The King has announced that Lord Patten of Barnes has been appointed Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Lord Patten is a former Conservative MP who also served as governor of Hong Kong from 1992 until the handover to China in 1997.

Former European Union diplomat Baroness Ashton of Upholland has been appointed to be a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter

Former Labour minister and European Union diplomat Baroness Ashton of Upholland was appointed Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

The announcements for the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in the country are made on St George’s Day, the patron saint of the order.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to appoint the Right Honourable the Baroness Ashton of Upholland GCMG to be a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Right Honourable the Lord Patten of Barnes CH to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.”

The appointment is in “the King’s gift” and is in the same category as the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order, the statement added.

According to the royal website, The Order includes The King, who is Sovereign of the Garter, several senior members of the royal family and 24 knights chosen in recognition of their work.

It states: “Knights of the Garter are chosen personally by the Sovereign to honour those who have held public office, who have contributed in a particular way to national life or who have served the Sovereign personally.

These have included Marshal of the RAF, Lord Stirrup, and former prime ministers Sir John Major and Sir Winston Churchill.”