James MacMillan appointed to Order of the Thistle
Royal Communications has announced that composer and conductor James MacMillan is appointed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.
His Majesty King Charles III has been graciously pleased to appoint James MacMillan to the Order of the Thistle, as announced on 7 June by Royal Communications. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle represents the highest honour in Scotland. Revived by King James VII, the Order has a complement of 16 Knights and Ladies (KT).
Background
The King is the Sovereign of the Order, and appointments to the Order of the Thistle are entirely in the personal gift of The King (i.e. without Prime Ministerial advice).
In addition to the 16 Knights and Ladies, The Queen, The Princess Royal, The Duke of Rothesay (the Scottish title of The Prince of Wales) and The Duke of Edinburgh are Royal Knights of the Thistle.
In 1987, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II decided that women should be eligible for the Thistle in the same way as men.
The new appointment is effective from 21 May 2026.
About Sir James MacMillan CBE
Born and raised in Ayrshire, James MacMillan is one of today’s most performed composers, with his work performed all over the world by the great international orchestras, ensembles, choirs, soloists and conductors. He is also a conductor with an international performing career.
He has long been committed to the musical life of Scotland and has close relationships with all the major music organisations in his home country. He maintains an academic career as a Visiting Professor at the University of St Andrews and at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The annual award-winning Cumnock Tryst festival was founded by the composer in 2014 in his childhood town in East Ayrshire.
James MacMillan was awarded a Knighthood in the 2015 Queen's Birthday honours and his anthem Who Shall Separate Us? was commissioned for the 2022 funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal Communications announced on 3 March 2026 that His Majesty has approved the award of The King’s Gold Medal for Music to him. Presently MacMillan has roles as composer-in-residence with both the Dresden Philharmonic and Hallé Orchestras. His recent work Angels Unawares was premiered in the Sistine Chapel, Rome in March.
Contact
Royal Communications: 020 7930 4832
Photo: James Bellorini