Story: Royal honours system

Sir Edmund Hillary: warrant of appointment to Order of the Garter (1st of 2)

Sir Edmund Hillary: warrant of appointment to Order of the Garter

Amongst many accolades from New Zealand and around the world, mountaineer, philanthropist and beekeeper Sir Edmund Percival Hillary received the UK’s highest and oldest honour, becoming a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1995. This honour was granted directly by Queen Elizabeth II. Hillary's warrant of appointment features a large blue seal depicting Saint George and the dragon, both of whom also appeared on the earliest insignia of the order. The Order of the Garter was established in 1348. Women gained full eligibility to the order in 1987.

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Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
Photograph by Krzysztof Pfeiffer

Permission of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Mandy Wong, 'Royal honours system - History and overview', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/object/35638/sir-edmund-hillary-warrant-of-appointment-to-order-of-the-garter (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Mandy Wong, published 20 Jun 2012