Sir James MacMillan, the internationally acclaimed Scottish composer and one of Britain’s most prominent Catholic public figures, has been appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle, Scotland’s highest honour.

The appointment was announced by Buckingham Palace on June 7. Membership of the Order of the Thistle is a personal gift of the Sovereign and is limited to just 16 Knights and Ladies, in addition to members of the Royal Family. Founded in its present form by King James VII in 1687, it is regarded as Scotland’s highest order of chivalry and ranks second only to the Order of the Garter in the British honours system.

“It was a huge surprise when I was contacted about this and I am honoured to be appointed to the Order of the Thistle," Sir James told the Catholic Herald. "I’m not sure whether someone from the arts has been selected before and I see this as a recognition of the pivotal place of music in the cultural life of Scotland.”

Born in Ayrshire in 1959, MacMillan is widely regarded as one of the leading composers of his generation. His works have been performed by major orchestras and choirs around the world, while his deeply Catholic faith has long informed both his sacred and secular compositions. He composed the anthem “Who Shall Separate Us?” for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in 2022 and previously wrote music for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s state visit to the United Kingdom in 2010. Earlier this year he was awarded the King’s Medal for Music in recognition of his contribution to musical life in the United Kingdom.

The honour comes during a year of particular recognition for the composer within the life of the Church. In March, the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome awarded MacMillan an honorary doctorate in Sacred Music, recognising his contribution to contemporary Catholic culture and liturgical music. During the ceremony he delivered a lecture entitled Silence Listening to Silence, reflecting on the relationship between faith, contemplation and musical creativity.

Earlier this year, MacMillan’s composition Angels Unawares received its world premiere in the Sistine Chapel. The work, inspired by the Church’s teaching on migrants and refugees, was performed in one of the most symbolically significant venues in Catholic sacred music and formed part of a wider programme celebrating contemporary sacred composition.

Throughout his career MacMillan has been one of the most influential advocates for sacred music in the Catholic tradition. His catalogue includes major liturgical works such as The Seven Last Words from the Cross, St John Passion and numerous Mass settings performed throughout the world. In 2014 he also founded the Cumnock Tryst, a music festival based in his native Ayrshire that has become one of Scotland’s most distinctive celebrations of classical and sacred music.

Beyond music, he has frequently intervened in public debates concerning faith, culture and Scottish society. His 1999 lecture, later known as the “Scotland’s Shame” speech, sparked national discussion by criticising anti-Catholic prejudice and sectarianism in Scotland.

The Order of the Thistle traditionally gathers during Royal Week in Edinburgh, with installation services taking place in the Thistle Chapel of St Giles’ Cathedral. New Knights are ordinarily installed at a service attended by the Sovereign, although the date of Sir James’s formal installation has yet to be announced.

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