Editing Order of the Garter (section)

==Robes and insignia==
[[File:King Charles III and Queen Camilla Garter Day 2024.jpg|thumb|right|King [[Charles III]] and [[Queen Camilla]] wearing their insignia on Garter Day in 2024.]]

===Members===

====Order's ceremonial occasions====

For the Order's ceremonial occasions, such as the annual Garter Day, the members wear elaborate [[vestment]]s and [[accoutrements]], which include:
*The ''mantle'' is a vestment or robe worn by members since the 15th century. Once made of wool, by the 16th century it was made of [[velvet]]. The mantle was originally purple, but varied during the 17th and 18th centuries between [[celestial blue]], pale blue, royal blue, dark blue, violet, and [[ultramarine]]. Mantles are now dark blue and lined with white [[taffeta]]. The mantles of the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and Royal Knights and Ladies end in [[Train (clothing)|trains]]. The [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|heraldic shield]] of [[St George's Cross]] encircled by the Garter is sewn onto the left shoulder of the mantle, but the Sovereign's mantle instead has the star of the Order. Attached to the mantle over the right shoulder are a dark red velvet hood and [[surcoat]], which have lost all function over time and appear to the modern observer simply as a splash of colour.<ref name="HN">{{Cite journal |last=Cox |first=Noel |year=1999 |journal=Heraldry News, the Journal of Heraldry |title=The ceremonial dress and accoutrements of the Most Noble Order of the Garter |issue=22 |pages=6–12 |publisher=Journal of Heraldry Australia Inc. |url=http://www.geocities.com/noelcox/Garter_Dress.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030420201952/http://www.geocities.com/noelcox/Garter_Dress.htm |archive-date=20 April 2003}}</ref>
*The ''hat'' is a [[Tudor bonnet]] of black velvet with a plume of white ostrich and black heron feathers.<ref name="HN" />
*The ''[[Livery collar|collar]]'' is worn around the neck, over the mantle and is secured with white ribbons tied in bows on the shoulders. Like the mantle, it was introduced in the 15th and 16th centuries. Made of pure gold, it weighs {{convert|30|ozt|kg|sigfig=3|lk=in}}. The collar is composed of gold [[heraldic knot]]s alternating with [[Vitreous enamel|enamelled]] medallions, each showing a rose encircled by the Garter. During the reign of [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] (1485–1509), commencing at the termination of the [[Wars of the Roses]], each garter surrounded two roses – one red for the [[House of Lancaster]] and one white for the [[House of York]] – but he changed the design to encircle the Tudor rose<ref name="HN" /> alone, a combination of both forms.{{efn|See for example the single roses on the collar of the effigy of [[Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke]], KG (died 1502) in Callington Church, Cornwall (see image [[:File:RobertWilloughbyCallington.jpg]]).}} Today one of the most visible representations of the collar forms part of the monarch's [[heraldic achievement]] on the gates of [[Buckingham Palace]].{{efn|See image [[:File:Buckingham Palace - 02.jpg]].}}
*{{anchor|Great George}}The ''Great George'', which is worn suspended from the collar, is a colourfully enamelled (sometimes jewelled) three-dimensional figure of [[Saint George|St George the Martyr]] on horseback slaying a dragon.<ref name="HN" />
[[File:Hosenbandorden.jpg|thumb|left|The insignia of a knight/lady companion of the Order of the Garter]]
*The ''[[Garter (clothing)|Garter]]'' is worn on ceremonial occasions around the left calf{{efn|The Garter is worn over and above the left strap of the dress breeches of men but nowadays it is anachronistically worn over the trousers because the wearing of court dress by most Garter knights has fallen into disuse.}} by knights and around the left arm by ladies, and is depicted on several insignia. The Garter is a buckled dark-blue (originally light-blue) velvet strap, and bears the motto in gold letters. The garters of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels.<ref name="HN" /> Two styles have been used: one is a working garter where the end slips through the [[buckle]], passed behind, and then is tucked down through the formed loop, as it is shown in the arms of the order, and the other style is a 'pre-made' one that has the buckled and tucked end pre-fashioned and is fastened with a clip attachment.

