London, October 2011. The Grand Master of the Constantinian Order of St George, HRH Prince Carlo of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, presided over a Royal Investiture of news knights, dames and medallists of the British and Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
Before the investiture ceremony commenced, Holy Mass was celebrated in Latin by the Grand Prior of the Constantinian Order, His Eminence Renato Raffaele, Cardinal Martino, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Councils of Justice and Peace and for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants. The Delegation Sub-Prior, His Grace The Most Reverend George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff con-celebrated with the Cardinal.
Knights and Dames of the Order entered in formal procession headed the Grand Master and his wife, HRH Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, who were followed by the Delegate for Great Britain and Ireland, HE Mr Anthony Bailey and the Vice-Delegate for Ireland, Professor Richard Conroy.
The Procession was preceded by the Mace Bearer of Westminster Cathedral Mr Albert Denehan and the flags of Great Britain and Ireland, the banner of the Delegation and the Royal Standard.
Over 500 guests attended the ceremony including over sixty knights, dames and medallists. Among them were Rory More O’Ferrall, Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC, Sir David and Lady Durie, Mr John Kennedy, Kevin Grant, Dr Daniel McCartney, Dr Colin Smythe, Mr Norman Gooding (Master of Ceremonies), Sir Michael Craig-Cooper, Jim Dobbin, MP, Cyril and Lorna Woods of Slane, The Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury, Brigadier Tom Ogilvie-Graham, Don Riccardo Tomacelli Filomarino, the Hon Alexander Brennan, HE Donal Lydon, Don Cristoforo Rocco di Torrepadula, Lady Sternberg, Lord and Lady Brennan of Bibury, Mr Timothy George, Gerard Lawler, The Hon Patrick Brennan, Dr Sorca Conroy, Professor John Ryan and Cllr John Turley.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Nigel Evans, MP, attended as part of a wider group of members of the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Among the Order’s dignitaries were: HE Count Andrzej Ciechanowiecki – Delegate for the Republic of Poland, HE Dr Paulus van Hanswijck de Jonge – Delegate for the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Dr Gunnar Riebs – Vice Delegate for the Kingdom of Belgium, Nobile Doctor Antonio di Janni – Vice Delegate for Sicily and Professor Giovanni Bonanno of the Delegation of Sicily.
The Delegation was also attended by the Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Charge d’affaires of over forty nations including Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ecuador, Japan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, the United States of America and Zambia.
The Grand Master decreed, invested or promoted into the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George:
Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice
His Highness Duke Georg von Hohenberg, GCPO, KM, (Promotion), Head of the Ducal House of Hohenberg and former Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Holy See,
Dame Grand Cross of Justice
Her Highness Duchess Eleonore von Hohenberg, (Promotion)
Knight Grand Cross of Justice
His Serene Highness Prince Peter von Hohenberg, KCSG, KM,
Dame Grand Cross of Justice
Her Serene Highness Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg, Mrs Anthony Bailey,
Knight Grand Cross of Merit with Gold Star
His Excellency Mr John Bruton, former Taoiseach of Ireland,
Ecclesiastical Knight Grand Cross of Grace
His Grace The Most Reverend George Stack, Archbishop of Cardiff, (promotion)
Ecclesiastical Knight of Grace
The Reverend Canon Christopher Tuckwell, Administrator of Westminster Cathedral,
Knight Commander of Merit with Star
His Honour Judge Patrick Clyne, KM, (Promotion), HE Mr Alexander Nixon,
Knight Commander of Merit
His Excellency Mr Donal Downes, KC*SG, (Promotion), Dr Daniel McCarthy, TD, (Promotion), Colonel Alan Roberts, OBE, TD, JP, DL,
Knight of Merit with Star
Mr Niranjan de Silva Deva-Aditya, DL, MEP, Mr John Graeme Igoe, KM, Chancellor of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Promotion) and Professor Vincent McBrierty, KC*SG.
Dame of Merit with Star
Mrs Teresa Downes (Promotion)
Knight of Merit
Mr Michael Barry, KM, Professor Trond Beravale, The Honourable Daniel Brennan, Mr Joseph Byllam-Barnes, Mr Adrian de Redman, KM, Mr John McIntosh, OBE, Mr D’Arcy Myers, Dr David O’Connell, KM, Mr Joseph O’Connor (promotion), KM, Mr Bernard O’Reilly, Dr Nicola Pedroni, Mr Andrew Rogers, Professor John Ryan (Promotion)
Dame of Merit
Miss Anne Hodson-Pressinger, Mrs Maureen Jones, Dr Jordan Lancaster, Professor Sarah Rogers,
Silver Benemerenti Medal
His Excellency Ambassador Lachezar Matev (Promotion), Captain Paul Champness, TD, Mr Murray Craig.
Bronze Benemerenti Medal
Mr Michael Clarke, Mr Noam Tamir.
The Grand Master decreed, invested or promoted into the Royal Order of Francis I:
Knight Grand Cross
His Eminence Archbishop Athanasius Toma Dawod of the Syrian Orthodox Church, His Honour Sir Gavyn Arthur, former Lord Mayor of London (Promotion),
Dame Grand Cross
Her Royal Highness The Princess Elena of Romania Mrs Alexander Nixon,
Knight Commander
The Lord Brennan of Bibury, KCSG, QC, Delegate Emeritus (Promotion), Sir Ewan Harper, CBE, The Lord Lingfield, Kt, KStJ, DL, Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.
Dame Commander
The Baroness Cox of Queensbury
Knight First Class
Mr Joseph Gaggero, CBE, Mr John-Barry Noble, The Reverend Deacon Meliton Richard Oakes, Mr Albert Roux, OBE, Professor Michael Sternberg, QC, (Promotion), Mr Vivian Wineman, President of the Board of British Jews.
Dame First Class
Mrs Joyce Parsons.