Royal Victorian Order - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Dame Grand Cross of The Royal Victorian Order) "RVO" redirects here. For other uses, see RVO (disambiguation). "LVO" redirects here. For the large countable ordinal, see Large Veblen ordinal. British order of chivalry established in 1896

Royal Victorian Order
Breast star of Knights/Dames Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Awarded by Charles III
Type	Dynastic order
Established	21 April 1896
Motto	Victoria
Awarded for	Personal service to the Sovereign
Status	Currently constituted
Founder	Victoria
Sovereign	Charles III
Grand Master	Anne, Princess Royal
Chancellor	Richard Benyon, Baron Benyon
Grades	Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCVO) Knight/Dame Commander (KCVO/DCVO) Commander (CVO) Lieutenant (LVO) Member (MVO)
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 (French: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the monarch. The present monarch, King Charles III, is the sovereign of the order. The order's motto is Victoria. The order's official day is 20 June. The order's chapel is the Savoy Chapel in London.

There is no limit on the number of individuals honoured at any grade. Admission is at the sole discretion of the monarch. 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 British Empire were bestowed by the sovereign on the advice of her British ministers, who sometimes forwarded advice from ministers of the Crown in the Dominions and colonies (appointments to the then most senior orders of chivalry, the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Thistle, had been made on ministerial advice since the 18th century and were not restored to the personal gift of the sovereign until 1946 and 1947, respectively). Queen Victoria thus established on 21 April 1896 the Royal Victorian Order as a junior and personal order of knighthood that allowed her to bestow directly to an empire-wide community honours for personal services. The organisation was founded a year before Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, so as to give the Queen time to complete a list of first inductees. The order's official day was made 20 June of each year, marking the anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne.

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. 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, with the Prefect of Alpes-Maritimes and the Mayor of Nice being the first foreigners to receive the honour in 1896.

Composition

The reigning monarch is at the apex of the Royal Victorian Order as its Sovereign, followed by the Grand Master; the latter position was created in 1937 and was occupied by Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) from that date until her death in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II then appointed her daughter, Anne, Princess Royal, to the position in 2007. Below the Grand Master are five officials of the organisation: the Chancellor, held by the Lord Chamberlain; the Secretary, held by the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King; the Registrar, held by the Secretary to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood; the Chaplain, held by the Chaplain of the King's Chapel of the Savoy; and the Genealogist.

Thereafter follow those honoured with different grades of the order, divided into five levels: the highest two conferring accolades of knighthood and all having post-nominal letters and, lastly, the holders of the Royal Victorian Medal in gold, silver or bronze. Foreigners may be admitted as honorary members. There are no limits to the number of any grade, and promotion is possible. The styles of knighthood are not used by princes, princesses, or peers in the uppermost ranks of the society, save for when their names are written in their fullest forms for the most official occasions. Retiring Deans of the Royal Peculiars of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and Westminster Abbey are customarily inducted as Knights Commander; clergymen appointed to the higher levels of the Royal Victorian Order do not use the associated styles, however, and honorary members are not permitted to hold them at all.

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.


Grades of the Royal Victorian Order
Grade	Knight Grand Cross	Dame Grand Cross	Knight Commander	Dame Commander	Commander	Lieutenant	Member	Royal Victorian Medal
Prefix	Sir	Dame	Sir	Dame	—	—	—	—
Post-nominals	GCVO		KCVO	DCVO	CVO	LVO	MVO	RVM
Insignia

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 Maltese cross with a central medallion depicting on a red background the Royal Cypher of Queen Victoria surrounded by a blue ring bearing the motto of the order – victoria (victory) – and surmounted by a Tudor crown. However, there are variations on the badge for each grade of the order: Knights and Dames Grand Cross on certain formal occasions (see below) wear the badge suspended from the Order's collar (chain), but otherwise on a sash passing from the right shoulder to the left hip; Knight Commanders and male Commanders wear the badge on a ribbon at the neck; male Lieutenants and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; and women in all grades below Dame Grand Cross wear the badge on a bow pinned at the left shoulder. For Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Commanders, and Lieutenants, the Maltese cross is rendered in white enamel with gold edging, while that for Knights and Dames Commander (on the star) and Members (the badge itself) is in silver. Further, the size of the badge varies by rank, that for the higher classes being larger, and Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander have their crosses surrounded by a star: for the former, an eight-pointed silver star, and for the latter, an eight-pointed silver Maltese cross with silver rays between each arm.

