Royal Victorian Order

Royal Victorian Order. The Royal Victorian Order is a British order of chivalry established by Queen Victoria in 1896, with the advice of Prince Albert and Lord Salisbury. The order is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the British monarch, currently Elizabeth II, or to the British royal family, including Prince Philip and Charles, Prince of Wales. The order is also associated with Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Kensington Palace, where many of its ceremonies take place, often attended by Prince William and Prince Harry.

● History

The Royal Victorian Order was established on April 21, 1896, by Queen Victoria, with the advice of Prince Albert and Lord Salisbury, to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee and to recognize exceptional service to the British monarch. The order was initially composed of five classes: Knight Grand Cross, Knight Commander, Commander, Lieutenant, and Member, with King Edward VII and King George V later adding the Knight/Dame Grand Cross and Knight/Dame Commander classes. The order has been conferred upon numerous individuals, including Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, and Margaret Thatcher, who have rendered exceptional service to the British monarch, as well as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Charles de Gaulle, and Nelson Mandela, who have been recognized for their contributions to British interests. The order has also been associated with various events, including the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, and the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, which were attended by Prince Charles and Prince Andrew.

● Structure

The Royal Victorian Order is composed of five classes: Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Commander, Commander, Lieutenant, and Member, with each class having its own unique insignia and privileges. The order is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the British monarch or to the British royal family, including Prince William and Prince Harry. The order is administered by the Lord Chamberlain's Office, which is responsible for the organization of ceremonies and the distribution of insignia, often in collaboration with the College of Arms and the Society of Antiquaries of London. The order has been conferred upon individuals from various backgrounds, including politics, diplomacy, arts, and sciences, such as Alexander Fleming, Ernest Rutherford, and Stephen Hawking, who have made significant contributions to British society, as well as Pierre Trudeau, Helmut Schmidt, and François Mitterrand, who have been recognized for their contributions to international relations.

● Insignia

The insignia of the Royal Victorian Order consists of a cross with a crown and a ribbon, with each class having its own unique design and colors. The Knight/Dame Grand Cross class features a star with a sash and a badge, while the Knight/Dame Commander class features a necklet and a badge. The Commander class features a badge with a ribbon, while the Lieutenant and Member classes feature a badge with a ribbon and a brooch. The insignia is designed by the College of Arms and is manufactured by Garrard & Co, with the Lord Chamberlain's Office responsible for its distribution, often in collaboration with the Jewel House and the Tower of London. The insignia has been worn by numerous individuals, including Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Princess Diana, who have been recognized for their contributions to British royal family and British society, as well as Jacques Chirac, Gerhard Schröder, and Silvio Berlusconi, who have been recognized for their contributions to European and international relations.

● Eligibility_and_appointments

The Royal Victorian Order is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional service to the British monarch or to the British royal family, including Prince Philip and Charles, Prince of Wales. The order is open to individuals of any nationality, with appointments made by the British monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chamberlain's Office. The order has been conferred upon numerous individuals, including heads of state, heads of government, diplomats, and public servants, such as Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Nelson Mandela, who have made significant contributions to British interests and international relations. The order has also been conferred upon individuals from various fields, including arts, sciences, and philanthropy, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, and Bill Gates, who have made significant contributions to human knowledge and humanitarian causes.

● Precedence_and_privileges

The Royal Victorian Order has a high precedence in the British honors system, with members of the order entitled to use the post-nominal letters and to wear the insignia on formal occasions, such as the State Opening of Parliament and the Trooping the Colour. Members of the order are also entitled to use the style of Sir or Dame, with Knights Grand Cross and Dames Grand Cross entitled to use the style of The Most Honourable. The order has been associated with various privileges, including the use of coats of arms and the right to attend ceremonial events, such as the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, which were attended by Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. The order has also been associated with various organizations, including the Society of Antiquaries of London and the College of Arms, which are responsible for the administration and the history of the order.

● Notable_recipients

The Royal Victorian Order has been conferred upon numerous notable individuals, including Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, and Margaret Thatcher, who have rendered exceptional service to the British monarch and to the British government. The order has also been conferred upon heads of state, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Charles de Gaulle, and Nelson Mandela, who have made significant contributions to British interests and international relations. The order has also been conferred upon individuals from various fields, including arts, sciences, and philanthropy, such as Alexander Fleming, Ernest Rutherford, and Stephen Hawking, who have made significant contributions to human knowledge and humanitarian causes. Other notable recipients include Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, and Princess Diana, who have been recognized for their contributions to British royal family and British society, as well as Pierre Trudeau, Helmut Schmidt, and François Mitterrand, who have been recognized for their contributions to international relations and European affairs. Category:Orders of chivalry