Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order | |
---|---|
Awarded by Charles III | |
Type | Dynastic order |
Established | 21 April 1896 |
Motto | Victoria |
Eligibility | Ubiquitous |
Awarded for | Personal service to the Sovereign |
Status | Currently constituted |
Founder | Victoria |
Sovereign | Charles III |
Grand Master | Anne, Princess Royal |
Chancellor | The Lord Parker of Minsmere |
Grades |
|
Statistics | |
First induction | 1896 |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Dependent on state |
Next (lower) | Dependent on state |
Ribbon of an ordinary member of the order Ribbon of an honorary member of the order |
The Royal Victorian Order (
There is no limit on the number of individuals honoured at any grade.[3] Admission is at the sole discretion of the monarch.[3] Each of the order's five grades represent different levels of service, as does the medal, which has three levels of service. While all those honoured may use the prescribed styles of the order – the top two grades grant titles of knighthood, and all grades accord distinct post-nominal letters – the Royal Victorian Order's precedence amongst other honours differs from realm to realm and admission to some grades may be barred to citizens of those realms by government policy.
History
Prior to the close of the 19th century, most general honours within the
In 1902, King Edward VII created the Royal Victorian Chain "as a personal decoration for royal personages and a few eminent British subjects" and it was the highest class of the Royal Victorian Order.[7] It is today distinct from the order, though it is officially issued by the chancery of the Royal Victorian Order.
The order was open to foreigners from its inception, the Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes and the Mayor of Nice being the first foreigners to receive the honour in 1896.[3]
Composition
The reigning
Thereafter follow those honoured with different grades of the order, divided into five levels: the highest two conferring
Prior to 1984, the grades of Lieutenant and Member were classified as Members (fourth class) and Members (fifth class), respectively, but both with the post-nominals MVO. On 31 December of that year, Queen Elizabeth II declared that those in the grade of Member (fourth class) would henceforth be Lieutenants with the post-nominals LVO.[9]
Grades of the Royal Victorian Order | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grade | Knight Grand Cross | Dame Grand Cross | Knight Commander | Dame Commander | Commander | Lieutenant | Member | Royal Victorian Medal[c] |
Prefix | Sir | Dame | Sir | Dame | — | — | — | — |
Post-nominals | GCVO | KCVO | DCVO | CVO | LVO | MVO | RVM | |
Insignia |
List of officers
The current officers of the Royal Victorian Order are as follows:[10]
- Grand Master: , since 2007
- Chancellor: PC, as Lord Chamberlain, since April 2021
- Secretary: KCVO, as Keeper of the Privy Purse, since 2018
- Registrar: Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave, as Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, since 2019
- Chaplain: The Reverend Canon Thomas Woodhouse, as Chaplain of the King's Chapel of the Savoy, since 2019
Insignia and vestments
Upon admission into the Royal Victorian Order, members are given various insignia. Common for all members is the badge, which is a
The medal bears the effigy and name of the reigning sovereign at the time of its awarding, as well as the phrase DEI • GRATIA • REX (or REGINA) • F.D. (by the grace of God, King (or Queen), Defender of the Faith), and on the reverse is the Royal Cypher upon an ornamental shield within a laurel wreath. Bars may be awarded to each class of medal for further services, and should recipients be awarded a higher level of medal or be appointed to a grade of the order itself, they may continue to wear their original medal along with the new insignia.
The order's ribbon is blue with red-white-red stripe edging, the only difference being that for foreigners appointed into the society, their ribbon bears an additional central white stripe. For Knights Grand Cross, the ribbon is 82.5 millimetres (3.25 in) wide, for Dames Grand Cross 57.1 millimetres (2.25 in), for Knights and Dames Commander 44.4 millimetres (1.75 in), and for all other members 31.7 millimetres (1.25 in).[9]
At formal events, or
Chapel
Since 1938, the chapel of the Royal Victorian Order has been the
The Sovereign and Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the order are allotted stalls in the Savoy chapel's choir, and on the back of each stall is affixed a brass plate displaying the occupant's name, coat of arms, and date of admission into the organisation. Upon the occupant's death, the plate is retained, leaving the stalls festooned with a record of the order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1938. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Royal Victorian Order and of the Grand Master of the Royal Victorian Order as there is insufficient space in the chapel for more knights' and dames' banners or other heraldic devices.
