The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
Encyclopedia
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is a Norwegian
order of chivalry
that was instituted by King Oscar I
of Norway and Sweden
on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II
, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821. Just before the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, the Order of the Norwegian Lion
was instituted in 1904 by King Oscar II
, but it was not awarded by his successor Haakon VII
. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is awarded to individuals as a reward for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity. Since 1985, the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state and royals are awarded the order as a matter of courtesy.
The King awards the order upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the court treasurer, and one representative from the southern, central, and northern parts of Norway. The prime minister nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them. Nominations for the award are directed at the commission through the county
mayor.
The order is divided into five classes and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, the Collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy, in descending order of distinction:
The insignia are expected to be returned either upon the receiver's advancement to a higher level of the order or upon his or her death. Since it was instituted, the order has been awarded approximately 5,000 times. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.
The Norwegian king also awards the St. Olav's Medal (St. Olavsmedaljen) in gold and silver for "activities for the benefit of society," but these do not confer upon the recipient membership in an order.
each flanked by two battle axes with silver blades and golden shafts (The latter element is also featured in the coat of arms of the Church of Norway
).
The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Maltese Cross
, in silver for the knight class and in gilt
of the higher classes; crowned monograms "O" (for "Oscar") appear between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe; the reverse disc bears the King Olav's motto «Ret og Sandhed» - "Justice and Truth" in Norwegian; both discs are surrounded by a white-blue-white ring. The cross is topped by a crown; military awards have crossed swords between the crown and the cross.
The star of the Order for the Grand Cross is an eight-pointed silver star with faceted rays, bearing the obverse of the badge of the Order (minus the crown on the top).
The star for Commander with Star is a silver faceted Maltese Cross, with gilt crowned monograms "O" (for "Oscar") between the arms of the cross. The central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe, surrounded by a white-blue-white ring.
The ribbon of the Order is red with white-blue-white edge stripes.
In very exceptional circumstances the Order may awarded 'with diamonds', in which case a ring of diamonds replace the white-blue-white enamel ring surrounding the central disc on the front of the badge.
used at the royal court of Norway, bearers of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with collar are ranked 15 in the Order of precedence directly after The Lady Chamberlain and generals and directly before recipients of the War Cross with sword
. Bearers of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav are ranked 16.
The medal is ranked third in the general ranking of Norwegian orders and medals
for use when wearing more than one medal.
alphabetically by last name, those recipients not possessing a last name, such as royalty and most Icelanders are collated by first name. 6 of the listed are not heads of states or royals, these are marked by names in bold. Before the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was created in 1985, the Order of St Olav was awarded to members of a foreign delegation during state visits. Many holders of the grand cross who are not Heads of state are not listed here.
This list was last updated on 16 May 2011.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
order of chivalry
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...
that was instituted by King Oscar I
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
of Norway and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821. Just before the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, the Order of the Norwegian Lion
Order of the Norwegian Lion
The Order of the Norwegian Lion was a Norwegian order of knighthood established by King Oscar II of Norway on 21 January 1904, "in memory of the glorious events associated with Norway’s venerable Coat of Arms"....
was instituted in 1904 by King Oscar II
Oscar II of Sweden
Oscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
, but it was not awarded by his successor Haakon VII
Haakon VII
Haakon VII may refer to:People* Haakon VII of Norway , King of Norway Ships* HNoMS King Haakon VII, a Royal Norwegian Navy escort ship in commission from 1942 to 1951...
. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is awarded to individuals as a reward for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity. Since 1985, the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state and royals are awarded the order as a matter of courtesy.
The King awards the order upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the court treasurer, and one representative from the southern, central, and northern parts of Norway. The prime minister nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them. Nominations for the award are directed at the commission through the county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
mayor.
The order is divided into five classes and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, the Collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy, in descending order of distinction:
- Grand CrossGrand CrossThe phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of St. Olav (Storkors) - awarded to heads of state as a courtesy and in rare cases to individuals for merit; wears the badge on a collarLivery collarA livery collar or chain of office is a collar or heavy chain, usually of gold, worn as insignia of office or a mark of fealty or other association in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards....
