Layout 8 - Winston Churchill

Painted Lady: A North Africanvisitor whichmakes a latesummermigration toBritain whenits numbersbecome unsustainable in native habitat.Black-veined White: A largewhitespeciesrecordedin the17thcentury,it disappearedin Britain around 1925,probably a victim of disease or predation.Churchill’s efforts to establish itat Chartwell failed.—JONATHAN BROWN, THE INDEPENDENTRepublished by kind permission; full article isat http:// xrl.us/bh5vi9. Photos by Etoile andKathyscola on Flickr and the Scottish RockGarden Club (www.srgc.org.uk).See also Hugh Newman, “Butterflies toChartwell” (FH 89: 34-39); and RonaldGolding, “Guarding Greatness,” (FH 143:32), where bodyguard Golding recalls howChurchill responded to Newman when hebecame a little too patronizing.GARTER CEREMONY 2010WINDSOR, JUNE 14TH— In 1348 King EdwardIII created the Most Noble Orderof the Garter; in addition to TheQueen and other royal persons, thecomplement is restricted to twenty-fourmembers, who are termed KnightsCompanion (KG) and Ladies Companion(LG). Chosen personally by TheQueen, they are among the most eminentpeople in the United Kingdomand other Commonwealth countries ofwhich she is also Queen.Since 1348, 1002 membershave been appointed, notablySir Winston Churchillin 1953; his daughter, LadySoames, was admitted in2005.There is a romanticlegend about the Order’sorigin: at a court ball, theCountess of Salisbury’sgarter slipped to the floor and theKing, retrieving it, wrapped it roundhis own leg; as onlookers sniggered,the King said, “Honi soit qui mal ypense” (Shame on him who thinks evilof it). This became, and remains, themotto of the Order of the Garter. Butthe more likely explanation is that theGarter is a badge of unity and concord,possibly representing a sword-belt.Each June, Knights and Ladies ofthe Order of the Garter accompanyThe Queen to St. George’s Chapel atWindsor Castle for their annualservice. A magnificent procession isformed, led by the Military Knights ofWindsor, and the officers of theCollege of Arms (kings-of-arms, heraldsand pursuivants), with the Knights andLadies of the Order ofthe Garter followingthem. The Queen’sBodyguard of theHonourable Corps ofGentlemen at Armsand The Queen’sBodyguard of theYeomen of the Guardare also on duty.This year LadySoames invited mywife and me to bepresent in St. George’sChapel. We had asplendid front-rowview of the panoply ofstate as it made itsway into the chapelFinest Hour 129and—at the end—out again.Although the spectacle wasunforgettable, the purpose ofthe event could not be overlooked.It was a religiousobservance, in which theKnights and Ladies of theOrder of the Garter heldtheir annual service ofthanksgiving. I can do nobetter than record one of theAnglican prayers:“Almighty God, in whose sight athousand years are but as yesterday: Wegive thee most humble and heartythanks for that thou didst put into theheart of thy servant, King Edward, tofound this order of Christian chivalry,and hast preserved and prospered itthrough centuries until this day. Andwe pray that, rejoicing in thy goodness,we may bear our part with those illustriousCompanions who have witnessedto thy truth and upheld thine honour;through the grace of our Lord JesusChrist, himself the source and patternof true chivalry; who with thee and theHoly Spirit liveth and reigneth, everone God, world without end. Amen.”—PAUL H. COURTENAY ,Lady Soames between Sir John Major(former Prime Minister) and LordBingham of Cornhill (former Lord ChiefJustice) in an earlier year.Right: Shortly afterpublishing“Googleworld” lastissue, we read thiscounterattack by themagazine industry.We hope they’re right.FINEST HOUR 149 / 11