour bestowed to the Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and Duchess of Gloucester’ (Tatler, 2024): https://www.tatler.com/article/what-is-the-order-of-the-garter

• ‘St George and the Garter - Medieval manuscripts blog’ (British Library, 2020):

https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2020/04/st-george-and-the-garter.html

• ‘Order of the Garter Ceremony at Windsor Castle’ (Darryl Wilson, 2010): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LobQn5wjVck

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