(chain), plus the star on the left chest. If the collar is not worn the badge may be worn on a sash on the right shoulder; - Commander with Star (Kommandør med stjerne) - wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the left chest;
- Commander (Kommandør) - wears the badge on a necklet;
- Knight, First Class (Ridder av 1. klasse) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest;
- Knight (Ridder) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
The insignia are expected to be returned either upon the receiver's advancement to a higher level of the order or upon his or her death. Since it was instituted, the order has been awarded approximately 5,000 times. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.
The Norwegian king also awards the St. Olav's Medal (St. Olavsmedaljen) in gold and silver for "activities for the benefit of society," but these do not confer upon the recipient membership in an order.
Insignia
The collar of the Order is in gold, with five enamelled and crowned monograms "O" (for "Oscar", the royal cipher of Oscar I, the Order's founder), five enamelled and crowned coat-of-arms of Norway, and 10 gold crosses bottonyBottony
In heraldry, bottony refers to a symbol having a bud or button, or a kind of trefoil, at the end; furnished with knobs or buttons. Hence, a cross bottony is a cross having each arm terminating in three rounded lobes, forming a sort of trefoil...
each flanked by two battle axes with silver blades and golden shafts (The latter element is also featured in the coat of arms of the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
).
The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
, in silver for the knight class and in gilt
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
of the higher classes; crowned monograms "O" (for "Oscar") appear between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe; the reverse disc bears the King Olav's motto «Ret og Sandhed» - "Justice and Truth" in Norwegian; both discs are surrounded by a white-blue-white ring. The cross is topped by a crown; military awards have crossed swords between the crown and the cross.
The star of the Order for the Grand Cross is an eight-pointed silver star with faceted rays, bearing the obverse of the badge of the Order (minus the crown on the top).
The star for Commander with Star is a silver faceted Maltese Cross, with gilt crowned monograms "O" (for "Oscar") between the arms of the cross. The central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe, surrounded by a white-blue-white ring.
The ribbon of the Order is red with white-blue-white edge stripes.
In very exceptional circumstances the Order may awarded 'with diamonds', in which case a ring of diamonds replace the white-blue-white enamel ring surrounding the central disc on the front of the badge.
Ranking
In the Order of precedenceNorwegian order of precedence
The Norwegian order of precedence is the hierarchy of officials in the Government of Norway used to direct seating and ranking on formal occasions, decided by the King, which came into effect from 1 July 1993.I....
used at the royal court of Norway, bearers of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with collar are ranked 15 in the Order of precedence directly after The Lady Chamberlain and generals and directly before recipients of the War Cross with sword
War Cross with sword
The War Cross with Sword is the highest ranking Norwegian gallantry decoration. It is awarded for extraordinary brave actions or extraordinary leadership during combat. A recipient deemed worthy of additional citations will receive up to an additional two swords on the medal ribbon in addition to...
. Bearers of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav are ranked 16.
The medal is ranked third in the general ranking of Norwegian orders and medals
Norwegian orders and medals
This is a list of Norwegian orders and medals, in order of precedence. This list contains all medals approved for wearing on a Norwegian military uniform in ranked order.- Awarded by or approved by H.M. the King of Norway :# War Cross with sword...
for use when wearing more than one medal.
Current holders of the Grand Cross
This list contains 93 holders of the Grand Cross, 21 of which have also been awarded the Collar and gives the year of their appointment. The list is collatedCollation
Collation is the assembly of written information into a standard order. One common type of collation is called alphabetization, though collation is not limited to ordering letters of the alphabet...
alphabetically by last name, those recipients not possessing a last name, such as royalty and most Icelanders are collated by first name. 6 of the listed are not heads of states or royals, these are marked by names in bold. Before the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was created in 1985, the Order of St Olav was awarded to members of a foreign delegation during state visits. Many holders of the grand cross who are not Heads of state are not listed here.
This list was last updated on 16 May 2011.