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).

At formal events, or collar days, of which there are 34 throughout the year, such as New Year's Day and royal anniversaries, Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear the Royal Victorian Order's livery collar, consisting of an alternating string of octagonal gold pieces depicting a gold rose on a blue field and gold oblong frames within which are one of four inscriptions: Victoria, Britt. Reg. (Queen of the Britons), Def. Fid. (fidei defensor, or Defender of the Faith), and Ind. Imp. (Empress of India). The chain supports a larger octagonal medallion with a blue enamel surface edged in red and charged with a saltire, over which is an effigy of Queen Victoria; members of the order suspend from this medallion their insignia as a badge apendant. Though after the death of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross their insignia may be retained by their family, the collar must be returned. Knights and Dames Grand Cross also wear a mantle of dark blue satin edged with red satin and lined with white satin, bearing a representation of the order's star on the left side.

Chapel

Since 1938, the chapel of the Royal Victorian Order has been the King's Chapel of the Savoy, in central London, England. However, the population of the order has grown to the point that the Savoy chapel can no longer accommodate the gathering of members held every four years, and St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle is now employed for the event.

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.

Eligibility and appointment

The Royal Victorian Order's heraldic circlet, as viewed when laid out flat

Membership in the Royal Victorian Order is conferred by the monarch without ministerial advice on those who have performed personal service for the sovereign.

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.

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, the appointment of Canadians to the order resumed in 1972 and eligibility was extended to those who render services to the monarch's representatives in the country; officials within the provincial spheres being included after 1984. Originally, the sovereign chose inductees personally, though the Governor General of Canada and the Canadian Secretary to the King could provide suggestions, some passed to them by the lieutenant governors. The practice of notifying the Prime Minister of Canada of nominees ended in 1982, to distance the order as far from politics as possible.

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. 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.

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. Founded by Michael Jackson, the group has, since 2008, gathered biennially.

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
Australia Order of precedence		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

Canada Order of precedence		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

New Zealand 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)
_{The order is different for honours received prior to 6 October 1992. The order is different for honours received prior to 1 June 1972.}

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 and Grand Master

Name	Year of appointment	Present age
The King (ex officio)	Sovereign since 2022	76
The Princess Royal KG, KT, GCVO, GCStJ, QSO, GCL, CMM, CD, ADC	1974 as Dame Grand Cross; Grand Master since 2007	74