The Chaplain of the King's Chapel of the Savoy is ex officio the Chaplain to the Royal Victorian Order. The current incumbent is Canon Thomas Woodhouse.[11]
Eligibility and appointment
Membership in the Royal Victorian Order is conferred by the monarch without
Foreign members will generally be admitted as honorary members of the Royal Victorian Order when the sovereign is making a state visit to the individual's country or a head of state is paying a state visit to the United Kingdom.[8]
Persons have been removed from the order at the monarch's command. Anthony Blunt, a former Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures, was in 1979 stripped of his knighthood after it was revealed that he had been a spy for the Soviet Union. Also, George Pottinger, a senior civil servant, in 1975 lost his membership in both the Order of the Bath and the Royal Victorian Order when he was jailed for corruptly receiving gifts from the architect John Poulson.[citation needed]
Canadians
As admission to the top two levels of the organisation provides for an honorary prefix, Canadians are not normally appointed to these levels as long as the monarch's Canadian ministry adheres to the Nickle Resolution of 1919.
As it was deemed by the Canadian Cabinet to be an honour within the gift of the monarch,
It was reported in 2008 that some in the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall wished to eliminate the Royal Victorian Order from the Canadian honours system and sometimes contested when a Canadian was appointed; however, no formal changes were ever planned.[1] In Canada, the order has come to be colloquially dubbed as the "Royal Visit Order", as the majority of appointments had been made by the then sovereign during her tours of the country.[1]
Association
The Royal Victorian Order Association of Canada exists for all Canadians appointed to the order or who have received the Royal Victorian Medal; it is the only such organisation in the Commonwealth realms.[14] Founded by Michael Jackson,[15] the group has, since 2008, gathered biennially.[14]
Precedence
As the Royal Victorian Order is open to the citizens of fifteen countries, each with their own system of orders, decorations, and medals, the RVO's place of precedence varies from country to country. Some are as follows:
Country | Preceding | RVO grade | Following | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Order of precedence[* 1]
|
Knight/Dame of the Order of Australia (AK/AD) | Knight/Dame Grand Cross | Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) | |
Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) | Knight/Dame Commander | Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) | ||
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) | Commander | Star of Gallantry (SG) | ||
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) | Lieutenant | Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) | ||
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) | Member | Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) | ||
Australian Antarctic Medal (AAM) | Medal | Commendation for Gallantry | ||
Order of precedence[* 2]
|
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM) | Commander | Officer of the Order of Military Merit (OMM) | |
Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (OOM) | Lieutenant | Member of the Order of Military Merit (MMM) | ||
Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (MOM) | Member | Venerable Order of Saint John (GC/K/D/C/O/M/SB/SSStJ)
| ||
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) | Medal | Sacrifice Medal | ||
Order of precedence
|
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) | Knight/Dame Grand Cross | Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) | |
Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG/DCMG) | Knight/Dame Commander | Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE) | ||
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) | Commander | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | ||
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) | Lieutenant | Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO) | ||
Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO) | Member | Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) | ||
New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM) | Medal | Queen's Service Medal (QSM) | ||
United Kingdom | England and Wales Order of precedence |
Knight/Dame Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) | Knight/Dame Grand Cross | Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) |
Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE/DCIE) | Knight/Dame Commander | Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE) | ||
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) | Commander | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | ||
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) | Lieutenant | Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) | ||
Eldest son of Knight Bachelor | Member | Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) | ||
Scotland Order of precedence |
Knight/Dame Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) | Knight/Dame Grand Cross | Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) | |
Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE/DCIE) | Knight/Dame Commander | Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE) | ||
Sheriffs | Commander | Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) | ||
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | Lieutenant | Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) | ||
Eldest son of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Member | Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) | ||
Northern Ireland Order of precedence |
Knight/Dame Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) | Knight/Dame Grand Cross | Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) | |
Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE/DCIE) | Knight/Dame Commander | Knight/Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE) | ||
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) | Commander | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | ||
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) | Lieutenant | Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) | ||
Eldest son of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Member | Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) | ||
|
In the United Kingdom, the wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of Dames, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives.
Current knights and dames grand cross
- Sovereign: King Charles III
- Grand Master: , appointed Dame Grand Cross in 1974; Grand Master since 2007.
