Garter Principal King of Arms

Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. The office takes its name from the Order of the Garter. Henry V of England instituted the office of Garter in 1415 just before sailing for France. Garter is responsible to the Earl Marshal for the running of the College. He is the principal adviser to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom with respect to ceremonial and heraldry, with specific responsibility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and, with the exception of Canada, for Commonwealth realms of which The Queen is Sovereign. He also serves as the King of Arms of the Order of the Garter and his seal and signature appear on all grants of arms made by the College.

The current Garter Principal King of Arms is Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones, CVO, MA, (Cambridge), FSA.

Holders of the office

• 1415–1450 William Bruges
• 1450–1478 John Smert
• 1478–1504 John Writhe
• 1505–1534 Sir Thomas Wriothesley
• 1534–1536 Thomas Wall
• 1536–1550 Sir Christopher Barker
• 1550–1584 Sir Gilbert Dethick
• 1584–1586 Vacant
• 1586–1606 Sir William Dethick
• 1607–1633 Sir William Segar
• 1633–1643 Sir John Borough
• 1643–1644 Sir Henry St George
• 1643–1660 Sir Edward Bysshe
• 1645–1677 Sir Edward Walker
• 1677–1686 Sir William Dugdale
• 1686–1703 Sir Thomas St George
• 1703–1715 Sir Henry St George
• 1715–1718 Disputed Gartership
• 1718–1744 John Anstis
• 1744–1754 John Anstis
• 1754–1773 Stephen Martin Leake
• 1773–1774 Sir Charles Townley
• 1774–1780 Thomas Browne
• 1780–1784 Ralph Bigland
• 1784–1822 Sir Isaac Heard
• 1822–1831 Sir George Nayler
• 1831–1838 Sir Ralph Bigland, the Younger
• 1838–1842 Sir William Woods
• 1842–1869 Sir Charles George Young
• 1869–1904 Sir Albert William Woods, GCVO, KCB, KCMG, GCStJ, FSA
• 1904–1918 Sir Alfred Scott Scott-Gatty, KCVO, KStJ, FSA
• 1919–1930 Sir Henry Farnham Burke, KCVO, CB, FSA
• 1930–1944 Sir Gerald Woods Wollaston, KCB, KCVO
• 1944–1950 Sir Algar Henry Stafford Howard, KCB, KCVO, MC, TD
• 1950–1961 Hon. Sir George Rothe Bellew, KCB, KCVO, FSA
• 1961–1978 Sir Anthony Richard Wagner, KCB, KCVO, D.Litt., FSA
• 1978–1992 Sir Alexander Colin Cole, KCB, KCVO, TD, FSA
• 1992–1995 Sir Conrad Marshall John Fisher Swan, KCVO, Ph.D., FSA
• 1995–Present Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones, Esq., CVO, FSA

See also

• The Order of the Garter
• The College of Arms

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