Knights and Dames Grand Cross

Name	Known for	Year of appointment	Present age
The Duke of Kent KG, GCMG, GCVO, CD, ADC	Royal Family	1960	89
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy KG, GCVO, CD		1960	87
The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCVO, GCStJ, SSI		1974	80
The Duchess of Kent GCVO		1977	91
The Duchess of Gloucester LG, GCVO, DStJ, CD		1989	78
Sir William Heseltine GCB, GCVO, AC, QSO, PC	Private Secretary to the Sovereign	1990	94
Sir Brian Fall GCVO, KCMG	Ambassador to Russia and High Commissioner to Canada	1994	87
Major General Sir Simon Cooper GCVO	Master of the Household	2000	87–88
The Lord Luce KG, GCVO, PC, DL	Lord Chamberlain and Governor of Gibraltar	2000	88
Vice Admiral The Lord Sterling of Plaistow GCVO, CBE	Chairman of the Golden Jubilee Weekend Trust	2002	89
Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, KStJ, CD	Royal Family	2003	82
Sir John Holmes GCVO, KBE, CMG	Ambassador to France	2004	73
Sir Peter Torry GCVO, KCMG	Ambassador to Germany and Ambassador to Spain	2004	76
The Earl Peel GCVO, PC, DL	Lord Chamberlain	2006	77
The Lord Janvrin GCB, GCVO, QSO, PC	Private Secretary to the Sovereign	2007	78
Sir Donald McKinnon ONZ, GCVO, PC	Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations	2009	85
The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO, GCStJ, CD	Royal Family	2010	59
Sir Hugh Roberts GCVO, FSA	Surveyor of the Queen's Works of Art	2010	76
The Duke of York KG, GCVO, CD	Royal Family	2011	64
The Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT, GCVO, CD, , ADC	Royal Family		60
Sir Michael Peat GCVO, FCA	Principal Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales		75
The Queen LG, LT, ONZ, GCVO, GBE, CSM, CD, PC	Royal Family	2012	77
Sir Alan Reid GCVO	Keeper of the Privy Purse	2012	77
The Baroness Hussey of North Bradley GCVO	Woman of the Bedchamber	2013	85
Dame Mary Morrison GCVO	Woman of the Bedchamber	2013	85
The Lord Ricketts GCMG, GCVO	National Security Adviser and Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office	2014	72
The Lord Geidt GCB, GCVO, OBE, QSO, PC, FKC	Private Secretary to the Sovereign	2017	63
Sir Stephen Lamport GCVO, DL	Receiver-General of Westminster Abbey	2018	73
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford GCVO	Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain's Office	2018	67
The Princess of Wales GCVO, CH	Royal Family	2019	42
Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB, GCVO, OBE, DL	Gold Stick-in-Waiting		86
The Lord Chartres GCVO, ChStJ, PC, FSA, FBS	Dean of the Chapel Royal		77
The Lord Parker of Minsmere GCVO, KCB, PC	Lord Chamberlain	2021	62
The Duke of Norfolk GCVO, DL	Earl Marshal	2022	68
The Marquess of Cholmondeley GCVO, DL	Lord Great Chamberlain	2023	64
The Earl of Dalhousie GCVO, CStJ, DL	Lord Steward		76
The Lord Young of Old Windsor GCB, GCVO, PC	Private Secretary to the Sovereign		58
David Conner GCVO	Dean of Windsor		77
Justin Welby GCVO, PC	Archbishop of Canterbury	2024	68
The Lord Benyon GCVO, PC	Lord Chamberlain	2024	64

Honorary Knights and Dames Grand Cross

Country	Name	Known for	Year of appointment	Present age	Notes
Japan	Emperor Akihito of Japan KG, GCVO	Emperor of Japan	1953 as Crown Prince; Emperor from 1989; abdicated 2019	90
Norway	King Harald V of Norway KG, GCVO	King of Norway	1955 as Prince Harald; King since 1991	87	Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain; also Honorary Colonel in the Royal Marines and Honorary General in the British Army
Netherlands	Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands LG, GCVO	Queen of the Netherlands	1958 as Princess Beatrix; Queen from 1980; abdicated 2013	86	Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain
Ethiopian Empire	Prince Mengesha Seyoum GCVO	Prince of Ethiopia	1965	97
Belgium	King Albert II of Belgium GCVO	King of the Belgians	1966 as Prince of Liège; King from 1993; abdicated 2013	90
Luxembourg	Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg GCVO	Grand Duke of Luxembourg	1976 as Hereditary Grand Duke; Grand Duke since 2000	69
Morocco	King Mohammed VI of Morocco GCVO	King of Morocco	1980 as Crown Prince; King since 1999	61
Morocco	Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco GCVO	Princess of Morocco	1980	62
Malawi	Cecilia Kadzamira GCVO	Official Hostess of Malawi	1985	86
Morocco	Princess Lalla Asma of Morocco GCVO	Princess of Morocco	1987	59
Morocco	Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco GCVO	Prince of Morocco	1987	54
Spain	King Felipe VI of Spain KG, GCVO	King of Spain	1988 as Prince of Asturias; King since 2014	56
Kuwait	Khaled Al-Duwaisan GCVO, KCMG	Kuwaiti diplomat	1995	77
Thailand	King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand GCVO	King of Thailand	1996 as Crown Prince; King since 2016	72
	Princess Sirindhorn, Princess Royal of Thailand GCVO	Princess Royal of Thailand	1996	69
	Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand GCVO	Princess of Thailand	1996	67
Brunei	Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince of Brunei GCVO	Crown Prince of Brunei	1998	50
Nigeria	Emeka Anyaoku GCVO	Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations	2000	91
Oman	Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman GCMG, GCVO	Sultan of Oman	2010 as Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur Al Said; Sultan since 2020	69
India	Kamalesh Sharma GCVO	Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations	2016	83
Jordan	King Abdullah II of Jordan GCB, GCMG, GCVO	King of Jordan	2024	62
Bahrain	King Hamad bin Isa of Bahrain GCVO, KCMG	King of Bahrain	2024	74