- Knights and Dames Grand Cross
Name | Post-nominals | Known for | Year appointed |
---|---|---|---|
The Duke of Kent | Royal family | 1960 | |
Princess Alexandra | GCVO CD |
Royal family | 1960 |
The Duke of Gloucester | GCStJ SSI |
Royal family | 1974 |
The Duchess of Kent | GCVO |
Royal family | 1977 |
The Duchess of Gloucester | DStJ CD |
Royal family | 1989 |
Sir William Heseltine | QSO |
Principal Private Secretary to the Sovereign | 1990 |
Sir Brian Fall | KCMG |
Diplomat | 1994 |
The Lord Fellowes | PC |
Principal Private Secretary to the Sovereign | 1996 |
Major General Sir Simon Cooper | GCVO |
Master of the Household | 2000[16] |
The Lord Luce | DL |
Lord Chamberlain | 2000 |
Vice Admiral The Lord Sterling of Plaistow | CBE |
Chairman of the Golden Jubilee Weekend Trust | 2002 |
Prince Michael of Kent | KStJ CD |
Royal family | 2003 |
Sir John Holmes | CMG |
Diplomat | 2004 |
Sir Peter Torry | KCMG |
Diplomat | 2004 |
The Earl Peel | DL |
Lord Chamberlain | 2006 |
The Lord Janvrin | PC |
Principal Private Secretary to the Sovereign | 2007[17] |
Sir Donald McKinnon | GCVO |
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | 2009[18] |
The Duchess of Edinburgh | GCStJ CD |
Royal family | 2010[19] |
Sir Hugh Roberts | CBE |
Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art | 2010[20] |
The Duke of York | GCVO CD |
Royal family | 2011[21] |
The Duke of Edinburgh | Royal family | 2011[22] | |
Sir Michael Peat | GCVO |
Principal Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales | 2011[23] |
The Queen | PC |
Royal family | 2012[24] |
Sir Alan Reid | GCVO |
Keeper of the Privy Purse | 2012 |
The Lady Hussey of North Bradley | GCVO |
Woman of the Bedchamber | 2013 |
Dame Mary Morrison | GCVO |
Woman of the Bedchamber | 2013 |
The Lord Ricketts |
GCVO |
Diplomat | 2014 |
The Lord Geidt | PC |
Principal Private Secretary to the Sovereign | 2017 |
Sir Stephen Lamport | DL |
Receiver-General of Westminster Abbey | 2018 |
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford | GCVO |
Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain's Office | 2018 |
The Princess of Wales | GCVO |
Royal family | 2019[25] |
Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank | DL |
Gold Stick-in-Waiting | 2019[26] |
The Lord Chartres | FSA |
Dean of the Chapels Royal | 2019[27] |
The Lord Parker of Minsmere | PC |
Lord Chamberlain | 2021 |
The Duke of Norfolk | DL |
Earl Marshal | 2022 |
The Marquess of Cholmondeley | DL |
Lord Great Chamberlain | 2023 |
The Earl of Dalhousie | DL |
Lord Steward | 2023 |
The Lord Young of Old Windsor | PC |
Principal Private Secretary to the Sovereign | 2023 |
David Conner | GCVO |
Dean of Windsor | 2023 |
Justin Welby | PC |
Archbishop of Canterbury | 2024 |
- Honorary Knights and Dames Grand Cross
Name | Post-nominals | Known for | Year appointed |
---|---|---|---|
Crown Prince Akihito (later Emperor Akihito) | GCVO |
Former Emperor of Japan | 1953 |
Prince Harald (later King Harald V) |
GCVO |
King of Norway | 1955[28] |
Princess Beatrix (later Queen Beatrix) | GCVO |
Former Queen of the Netherlands | 1958 |
Prince Mengesha Seyoum | GCVO |
Prince of Ethiopia | 1965 |
Albert, Prince of Liège (later King Albert II) | GCVO |
Former King of the Belgians | 1966[29] |
Hereditary Grand Duke Henri (later Grand Duke Henri) | GCVO |
Grand Duke of Luxembourg | 1976 |
Crown Prince Mohammed (later King Mohammed VI) | GCVO |
King of Morocco | 1980 |
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco | GCVO |
Princess of Morocco | 1980 |
Cecilia Kadzamira | GCVO |
Former Official Hostess of Malawi | 1985 |
Princess Lalla Asma of Morocco | GCVO |
Princess of Morocco | 1987 |
Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco | GCVO |
Prince of Morocco | 1987 |
Felipe, Prince of Asturias (later King Felipe VI) |
GCVO |
King of Spain | 1988[30] |
Khaled Al-Duwaisan | KCMG |
Kuwaiti Diplomat | 1995[31] |
Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn (later King Rama X) | GCVO |
King of Thailand | 1996 |
Princess Sirindhorn | GCVO |
Princess of Thailand | 1996 |
Princess Chulabhorn | GCVO |
Princess of Thailand | 1996 |
Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah | GCVO |
Crown Prince of Brunei |
1998 |
Emeka Anyaoku | GCVO |
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | 2000 |
Haitham bin Tariq | GCVO |
Sultan of Oman | 2010 |
Kamalesh Sharma | GCVO |
Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | 2016 |
- Honorary Knights and Dames Commander
Name | Post-Nominals | Known for | Year Appointed |
---|---|---|---|
Prince Abdullah (later King Abdullah II) | KCVO |
King of Jordan | 1984 |
Teuku Mohammad Hamzah Thayeb | KCVO |
Indonesian diplomat | 2012 |
Lim Sung-nam | KCVO |
South Korean diplomat | 2013 |
Bernard Émié | KCVO |
French diplomat | 2014 |
Foo Chi Hsia | DCVO |
Singaporean diplomat | 2014 |
Diego Gómez Pickering | KCVO |
Mexican diplomat | 2015 |
See also
- List of knights grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Victoria
- List of knights commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Victoria
- List of knights grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Edward VII
