Scottish Royal Appointments
King Appoints Engineer and Composer to Scotland's Highest Honour, the Order of the Thistle
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King Charles III has appointed composer Sir James MacMillan and engineer Professor Sir Jim McDonald to the Order of the Thistle, Scotland's highest honour, The National reported on June 7. The King makes these appointments as a personal gift, acting entirely without government advice — one of the few honours that works this way.
At the same time, Baroness Katherine Grainger — Britain's most decorated female rower — was named Usher of the Green Rod, an officer role within the Order. The appointments bring the Order's knights and ladies to its maximum of 16 members, The Herald reported.
Scotland's Oldest Honour and How It Works
The Order of the Thistle is the second-highest honour in the UK, after the Order of the Garter. It was formally founded in 1687 by King James VII. Only 16 knights and ladies can hold the rank at any one time, according to Britannica. Current members include the Queen, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Rothesay, and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Unlike standard honours — which go through government committees — the Order of the Thistle is given at the King's sole discretion. The formal installation ceremony is expected to take place at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh during the King's annual Royal Week in July, The National reported.
Who Are the Two New Knights of the Thistle
Sir James MacMillan is an Ayrshire-born composer and conductor. His percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel has received more than 500 international performances, according to VoxCarnyx. He also wrote the anthem Who Shall Separate Us?, performed at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. Earlier in 2026, the King awarded him the King's Medal for Music.
Professor Sir Jim McDonald is a Glasgow-born electrical engineer. He led the University of Strathclyde as Principal from 2009 to 2025. He was also the first Scot to serve as President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a post he held from 2019 to 2024. The King appointed him Knight Grand Cross in 2024, according to the University of Strathclyde.
Baroness Grainger Becomes First Female Green Rod
Baroness Katherine Grainger's new role as Usher of the Green Rod is a purely ceremonial post. She assists during Order processions and the biennial Thistle Service. The role was established in 1687 but has historically been held by military men or heraldic officials. Grainger is the first woman to hold it, The National reported.
Grainger won five Olympic rowing medals across five Games, making her Britain's most decorated female Olympian. She was granted a life peerage in April 2026, becoming Baroness Grainger of Glasgow. She currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, according to Wikipedia.
Praise and Protest Greet the Announcement
Supporters say the picks show the Order moving beyond traditional peerage toward rewarding national excellence in science and culture. Sir James MacMillan's elevation is seen as a boost for Scottish arts at a time when cultural funding faces heavy pressure, according to VoxCarnyx.
Critics, including the group Republic Edinburgh, have called the ceremony "overpriced Game of Thrones cosplay" and argue that lavish royal honours are tone-deaf during a cost-of-living crisis. Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie has called the Order an "outdated institution," The Guardian reported. Around 50% of Scots support the monarchy, according to 2024 polling cited by anti-monarchy groups.
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