The Chancellor of the University of Warwick, the Right Honourable Baroness Ashton of Upholland GCMG, has been appointed to the Most Noble Order of the Garter by His Majesty The King.

Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland, is a former Government Minister and European Union diplomat, who served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Education and the Ministry of Justice between 1999 and 2007 and was installed as Chancellor at the University of Warwick in November 2016.

Catherine Ashton has served as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council; British European Commissioner and Commissioner for Trade in the European Commission; Vice-President of the European Commission. As the European Union’s first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, she contributed towards negotiating a peace settlement between Serbia and Kosovo and the historic Iran Nuclear deal in 2015.

Baroness Ashton was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to international diplomacy.

Professor Stuart Croft commented: “This is a very fitting honour for our Chancellor given the years of service and dedication Catherine has given. We are thrilled by this wonderful news”.

The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain.