This day in history: April 23, 1348

The most noble Order of the Garter is Britain's oldest and most exclusive military and civilian honor. At any time, the Order includes only the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, and 25 carefully selected knights who have served their country in an exemplary manner, held public office, or served the King or Queen personally.

The order's origins are disputed, as the earliest records of its existence were destroyed by fire. Traditional legend has it that Edward III wanted to bring back the days of Camelot and King Arthur's Round Table. On April 23, 1348, when a lady of the court, traditionally thought to be his future daughter-in-law, Joan of Kent, lost a garter, he saw a perfect opportunity to display his chivalry.

When the lady's garter belt fell to the floor, she was embarrassed by the snickering of the man next to her. The king bravely came to her aid, taking the garter and fashioning it into his own leg. He then admonished his courtiers with a phrase that remains the Order's motto: "Honi soit qui mal y pense" or "Evil in the eyes of evil." The king held a grand banquet and game to celebrate the birth of the Knights, and everyone probably had a great time.

There were many famous Knights of the Garter, but joining such an exclusive club was not always enough to save a man from the executioner's block (36 were beheaded, 6 by Henry VIII), or to get boots. During World War II, the Emperor of Japan and the King of Italy were stripped of their "extra knight" status and their swords and crowns were removed from St. George's Chapel in Windsor.

Winston Churchill declined the honor in 1945. His party had just been voted out of office and he found it "difficult for him to accept the King's order for the garter after the people had given me the order for the boots." Churchill eventually gave in and joined the order in 1953.

For most of its existence, this order was reserved exclusively for nobles, but today Knights of the Garter come from a variety of backgrounds. If a vacancy occurs in a given year, the lucky newcomer will be announced on April 23, the anniversary of St. George's Day and St. George's Day. Every June, the Knights of the Garter gather at Windsor Castle. Any new knights who arrived were sworn in and decorated, and then they all took a break for a hearty lunch. Then they donned stylish blue velvet robes, glittering order badges, black velvet hats and stretchy white feathers worthy of Steven Tyler or a 1970s pimp.

The last woman to be included in the order until recently was Lady Margaret Beaufort, the formidable Tudor matriarch - mother of Henry VII and grandmother of Henry VIII . Even this august figure did not enjoy the full glory of membership. After her death in 1509, the club became a boys' club, with the exception of the reigning monarch and one queen consort, Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII.

The current Queen Elizabeth II decided in 1987 that the time had come for equal rights in the garter order. It's hardly 50/50, but at least they're finally included.

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