His Majesty the King has made two appointments to the the Order of the Thistle.
Professor Sir James Rufus (Jim) McDonald (born 1957) and Sir James MacMillan (born 16 July, 1959), were both appointed by the King to Scotland highest order of chivalry for their notable contributions to engineering and music, respectively.
The Thistle is in the gift of the King, who is sovereign of the order and appoints whom he deems fit entirely through his own accord, without advice from third parties such as the government.
Additionally, Baroness Grainger, DBE (born 12 November, 1975), was appointed the Usher of the Green Rod, marking her as an officer of the order.
The order is comprised of 16 knights and ladies, as well as members of the royal family - Her Majesty The Queen (2023), The Princess Royal (2000), the Duke of Rothesay (2012), and The Duke of Edinburgh (2024).
McDonald is known for his work in engineering and university leadership.
He was appointed as the Rolls-Royce chairman in electrical power systems at the University of Strathclyde in 1993, later becoming head of the electronic and electrical engineering department in 2003, and then principal and vice-chancellor in March 2009, where he remained until he retired in 2025.
He served as president of the Royal Academy of Engineering from 2019 to 2024, the first Scot to hold the position.
He was knighted in 2012 for services to education, engineering and the economy, and was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 2024.
MacMillan, a highly renowned Ayrshire-born composer, is known not only for his music, but for achievements including the establishment of the Cumnock Tryst festival.
He was awarded a knighthood during the Queen’s Birthday honours of 2015, with his anthem Who Shall Separate Us? commissioned for her funeral in 2022.
Earlier this year, Charles approved the award of the King’s Medal for Music for Sir James MacMillan.
Baroness Grainger, a Glaswegian, is known for her achievements in both sport and law.
She won Olympic rowing gold in the double sculls at London 2012 with team-mate Anna Watkins.
Regarded as Britain’s most successful female rower, she is the only woman across any sport to win medals in four consecutive Olympic Games.
After years of studying law and medical ethics, she completed a PhD in the sentencing of homicide at King’s College London.
List of Knights of the Thistle:-
(1) The 11th Earl of Elgin and Kincardine
(2) Baron Mackay of Clashfern
(3) Baron Wilson of Tillyorn
(4) Baron Steel of Aikwood
(5) Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
(6) Baron Cullen of Whitekirk
(7) Baron Hope of Craighead
(8) Baron Patel
(9) Baron Smith of Kelvin
(10) The 10th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry
(11) Sir Ian Wood
(12) Lady Elish Angiolini
(13) Baroness Black of Strome
(14) Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
(15) Sir James McDonald
(16) Sir James MacMillan
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