With the consent of his Excellency the President of Malta, and the active intercession of the hon. Emeritius Justice Prof. J.J. Cremona, The Grand Master Fra' Andrew Bertie actively accepted the Committee's acceptance to become Patron in 2004.

Roma - Il Gran Maestro dell’Ordine di Malta, Fra’ Andrew Bertie, 
riceve il Presidente della Repubblica di Malta, S. E. Edward Fenech Adami (2004)

His Most Eminent Highness Fra Andrew Willoughby Ninian Bertie was elected 78th Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, Most Humble Guardian of the Poor of Jesus Christ (to give him his full style) at a Council Complete of State held in Rome on 8th April 1988.

Fra Andrew succeeded the late Fra Angelo de Mojana, the distinguished Milanese nobleman who had served the Order as Grand Master since 1962 and accomplished a great deal of modernization to its organization.

Although it is sovereign the Order of Malta is also a religious order of the Catholic Church and so this election needed the approval of His Holiness the Pope, which was obtained on the 11th April following. By tradition, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta takes precedence in the Roman Catholic hierarchy immediately following the most junior Cardinal of the Church.

The Council Complete of State of the Order of Malta, whose sole function is the election of the Grand Master, is composed of the Grand Priors and representatives of the Grand Priories, professed Regents of Sub-Priories, professed Bailiffs of the Order, professed members of the Sovereign Council and twelve representatives of the forty three National Associations of the Order throughout the world.

Assisted by various officers, the Grand Master oversees the numerous international charitable activities of the Order, which now has observer status at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.