The ceremony took place in the State Rooms of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Palácio das Necessidades in Lisbon, attended by family and friends. The high decoration was conferred by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with the insignia presented by Professor Paulo Rangel, Minister of State and Foreign Affairs. Among the guests were the Irish and British Ambassadors to Portugal, representing Dr Tannock’s dual nationality.

Dr Tannock was recognised for his long-standing support of Portugal and the global Lusophone community. A fluent Portuguese speaker, he served as Co-President of the Friends of the CPLP (Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries) in the European Parliament, and now acts as Vice President of the Portuguese Civic Association of Slovakia and Consultant to the Portuguese Embassy in Bratislava, where he resides.

A passionate pro-European and critic of Brexit, Dr Tannock served for 20 years as a Member of the European Parliament for London, focusing on foreign affairs and human rights. During his tenure, he was decorated by six foreign governments for his contributions to international relations.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr Tannock reflected on his pride in joining the Order of Prince Henry, whose English lineage symbolises the enduring Treaty of Windsor alliance between Portugal and England. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail reception at the Turf Club in Chiado.