Honorary Knights and Dames Commander

Country	Name	Known for	Year of appointment	Present age
Indonesia	Teuku Mohammad Hamzah Thayeb KCVO	Ambassador to the United Kingdom	2012	72
South Korea	Lim Sung-nam KCVO	Ambassador to the United Kingdom	2013
Singapore	Foo Chi Hsia DCVO	High Commissioner to the United Kingdom	2013
France	Bernard Émié KCVO	Ambassador to the United Kingdom	2014	66
Mexico	Diego Gómez Pickering KCVO	Ambassador to the United Kingdom	2015	47

Officers

Chaplain: The Reverend Canon Thomas Woodhouse, as Chaplain of the King's Chapel of the Savoy, since 2019
Chancellor: Richard Benyon, Baron Benyon GCVO, PC, as Lord Chamberlain, since November 2024
Secretary: Sir Michael Stevens 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

Notes

For use in Canada, in accordance with the country's policy of official bilingualism.
20 June 1837 was Victoria's 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

^ Dundas, Charles (Spring 2008). "The Royal Victorian Order Conundrum" (PDF). Canadian Monarchist News. No. 28. Toronto: Monarchist League of Canada. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2020.
"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.
^ 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.
^ 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.
^ "People > Honours > Orders of Chivalry > Royal Victorian Order". Debrett's Limited. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
^ "The Royal Victorian Order". Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
"The Royal Victorian Order". Retrieved 31 March 2023.
McCreery 2008, p. 42.
^ McCreery 2008, p. 43.
^ 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.

Sources

McCreery, Christopher (2008). On Her Majesty's Service; Royal Honours and Recognition in Canada. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 978-1-55002-742-6.

External links

Orders and Medals (cabinetoffice.gov.uk)

v t e Appointments to the Royal Victorian Order
Officers	Officers
Knights and Dames Grand Cross by monarch	Victoria Edward VII George V George VI Elizabeth II 1952–1977 1978–2002 2003–2022 Charles III
Knights and Dames Commander by monarch	Victoria Edward VII George V George VI Elizabeth II 1952–1977 1978–2002 2003–2022 Charles III
Both	Edward VIII
Revocations

v t e Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada
Awards of valour	Victoria Cross Cross of Valour
National orders	Order of Canada Order of Military Merit Order of Merit of the Police Forces
Dynastic orders	Order of Merit Royal Victorian Order Order of St John
Provincial orders	Alberta Order of Excellence Order of British Columbia Order of Manitoba Order of New Brunswick Order of Newfoundland and Labrador Order of Nova Scotia Order of Ontario Order of Prince Edward Island National Order of Quebec Saskatchewan Order of Merit
Territorial orders	Order of the Northwest Territories Order of Nunavut Order of Yukon
Other decorations and medals	Royal Victorian Chain Decorations War and operational service medals Special service medals United Nations medals NATO medals International mission medals Commemorative medals Long service medals Exemplary service medals Special medals Order of Polaris
Canadian honours lists	1946 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom

Orders

Current

Royal family orders	George VI Elizabeth II Charles III

Dormant

Defunct

Royal Guelphic

Royal family orders	George IV Victoria & Albert Edward VII George V

Other

Current
decorations
and medals

Level 1	Victoria Cross George Cross
Level 2A	Distinguished Service Order Conspicuous Gallantry Cross Royal Red Cross (class I)
Level 2B	George Medal King's Police Medal, for Gallantry King's Fire Service Medal, for Gallantry
Level 3A	Distinguished Service Cross Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Royal Red Cross (class II)
Level 3B	Sea Gallantry Medal King's Gallantry Medal Royal Victorian Medal British Empire Medal King’s Police Medal, for Distinguished Service King's Fire Service Medal, for Distinguished Service King's Ambulance Service Medal King's Volunteer Reserves Medal Polar Medal Imperial Service Medal Overseas Territories Police Medal Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service
Level 4	Mentioned in Despatches King's Commendation for Bravery King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air King's Commendation for Valuable Service
Other	Badge of Honour Elizabeth Cross Elizabeth Emblem