Country | Name | Title, Position | Grand Cross with Collar |
Grand Cross | Year of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heinz Fischer Heinz Fischer Heinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria... |
President | 2007 | |||
Albert II Albert II of Belgium Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha... |
King | 1964 | |||
Mathilde Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant, DHS , is the wife of the heir apparent to the Belgian throne, Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant... |
Crown Princess | 2003 | |||
Paola Queen Paola of Belgium Paola, Queen of the Belgians , is the queen consort of Albert II of Belgium.... |
Queen | 1997 | |||
Philippe | Crown Prince | 2003 | |||
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as... |
President | 2003 | |||
Georgi Parvanov Georgi Parvanov Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov is a President of Bulgaria, whose second and last mandate expires on January 22, 2012; he was elected after defeating his predecessor Petar Stoyanov in the second round of the presidential elections in November 2001 and he came into office on January 22, 2002... |
President | 2006 | |||
Andrew Prince Andrew, Duke of York Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Prince | 1988 | |||
Charles Charles, Prince of Wales Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay... |
Crown Prince | 1978 | |||
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Prince | 1988 | |||
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Elizabeth II Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,... |
Queen | 1955 | ||
Commonwealth realm Commonwealth Realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six... s |
Philip Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch.... |
Prince Consort | 1952 | ||
Richard Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession... |
Prince | 1973 | |||
Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović Ivo Josipović is a Croatian politician who has been President of Croatia since 2010. Josipović entered politics as a member of the League of Communists of Croatia , and played a key role in the democratic transformation of this party as the author of the first statute of the SDP that replaced the... |
President | 2011 | |||
Benedikte Princess Benedikte of Denmark Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, , , is the second daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark and Ingrid of Sweden... |
Princess | 1974 | |||
Frederik Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, is the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark. Frederik is the elder son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, the Prince Consort.-Name and christening:... |
Crown Prince | 1990 | |||
Henrik Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France... |
Prince Consort | 1968 | |||
Joachim Prince Joachim of Denmark Prince Joachim of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark.... |
Prince | 1991 | |||
Margrethe II Margrethe II of Denmark Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:... |
Queen | 1958 | |||
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Crown Princess | 2005 | |||
Arnold Rüütel Arnold Rüütel Arnold Rüütel OIH was the third President of the Republic of Estonia from October 8, 2001 to October 9, 2006. He was the second President since Estonia regained its independence in 1991.... |
3rd President | 2002 | |||
Martti Ahtisaari Martti Ahtisaari Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work.... |
10th President | 1994 | |||
Mauno Koivisto Mauno Koivisto Mauno Henrik Koivisto is a Finnish politician who served as the ninth President of Finland from 1982 to 1994. He also served as Prime Minister 1968–1970 and 1979–1982... |
9th President | 1983 | |||
Tarja Halonen Tarja Halonen Tarja Kaarina Halonen is the incumbent President of Finland. The first female to hold the office, Halonen had previously been a member of the parliament from 1979 to 2000 when she resigned after her election to the presidency... |
11th President | 2000 | |||
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former President | 2000 | |||
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981... |
former President (when Minister of Finance) | 1962 | |||
Roman Herzog Roman Herzog Roman Herzog is a German politician as a member of the Christian Democratic Union, and served as President of Germany from 1994 to 1999... |
former President | 1998 | |||
Horst Köhler Horst Köhler Horst Köhler is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was President of Germany from 2004 to 2010. As the candidate of the two Christian Democratic sister parties, the CDU and the CSU, and the liberal FDP, Köhler was elected to his first five-year term by the Federal Assembly on... |
former President | 2007 | |||
Marianne von Weizsäcker Marianne von Weizsäcker Marianne Viktoria Armgard Helene Doria Freifrau von Weizsäcker, née von Kretschmann is the wife Richard von Weizsäcker, the former President of Germany.... |
former first lady | 1986 | |||
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former President | 1986 | |||
Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Constantine II Constantine II of Greece |align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family.... |
former King | 1964, 1962 | ||
Constantinos Stephanopoulos | 6th President | 2004 | |||
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former President | 1999 | |||
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former President | 2002 | |||
