On the morning of Tuesday, 13th February I was delighted to attend an investiture ceremony in the Grand Reception Room at Windsor Castle for the investing of the knighthood which I received last summer at the time of The King’s Birthday Honours list.
An investiture is a formal ceremonial event marking someone’s honour, usually held within a year after one receives it, and such ceremonies have been a British tradition for many years.
I was knighted by Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne The Princess Royal.
I received the honour of a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for political and public service, having held 8 ministerial positions and ten governmental roles serving under four Prime Ministers over the past ten years, and having been appointed to Cabinet on three separate occasions. In 2012 and again in 2022 I was also in charge of the arrangements for the Gift from both Houses of Parliament for the late Queen’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilees, which was an enormous privilege.
(Photo: Sir Michael Ellis MP at Windsor Castle after being knighted by Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne, The Princess Royal