Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

0:00
0:00

BOOOOOOS: Tony Blair receives royal honour

If it seems to us that she is already too old to remain a queen, here is evidence that her judgment is totally out of order.

Giving a badge of honor to a despicable person who should receive only condemnation, unjustly despising all the other honorable people who carry the same badges of honor. 

Was this honor given to him for the war crimes for which he was responsible in Iraq, or for deceiving the British people and convincing them through lies that there was justification for the war in Iraq, or for being responsible for the deaths of so many British soldiers killed there in vain? Or maybe for the fact that he managed to get so rich from the war with Iraq that he had enough money to acquire for himself that dubious honor?

But the Duke of York has not appeared in public at the ceremony in Windsor, only attending a private part of the event, after a "family decision".

Baroness Amos becomes the first black "knight or lady companion" member of the order since its foundation in 1348.

New members of the order are the personal choice of the Queen.

The 96-year-old monarch attended some of the private elements of "Garter Day" at Windsor and had posed for a photograph before the event.


The Queen attended private parts of the ceremony and posed for an official photograph


Each year, members of the order - which has up to 24 people plus "royal companions" - gather at Windsor Castle for a colourful ceremony with music, pageantry, elaborate uniforms and a parade.

Members wear velvet robes, plumed hats and the insignia of the medieval order of chivalry.

As well as the three new members being installed, there had been speculation about whether Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, would take part, in his capacity as one of the royal members of the order.

He did attend, but kept out of the procession seen by the crowds and and only went to the investiture and a private lunch.

Baroness Amos, a former Labour cabinet minister and UN under-secretary, said the honour of joining the order was "absolutely amazing" and she was thinking about her parents who "worked so hard and were so supportive".

Baroness Amos becomes the first black "knight or lady companion" member of the order


Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about reports the Prince of Wales had privately criticised sending refugees to Rwanda, she said she would not comment on Prince Charles but, in her own personal view, the policy was "shameful".

The honour, which is a personal gift of the Queen, comes with the status of a knight and Sir Tony Blair received his knighthood, without any publicity, from the Queen in an audience at Windsor last week.

Sir Tony, winner of three general elections, had been one of the longest-serving prime ministers during the Queen's 70-year reign, including the tumultuous times that followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

A petition had been launched against Sir Tony receiving a knighthood, with opponents criticising his involvement in the Iraq War. Stop the War campaigners held a protest in Windsor against the honour.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, became a "royal companion" of the order


The appointments to the Order of the Garter were announced at new year, but new members are formally installed at the annual ceremony in June.

It is usually a regular date in the Queen's diary, although the ceremony had been cancelled during the pandemic.

Camilla becomes one of the "royal companions", with her appointment seen as a personal sign of approval by the Queen.

Among the other "knight and lady companions" members are former prime minister Sir John Major and former MI5 director-general Baroness Manningham-Buller. The oldest member is 90-year-old Lord Morris, a former Labour cabinet member.

There was music and pageantry for a ceremony previously stopped by the pandemic


The order, instituted by Edward III, originated from medieval chivalry and senior figures around a monarch.

According to Buckingham Palace, the current purpose is to "honour those who have undertaken public service, who have contributed in a particular way to national life".

In Scotland, the Order of the Thistle was founded in 1687. Two new members were recently appointed, Sir George Reid and Lady Elish Angiolini.


Watch: Sir Tony Blair becomes a member of the Order of the Garter


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
×