Royal Victorian Chain

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Royal Victorian Chain
Ribbon bar

The Royal Victorian Chain is a decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Order,[1] with which it is often associated but not officially related. Originally reserved for members of the royal family, the chain is a distinct award conferred only upon the highest dignitaries, including foreign monarchs, heads of state, and high-ranking individuals such as the Archbishop of Canterbury.[2]

History

The Royal Victorian Chain was created by King Edward VII in 1902, six years after his mother created the Royal Victorian Order. The Royal Victorian Chain ranks above all decorations of the Royal Victorian Order, but it is not officially part of the Order. Edward created it to honour his mother "as a personal decoration for Sovereigns, Princes, and other Royal personages, and also for a few eminent British subjects." It was first recorded as a new decoration in August 1902, when it was reported that Frederick Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, was received in private audience to receive the Royal Victorian Chain, following the coronation of the King two days earlier.[3] The first recipients included the King's son George, Prince of Wales (later George V) and the King's brother Prince Arthur.[4]

Design

King George V wearing the Royal Victorian Chain in 1923

The chain is in gold, decorated with motifs of

riband in the form of bow (blue with red-white-red edges) on the left shoulder by women. However, the Queen's sister, the late Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
, in later life chose to wear her chain around the collar, as male recipients do.

The badge is a gold, white enamelled

Maltese Cross; the oval-shaped central medallion depicts Victoria's royal and imperial cypher
—VRI (Victoria Regina Imperatrix)—on a red background, surrounded by a crown-surmounted blue ring bearing the word Victoria. Both the crown and Queen Victoria's cypher are studded with diamonds.

Eligibility and allocation

The Royal Victorian Chain does not confer upon its recipients any

postnominal letters, nor does it give precedence
within any Commonwealth honours system. However, it represents a personal token of high distinction and esteem from the monarch. The chain can be conferred upon men and women of any nationality.

It has normally served as the senior award for

federal Cabinet policy. Only two Canadians have thus far been conferred with the chain: Vincent Massey and Roland Michener, both former governors general.[5]

The Royal Victorian Chain is invariably granted to holders of the office of Archbishop of Canterbury, often just after their retirement.[6] The only holders of that title not to receive the decoration since its inception are William Temple, who died in office, and Justin Welby, who is still in office.

The Royal Victorian Chain must be returned on the death of the recipient.[7]

List of living recipients of the Royal Victorian Chain

Name Known for Year of conferral Current age
Denmark Margrethe II Former Queen of Denmark 1974[8] 84
Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf King of Sweden 1975[8] 77
Netherlands Beatrix Former Queen of the Netherlands 1982[8] 86
Portugal António Ramalho Eanes Former President of Portugal 1985[8] 89
Spain Juan Carlos I Former King of Spain 1986[8] 86
Norway Harald V King of Norway 1994 87
United Kingdom The Lord Carey of Clifton Former Archbishop of Canterbury 2002[9] 88
United Kingdom The Lord Williams of Oystermouth Former Archbishop of Canterbury 2012[10] 73
United Kingdom The Earl Peel Former Lord Chamberlain 2021[11] 76

See also

References

  1. ^ "Birthday Honours – A Long List – Five New Peers – Many Baronets And Knights". The Times. 4 June 1917. p. 9. An interesting honour is that awarded to Lord Rosebery, upon whom the King has conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, the highest class of the Royal Victorian Order.
  2. ISBN 9780747805809
    .
  3. ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36844. London. 12 August 1902. p. 8.
  4. ^ "Honour for Archbishop of York: Royal Victorian Chain". The Times. 2 May 1923. p. 13. The Royal Victorian Chain ranks above all the five classes of the Royal Victorian Order, with which it is generally associated, but of which it does not form a part.
  5. ISBN 1-55002-554-6
    .
  6. ^ "Annex 1". parliament.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  7. ISBN 978-1-55002-742-6
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 9780850212204
    .
  9. ^ "No. 56749". The London Gazette. 12 November 2002. p. 1.
  10. ^ "No. 60392". The London Gazette. 15 January 2013. p. 1.
  11. ^ "No. 63322". The London Gazette. 15 April 2021. p. 7050.

External links

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