Order of St Michael and St George
It is named in honour of two military saints, St Michael and St George and is sometimes looked upon as a junior Order of the Bath.
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. 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, or for important or loyal service to foreign and Commonwealth affairs. 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, with Evelyn Bark, a leading member of the British Red Cross, becoming the first female CMG in 1967. A more recent female recipient was actress Angelina Jolie, In 2014, she was presented with the insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross for her campaign work fighting sexual violence and for services to UK foreign policy. Four years later she attended the 200th anniversary service for the Order at St Paul's Cathedral. |
The building is also known as the Royal Palace, the City Palace, or locally by the Greek name Palaia Anaktora (Παλαιά Ανάκτορα; literally "Old Palace").
The Palace, which still stands today ’faintly mottled by time and tribulation, grey or glowing according to the disposition of the weather’ according to Sacherville Sitwell and Nigel Nicolson, remained the symbolic home of the Order until 1864.
The Order's Chapel moved to St Paul's Cathedral in London in 1906.
The Duke of Kent is one of the longest serving Grand Masters, second only to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh who has been Grand Master of the Order of the British Empire since 1953. After 'progressing' from the Royal Victorian Order, which HRH wore at his wedding to Katharine Worsley in 1961, he would regularly be seen with the Riband of the Order of St Michael and St George, especially at the annual Trooping of the Colour, until he was in turn elevated to the Order of the Garter during his 50th birthday year.
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".
The joke could be modernised with the post-nominals for Dame Commander, DCMG, meaning "Do Call Me God"...
Talking of Dames Commander, American actor Angelina Jolie was awarded an honorary Damehood when she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end warzone sexual violence. She received the Insignia from The Queen in a simple ceremony in October 2014. |
The depiction of St Michael as a white-skinned angel subjugating a black-skinned Satan would be more than unfortunate under the current climate. To be fair, the Devil has been depicted, even by the various artists for the medallion to the Order, in other colours. To be equally fair, the design had already been changed in 2011 to the one shown here where the skin colour of both is the same. Anyone with a Star from before 2011 can exchange it for the post-2011 version. Nevertheless, there are still calls for the design to be overhauled. The image of the new design from 2011 is the copyright of the Cabinet Office and shows the four-pointed Star of a Knight or Dame Commander. |