Farah Pahlavi Farah Pahlavi Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and Empress of Iran. She is the widow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, and only Empress of modern Iran... |
former Empress | 1965 | |||
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President | 1998 | |||
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4th President | 1982 | |||
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi dr. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is an Italian politician and banker. He was the 73rd Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was the tenth President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006... |
former President | 2001 | |||
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Emperor | 2001, 1953 | |||
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Crown Princess | 2001 | |||
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Empress | 2001 | |||
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Crown Prince | 2001 | |||
Tomohito of Mikasa Princess Tomohito of Mikasa Nobuko, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa was born on 9 April 1955. She was born as Nobuko Aso, the third daughter of the late Takakichi Asō. Her father was chairman of Asō Cement Co., her mother Kazuko was the daughter of former prime minister Shigeru Yoshida... |
Princess | 2001 | |||
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King | 2000 | |||
Hassan | Prince (former Crown Prince) | ? | |||
Rania | Queen | 2000 | |||
Guntis Ulmanis Guntis Ulmanis Guntis Ulmanis is a Latvian politician and was the fifth President of Latvia from 1993 to 1999.-Early life:Guntis Ulmanis was born in Riga on September 13, 1939. His grandfather was the brother of then-President and Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis. In 1941 Guntis Ulmanis and his family were exiled... |
former President | 1998 | |||
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former President | 2000 | |||
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former President | 1998 | |||
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President | 2011 | |||
Henri Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden... |
Grand Duke | 2011 | |||
Jean Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg ruled Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000. He is the father of the current ruler, Grand Duke Henri, and the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma... |
Grand Duke | 1964 | |||
Maria Teresa Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg is the spouse and Grand Duchess of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Early life and education:... |
Grand Duchess | 1996 | |||
Beatrix Beatrix of the Netherlands Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University... |
Queen | 1964 | |||
Margriet Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Princess Margriet Francisca of the Netherlands is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands... |
Princess | 1964 | |||
Willem-Alexander Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus. Since 1980 he is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He is also the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied... |
Crown Prince | 1996 | |||
Astrid Princess Astrid of Norway Princess Astrid of Norway, Mrs. Ferner, is the second daughter of King Olav V of Norway and his wife, Princess Märtha of Sweden... |
Princess | 1956 | |||
Kjell Magne Bondevik Kjell Magne Bondevik Kjell Magne Bondevik is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician . He served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, making him Norway's longest serving non-Labour Party Prime Minister since World War II... |
former Prime Minister | 2004 | |||
Lars Petter Forberg | Master of the Royal Household | 2004 | |||
Haakon Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway is the heir apparent to the throne of Norway. On birth he was named Prince Haakon Magnus but it was stressed in the announcement that he would go by the name Haakon. He became Crown Prince Haakon when his father ascended to the crown as Harald V in 1991... |
Crown Prince | 1991 | |||
Magne Hagen Magne Hagen Magne Hagen is a retired Norwegian royal servant.Hagen started with a military career, and held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was first hired in the Royal Court in 1974, as an aide-de-camp of King Olav V. He became private secretary in 1979. When Olav V died in 1991 and was replaced with... |
former secretary to the King | 2000 | |||
Harald V Harald V of Norway Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991... |
King | Grand Master |
1955, 1991 | ||
Kaare Langlete Kaare Langlete Kaare Langlete is a retired Norwegian military officer and royal servant.He was born and grew up in Trondheim. He started a military career at the age of nineteen, and among others he served for the United Nations at the Suez Canal in 1957... |
former Master of the Royal Household | 1993 | |||
Jørgen Hårek Kosmo | former President of the Norwegian Parliament | 2005 | |||
Märtha Louise Princess Märtha Louise of Norway Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is the only daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja. She is fourth in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, after her brother and his two children.-Early life:... |
Princess | 1989 | |||
Mette-Marit Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway , is the wife of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.-Background and education:... |
