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.
