Chivalrous honor for Prince William
Posted: Monday, June 16, 2008 3:41 PM
By Sohel Uddin, NBC News Producer
When Prince William was made a Royal Knight of the Garter on Monday, the historic town of Windsor once again saw carefully planned pageantry at its height.
As members of the public gathered at the entrance of the castle in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the man who could be the future king emerging with his first major honor, they saw the royal family in its traditional role, meticulously adhering to historical customs and rituals.
It was another step on the journey of grooming William to one day become king, following his father, who has enjoyed a lifetime of such honors. In fact, if one were to officially announce Prince Charles it would be as His Royal Highness Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, The Prince of Wales, Knight of the Garter, Knight of the Thistle, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Order of Merit, Knight of the Order of Australia, Companion of the Queen's Service Order, Privy Counselor, Aide-de-Camp, Earl of Chester, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick and Baron of Renfrew, Lord of The Isles, Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.
Every one of these titles is steeped in historical significance, with the Knight of the Garter, one of the most important, representing the highest level of British chivalry.
The honor dates back 640 years to King Edward III’s reign, when a female member of the aristocracy dropped her garter during a dance. Amidst the ensuing laughter, Edward, in an effort to stop the lady from being embarrassed, picked it up and tied it to his leg, saying "Shamed be the person who thinks evil of it."
And, although Great Britain no longer a feudal kingdom and the power that such titles once had has been reduced to symbolism, the sense of fanfare and the fastidiousness with which the ceremony is performed convey the same message.