Obsolete
decorations
and medals

Level 1	Indian Order of Merit (1st class) Albert Medal (1st class) Edward Medal (1st class) Empire Gallantry Medal
Level 2A	Indian Order of Merit (2nd class) Distinguished Conduct Medal Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying)
Level 2B	Albert Medal (2nd class) Edward Medal (2nd class) Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Gold
Level 3A	Order of British India (1st class) Order of British India (2nd class) Indian Order of Merit (3rd class) Title Badge (India) (1st class) Title Badge (India) (2nd class) Title Badge (India) (3rd class) Royal West African Frontier Force Distinguished Conduct Medal King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal Indian Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal Military Medal Distinguished Flying Medal Air Force Medal Burma Gallantry Medal
Level 3B	Constabulary Medal (Ireland) Union of South Africa King's Medal for Bravery, Silver Kaisar-i-Hind Medal (Gold, Silver, Bronze) Indian Police Medal, for Gallantry Ceylon Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Gallantry Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Gallantry Mauritius Police Medal for Meritorious Service Colonial Police Medal, for Gallantry Canada Medal Queen's Medal for Chiefs Indian Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Ceylon Police Medal, for Merit Sierra Leone Police Medal, for Meritorious Service Sierra Leone Fire Brigades Medal, for Meritorious Service
Level 4	Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

See also: Order of Wear; British campaign medals; Degradation (knighthood); Revocations

Orders, decorations, and medals of Australia

(order of wearing)

National orders

/ Order of Australia

Royal orders

Gallantry

Bravery

Distinguished service

Conspicuous service

Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC)
Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM)

Nursing service

Nursing Service Cross (NSC)

Meritorious service

Campaign medals
(service periods)

1939–1945	Australia Service Medal 1939–1945
1945–1975	Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 Australian General Service Medal for Korea (1953–1956) Vietnam Medal (1964–1973) Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal (1968–1973) Australian Service Medal 1945–1975
1975–2012	Australian Active Service Medal (1975–present) Rhodesia Medal (1979–1980) International Force East Timor Medal (1999–2000) Afghanistan Medal (2001–2014) Iraq Medal (2003–2013) Australian Service Medal (1975–present)
2012–present	Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection (2012–present) Australian Operational Service Medal – GMEO (2014–present) Australian Operational Service Medal – Special Operations (2019–present) Australian Operational Service Medal – Counter Terrorism/Special Recovery (2020–present) Australian Operational Service Medal – Africa (2023–present) Australian Operational Service Medal – Civilian (2012–present)

Special service

Police Overseas Service Medal
Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal
National Emergency Medal
Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945
National Police Service Medal
Australian Sports Medal (2000, 2021–present)

Commemorative

King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902)
King George V Coronation Medal (1911)
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal (1999)
Centenary Medal (2001)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022)
King Charles III Coronation Medal (2023)

Long service

Defence Force Service Medal (1982–1998)
Reserve Force Decoration (1982–1998) (RFD)
Reserve Force Medal (1982–1998)
Defence Long Service Medal (1998–)
National Medal
Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal
Service Medal of the Order of St John

Other defence awards

v t e Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand
(Order of wearing)
Orders	Order of the Garter Order of the Thistle Order of the Bath Order of Merit Order of New Zealand Order of St Michael and St George Royal Victorian Order Order of the British Empire Companion of Honour New Zealand Order of Merit King's Service Order Imperial Service Order
Gallantry	Victoria Cross for New Zealand New Zealand Gallantry Star New Zealand Gallantry Decoration New Zealand Gallantry Medal
Bravery	New Zealand Cross New Zealand Bravery Star New Zealand Bravery Decoration New Zealand Bravery Medal
Meritorious service	King's Service Medal New Zealand Antarctic Medal New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration New Zealand Memorial Cross
Commemorative	King George V Coronation Medal King George V Silver Jubilee Medal King George VI Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal King Charles III Coronation Medal New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993