Fra’ Matthew Festing became a member of the Sovereign Order of Malta in 1977, and took solemn religious vows in 1991, becoming a Professed Knight of the Order. Between 1993 and 2008 he was the Grand Prior of England. In this capacity, he has led missions of humanitarian aid to Kosovo, Serbia and Croatia after the recent disturbances in those countries, and he attends the Order's international annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. He was elected Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta on 11 March 2008 by the Council Complete of State of the Order of Malta.
For more information about the Grand Master and about the Order of Malta, please visit the Order's website.