Among four new Companions to the Order of the Garter, British Indian medical expert Lord Ajay Kakkar KBE has been appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by King Charles III.
In an announcement from Buckingham Palace in London this week, the monarch conferred a range of personal honours – including for members of his family.
“The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. Each year, it is celebrated with a procession and service in the grounds of Windsor Castle,” the palace said.
“The appointment of the Knights and Ladies of the Garter is in The King’s gift (ie without prime ministerial advice). Appointments to the Order of the Garter are therefore in the same category as the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order which are also in the King’s gift,” it said.
Lord Kakkar’s royal citation reads…
Ajay Kumar Kakkar, Baron Kakkar of Loxbeare, studied medicine at King’s College London before receiving his PhD from Imperial College London, and has focused his medical career on the prevention and treatment of venous and arterial thromboembolic disease, and cancer associated thrombosis.
Lord Kakkar was elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1992, and was latterly a Consultant Surgeon and Professor of Surgery (now Emeritus) at University College London.
Lord Kakkar is President of the Thrombosis Research Institute, Chairman of King’s Health Partners and Chairman of The King’s Fund, a charitable healthcare organisation of which His Majesty, when Prince of Wales, served as President. He is also Chairman of the Royal Commission for the 1851 Great Exhibition and of UK Biobank.
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Between 2013 and 2018 Lord Kakkar served as Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and between 2016 and 2022 of the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Lord Kakkar has been Chancellor of the University of Lincoln since 2023. In the 2022 New Year Honours, Lord Kakkar was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to healthcare and for public service.
Others now appointed to the Order include:
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, GCVO, DStJ, CD, to be a Royal Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Air Chief Marshal the Lord Peach, GBE, KCB, DL, to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
The Lord Lloyd-Webber, to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
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Besides, His Majesty The King has appointed William, the Prince of Wales, to be Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath.
Her Majesty The Queen, Camilla, becomes Grand Master and First or Principal Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, becomes Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour.