King makes appointments to the Order of the Garter

 Today, St George’s Day, the King has made two appointments to the Order of the Garter, England’s oldest and senior order of chivalry.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland becomes a Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, and Lord Patten of Barnes, CH, is appointed a Knight Companion.

Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, LG, GCMG, PC (born 20 March 1956) is a British Labour politician who served as the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and First Vice President of the European Commission in the Barroso Commission from 2009 to 2014.

Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, KG, CH, PC (born 12 May 1944) is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life peer in 2005 and has been Chancellor of the University of Oxford since 2003.