- List of knights commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Edward VII
- List of knights grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by George V
- List of knights commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by George V
- List of knights and dames of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Edward VIII
- List of knights and dames grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by George VI
- List of knights and dames commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by George VI
- List of knights and dames grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (1952–1977)
- List of knights and dames grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (1978–2002)
- List of knights and dames grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (2003–2022)
- List of knights and dames commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (1952–1977)
- List of knights and dames commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (1978–2002)
- List of knights and dames commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Elizabeth II (2003–2022)
- List of knights and dames grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Charles III
- List of knights and dames commander of the Royal Victorian Order appointed by Charles III
- Royal Victorian Chain
- Royal Victorian Medal
- List of people who have declined a British honour
Notes
- ^ For use in Canada, in accordance with the country's policy of official bilingualism.
- Accession Day.
- ^ The Royal Victorian Medal does not make a person a member of the Order, but the award is associated with the Order.
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f Dundas, Charles (2008). "The Royal Victorian Order Conundrum" (PDF). Canadian Monarchist News. Vol. Spring 2008, no. 28. Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ^ "Irene White Appointed to Royal Victorian Order" (Press release). Queen's Printer for Saskatchewan. 27 June 1995. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Royal Household. "The Queen and the UK > Queen and Honours > Royal Victorian Order". royal.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 19 July 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ^ "Select Committee on Public Administration Fifth Report". Queen's Printer. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2006.
- ^ "No. 26733". The London Gazette. 24 April 1896. p. 2455.
- ^ a b c d Office of the Governor General of Canada. "Honours > National Orders > Royal Victorian Order". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 9 October 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c d e f "People > Honours > Orders of Chivalry > Royal Victorian Order". Debrett's Limited. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Royal Victorian Order". Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
- ^ "Royal Victorian Order". The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "The Royal Victorian Order". Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ McCreery 2008, p. 42.
- ^ a b McCreery 2008, p. 43.
- ^ a b Office of the Governor General of Canada (11 September 2012). "Third Biennial Gathering of the Royal Victorian Order Association of Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ^ "Photos & Video: Royal visit to Ottawa". Ottawa Citizen. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ^ "No. 55939". The London Gazette. 11 August 2000. p. 8923.
- ^ "No. 58465". The London Gazette. 28 September 2007. p. 14061.
- ^ "No. 59001". The London Gazette. 9 March 2009. p. 4181.
- ^ "No. 59312". The London Gazette. 20 January 2010. p. 831.
- ^ "No. 59407". The London Gazette. 30 April 2010. p. 7849.
- ^ "No. 59705". The London Gazette. 21 February 2011. p. 3089.
- ^ "No. 59724". The London Gazette. 11 March 2011. p. 4555.
- ^ "No. 59945". The London Gazette. 21 October 2011. p. 20159.
- ^ "No. 60112". The London Gazette. 10 April 2012. p. 6929.
- ^ "The Duchess of Cambridge appointed to the Royal Victorian Order". The Royal Family. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Court Circular, 7 June 2019.
- ^ "July 11 Court Circular". The Times. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- HELLO!Online. 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ Harvey, Anthony (9 April 2002). "Queen Mother's State Funeral". Getty Images. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ Martínez-Fornés, Almudena (28 April 2011). "La Reina llevará toccado y la Princesa pamela" (in Spanish). abc.es. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
- ^ Binyon, Michael (2014). "A Distinguished Gentleman". Diplomat Magazine. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
Sources
- ISBN 978-1-55002-742-6.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-9528527-0-5.
- ISBN 978-1907427763.
- Weatherly, Cecil Octavius (1911). Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 851–867, see page 856.
The United Kingdom has eight orders of knighthood....
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External links
- Orders and Medals (cabinetoffice.gov.uk)