Tony Blair’s knighthood means he is no longer persona non garter

Arise, Sir Tony – much to the surprise of John Rentoul, who wrote a book about him

‘I’ve got one too’ (AFP/Getty)

I may be his biographer, but Tony Blair still has the ability to surprise me. I didn’t think he would become a Roman Catholic, which he did soon after he stepped down as prime minister, and I didn’t think he would take a knighthood.

He has always been of an anti-establishment cast of mind. When he was asked, shortly before he left Downing Street, if he would be going to the House of Lords, he said: “No, it is not my scene.”

Yet here he is, nearly 15 years later, describing his appointment as Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter as an “immense honour” for which he is “deeply grateful to Her Majesty the Queen”. This is no ordinary knighthood, either, but a top bauble, in the personal gift of the monarch and therefore higher even than the new year honours list of “High Awards” published by the Cabinet Office.

The other reason it is surprising, though, is that there has been some friction between Blair and the royal family over the years. Despite Blair coming to the Firm’s rescue after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales; despite his frank admission that he sought to emulate Benjamin Disraeli in his campaign of royal flattery; despite the Queen’s coded endorsement of New Labour in late 1997 (“I believe that there is an air of confidence in this country of ours just now”); despite all that, there was a coolness in the relationship after Blair left office.

I have speculated before about the possible reasons for Blair and Gordon Brown not being invited to William and Kate’s wedding in 2011. They included Blair quoting the Queen in his memoir, and recounting a conversation with William, aged 15, in the days after Diana’s death; the ban on hunting; the expulsion of most of the hereditary peers from parliament; and Brown’s cancellation of the royal yacht.

But the reason given was that Blair was not a member of the Order of the Garter (nor was Brown signed up to the Order of the Thistle, the Scottish equivalent), whereas Margaret Thatcher and John Major were.

So at least Blair – I mean, Sir Tony – will be invited to the next royal wedding. I don’t know why he should want to be. He is as much a contradiction as Clement Attlee, I suppose. Attlee’s humble man-of-the-people image was belied by his glee in picking up not just a garter, but a companionship of honour, an order of merit and an hereditary earldom.

If the Queen were to offer Sir Tony an earldom, and he were to accept, then I really would be surprised.

Yours,

John Rentoul

Chief political commentator