Crown Princess | 2001 | |||
Ragnhild Princess Ragnhild of Norway Princess Ragnhild of Norway, Mrs. Lorentzen, is the eldest daughter of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden. She is the older sister of His Majesty King Harald V of Norway and of Princess Astrid of Norway.Princess Ragnhild married Erling S... |
Princess | 1982 | |||
Carsten Smith Carsten Smith Carsten Smith is a Norwegian judge and lawyer.He is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway and a professor of law at the University of Oslo.... |
former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway | 2003 | |||
Sonja Queen Sonja of Norway Queen Sonja of Norway is the wife of King Harald V of Norway.-Prior to marriage:Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen .Queen Sonja grew up in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling... |
Queen | 1972 | |||
Aleksander Kwaśniewski Aleksander Kwasniewski Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s... |
former President | 1996 | |||
Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician... |
former President | 1995 | |||
António Ramalho Eanes António Ramalho Eanes António dos Santos Ramalho Eanes, GColTE, GCL, CavA, KE is a Portuguese general and politician who was the 16th President of Portugal from 1976 to 1986.-Background:... |
17th President | 1978 | |||
Jorge Sampaio | former president | 2004 | |||
Aníbal Cavaco Silva Aníbal Cavaco Silva Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006.... |
current president | 2008 | |||
Emil Constantinescu Emil Constantinescu Emil Constantinescu was President of Romania from 1996 to 2000.He graduated from the law school of the University of Bucharest, and subsequently started a career as a geologist... |
former President | 1999 | |||
Ivan Gašparovič Ivan Gašparovic Ivan Gašparovič is a Slovak politician and law professor who has been the President of Slovakia since 15 June 2004. He is also the first Slovak president to be re-elected.-Biography:... |
President | 2010 | |||
Danilo Türk Danilo Türk - Early life :Türk was born in a lower middle class family in Maribor, Slovenia . His father died when he was a child. He attended the prestigious II. Gymnasium High school in Maribor. In 1971 he enrolled to the University of Ljubljana where he studied law... |
President | 2011 | |||
Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing... |
former President | 1998 | |||
Cristina | Princess | 1995 | |||
Elena | Princess | 1995 | |||
Felipe Felipe, Prince of Asturias Felipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain.... |
Crown Prince | 1995 | |||
Juan Carlos I Juan Carlos I of Spain Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the... |
King | 1982 | |||
Sofía Queen Sofía of Spain Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover... |
Queen | 1982 | |||
Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him... |
King | 1974 | |||
Carl Philip Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland , is the second child of three children and only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. Born Crown Prince of Sweden, he retained his title and first place in succession for seven months until 1 January 1980... |
Prince | 2005 | |||
Christina Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson, is the sister of Carl XVI Gustaf, the current King of Sweden. She was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the fourth child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI... |
Princess | 1992 | |||
Désirée Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld , was born at Haga Palace outside Stockholm. She is the third child of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and granddaughter of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden... |
Princess | 1992 | |||
Lilian Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland Princess Lilian, Duchess of Halland is a Welsh former fashion model who has been a member of the Swedish Royal Family since marrying Prince Bertil , an uncle of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, in 1976.-Early life:Born in Swansea, Wales, the daughter of William John Davies and wife Gladys Mary... |
Princess | 1992 | |||
Madeleine Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland Princess Madeleine of Sweden, Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland is the youngest child and second daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden... |
Princess | 2005 | |||
Silvia Queen Silvia of Sweden |align=right|Queen Silvia of Sweden is the Queen consort of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Styled Her Majesty The Queen, Silvia is the mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria.-Childhood:Queen Silvia was born in Heidelberg, Germany, on 23 December 1943... |
Queen | 1982 | |||
Victoria Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland is the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Sweden's fourth queen regnant .-Early life:... |
Crown Princess | 1995 | |||
Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX... |
King | 1960 | |||
Sirikit Sirikit Somdet Phra Nang Chao Sirikit Phra Borommarachininat , is the queen consort of Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand. She is the second Queen Regent of Thailand... |
Queen | 1965 | |||
External links
- Official website on the order
- The Collection of Henrik Revens Website features orders and medals of Norway as well as other Nordic countries.