Up until the middle part of the 20th century, it was customary to wear [[Tudor period|Tudor style]] under-dress, consisting of white silk embroidered [[Doublet (clothing)|doublet]], [[breeches]], [[full hose]], white doeskin [[Court shoe|pumps]] with satin bows and a sword belt with sword, under the robes. Nowadays, morning dress or a [[lounge suit]] is worn, except for coronations when Tudor [[under-dress]] is worn by the canopy-bearers.<ref>{{cite book|author=Una Campbell|year=1989|title=Robes of the Realm: 300 Years of Ceremonial Dress|publisher=Michael O'Mara Books|page=21}}</ref>

====Other occasions====
[[File:GarterInsigniaBurkes.JPG|thumb|upright|Top: A Garter "Star"; middle: A "Great George" (St George on horseback slaying the dragon) pendant from the Collar; bottom: the Garter]]

On other occasions when decorations are worn, the members wear simpler insignia:
*The ''collar'' is worn on designated [[collar day]]s over military uniform or [[morning dress]] by members attending formal events. The collar is fastened to the shoulders with silk ribbons (or gold safety pins when worn with morning dress). Since the collar signifies the Order of the Garter, members can then wear the riband of any other order to which they belong.<ref name="HN" />
*The ''star'', which is worn pinned to the left breast, was introduced in the 17th century by King [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] and is a colourfully enamelled depiction of the heraldic shield of St George's Cross, encircled by the Garter, which is itself encircled by an eight-point silver badge. Each point is depicted as a cluster of rays, with the four points of the cardinal directions longer than the intermediate ones. The stars of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels. Since the Order of the Garter is the senior order of the United Kingdom, a member will wear its star above the others (up to three) that they hold.<ref name="HN" /> There are examples in the [[Royal Collection]] of the stars of foreign orders given to [[George V]] surrounded with the Garter, e.g. the Prussian [[Order of the Black Eagle]] given to George V when Prince of Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/441498/order-of-the-black-eagle-prussia-george-vs-star-with-garter|title=- Order of the Black Eagle (Prussia). George V's star with garter|website=www.royalcollection.org.uk|access-date=18 April 2018|archive-date=19 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419055036/https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/441498/order-of-the-black-eagle-prussia-george-vs-star-with-garter|url-status=live}}</ref>
*The ''riband'' is a {{convert|4|in|cm|sigfig=4|spell=in|adj=on}}-wide [[sash]] worn over the left shoulder, or pinned beneath it, to the right hip, and was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles I. The riband's colour has varied over the years: it was originally light blue, but was a dark shade under the Hanoverian monarchs. In 1950, the colour was fixed as "kingfisher blue". A member will wear only one riband, even if they belong to several orders.<ref name="HN" />
*The ''badge'' is worn suspended from a small gold link from the riband at the right hip, and is sometimes known as "the Lesser George". Like the Great George, the badge shows St George the Martyr on horseback slaying a dragon, but it is flatter and gold. In earlier times, the badge was worn from a ribbon tied around the neck.<ref name="HN" />

On the death of a member, the Lesser George and breast star are returned personally to the sovereign by the former member's nearest male relative, and the other insignia to the [[Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood]], save the riband, mantle and hat.<ref name="HN" />

===Officers===
For ceremonial occasions of the Order, the officers wear the following garments and accessories:
*The mantles for the prelate and chancellor are dark blue like those of the members (as a member, the chancellor wears a member's mantle), but the mantles for the other officers are dark red. All mantles are embroidered with a heraldic shield of St George's Cross. For Garter ceremonies, [[Garter Principal King of Arms]] wears this red mantle rather than the [[tabard]] of the [[Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom|royal arms]] worn for other State ceremonial occasions.<ref name="HN" />
*Officers wear badges of office suspended from a chain worn around the neck. The badge for the prelate shows the Lesser George encircled by the Garter, which is surmounted by a bishop's [[mitre]]. The badge for the chancellor is a rose encircled by the Garter. The badge for the register is two crossed [[Feather|quills]] over a book encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown. The badge for Garter Principal King of Arms is the royal arms [[Impalement (heraldry)|impaled]] with St George's Cross encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown. The badge for the usher is a knot (like those on the collars of the companions of the order) encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown. The badge for the secretary shows two crossed quills in front of a rose and encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown.<ref name="HN" />

The chancellor carries a purse, which is embroidered with the royal arms impaled by the Cross of St George. The purse contains the [[Seal (emblem)|seal]] of the Order. Garter Principal King of Arms carries his [[Staff of office|baton of office]]. The usher carries their staff of office, the [[Black Rod]].<ref name="HN" />