New members of the Order of Merit announced
Published
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN
The Queen has been pleased to appoint naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, former politician and the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons, Baroness Boothroyd, and military historian Professor Sir Michael Howard to be members of the Order of Merit.
Background
The Order of Merit, founded by 1902 by King Edward VII, is a special mark of honour conferred by the Sovereign on individuals of exceptional distinction in the arts, learning, sciences and other areas. Appointments to the Order are in the Sovereign's personal gift and ministerial advice is not required. There are 24 members of the Order.
The appointments announced today bring the number of members in the Order to 22. Vacancies in the Order were created by the deaths of Lord Porter of Luddenham, Sir George Edwards, Lord Jenkins of Hillhead and Professor Francis Crick.
Members of the Order of Merit in appointment order as at 4 April 2005
Honorary Members
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, O.M. - 1995
Substantive Members
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T., O.M., G.B.E., A.C., Q.S.O., F.R.S. - 1968
The Reverend Professor William Owen Chadwick, O.M., K.B.E., F.B.A. - 1983
Sir Andrew Fielding Huxley, O.M., F.R.S. - 1983
Doctor Frederick Sanger, O.M., C.H., C.B.E., F.R.S. - 1986
Dame Cicely Mary Strode Saunders, O.M., D.B.E., F.R.C.P. - 1989
The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda, Lady Thatcher, L.G., O.M., F.R.S. - 1990
Dame Joan Sutherland, O.M., A.C., D.B.E. - 1991
Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, O.M., F.R.S. - 1992
Lucian Freud, O.M., C.H. - 1993
Sir Aaron Klug, O.M., F.R.S. - 1995
Norman Robert, Lord Foster of Thames Bank, O.M., R.A. - 1997
Sir Denis Eric Rooke, O.M., C.B.E., F.R.S. - 1997
Sir James Whyte Black, O.M., F.R.S. - 2000
Sir Anthony Alfred Caro, O.M., C.B.E. - 2000
Professor Sir Roger Penrose, O.M., F.R.S. - 2000
Sir Thomas Stoppard, O.M., C.B.E. - 2000
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, K.G., K.T., G.C.B., O.M., A.K., Q.S.O., A.D.C. - 2002
Robert McCredie, Lord May of Oxford, O.M., A.C., P.R.S. - 2002
Nathaniel Charles Jacob, Lord Rothschild, O.M., G.B.E. - 2002
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