THE ROYAL VICTORIAN ORDER

This Order, instituted by HM Queen Victoria, Empress of India, 21 April 1896, consists of the Sovereign, a Grand Master, Ordinary Members, and such Honorary Members as the Sovereign shall from time to time appoint, the Members being divided into five classes, and designated respectively:

(1) Knights and Dames Grand Cross,

(2) Knights and Dames Commander,

(3) Commanders,

(4) Lieutenants and

(5) Members.

Under date of 29 May 1936, a Warrant was issued consolidating the Statutes of the Order so as to permit of its bestowal upon women.

The persons to be admitted as Ordinary members of this Order shall be such persons, being male or female subjects of the British Crown, who, having rendered extraordinary, or important, or personal service to the Sovereign, merit Royal favour; and the Honorary members of the several classes consist of those Foreign Princes and persons upon whom the Sovereign may think fit to confer the honour of being received into the Order.

The members of the several grades in the Order are to have place and precedence as follows:-

Knights Grand Cross immediately after Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire, Dames Grand Cross immediately before Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, Knights Commander immediately after Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire, Dames Commander immediately before Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire, men who are Commanders immediately after Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire, women who are Commanders immediately before women who are Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, men who are Lieutenants immediately after Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, women who are Lieutenants immediately before women who are Officers of the Order of the British Empire, men who are Members immediately after Companions of the Imperial Service Order, and women who are Members immediately before women who are Members of the Order of the British Empire.

The number of the Members is unlimited, and the anniversary of the Order is the Twentieth day of June every year, being the day of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria’s Accession to the Throne of these Realms.

The MANTLE of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross is of dark blue satin, edged with red satin two inches in width, the edging of the collar being half an inch wide, lined with white silk, the mantle being fastened by a cordon of dark blue silk and gold, having two dark blue silk and gold tassels attached thereto; on the left side of the mantle is embroidered a representation of the Star of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Order.

The COLLAR is of gold, composed of octagonal pieces and oblong perforated and ornamental frames alternately, linked together with gold; the said pieces edged and ornamented with gold, each containing upon a blue enamelled ground a gold rose jewelled with a carbuncle, and the said frames are of gold each containing a portion of the inscription “Victoria . . . Brit. Reg . . . Def Fid . . . Ind Imp” in letters of white enamel; in the centre of the collar, within a perforated and ornamental frame of gold, is an octagonal piece, enamelled blue, edged with red, and charged with a white saltire, thereon a gold medallion of Her late Majesty Queen Victoria’s effigy, from which hangs the Cross of the Order (detachable).

The BADGE of Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of white enamelled Maltese cross of eight points; on an oval centre of crimson enamel the Royal and Imperial cypher of Queen Victoria (VRI) in gold, within a blue enamelled circle, thereon the motto of the Order, namely, “Victoria” in letters of gold, the circle being surmounted by an Imperial Crown enamelled in proper colours; and is worn over the right shoulder, suspended from a dark blue ribbon with a narrow edge either side of three stripes — red, white, and red — of the breadth of three inches and three-quarters in the case of Knights Grand Cross and of two inches and one quarter in the case of Dames Grand Cross, passing from the right shoulder to the left side.

The STAR of Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of a silver chipped star of eight points; in the centre a representation of the Badge of the First Class of the Order.

The Knights Commander wear around their necks a ribbon of miniature width of the same colours as that of the Knights Grand Cross, and pendent therefrom the badge, which is of the same pattern as, but of smaller size than, that of a Knight Grand Cross, whilst the Dames Commander wear their badges attached to a Riband tied in a bow and worn on the left shoulder. The Star is composed of a Maltese cross in silver, with smaller rays issuing from the centre between the angles of the cross; in the centre the badge of the Order as before described, with the cross in frosted silver instead of white enamel.

Men who are Commanders wear around their necks the like riband and badge as that appointed for the Knights Commander and women wear the bow and badge as appointed for Dames Commander, but neither is entitled to wear the Star.

The Lieutenants wear a badge of the same form and appearance as that appointed for the Commanders, but of smaller size, pendent from a ribbon of the same colours, of the breadth of an inch and a quarter, attached from the left breast in the case of men and tied in a bow and worn on the left shoulder in the case of women.

The Members wear, from their left breast or shoulder, the same riband and badge as that appointed for the Lieutenants, with the exception that the cross is of frosted silver instead of white enamel. In uniform ladies wear their insignia in the same way as that adopted for male holders. The collar is returnable at death or upon receipt of a Collar of an Order of Higher rank, but not the other Insignia.

The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy has been the Chapel of the Order since 1938. 

“The Royal Victorian Medal” (silver-gilt, silver, or bronze, having on the obverse the Royal effigy, and on the reverse the Royal and Imperial cypher upon an ornamental shield within a wreath of laurel, in base a scroll, thereon the words “Royal Victorian Medal”) was also instituted by Queen Victoria. This Medal is worn by men on the left breast of the coat or outer garment pendent from a ribbon of the breadth of one inch and a quarter of the same colour and pattern as that appointed for the members of the Royal Victorian Order, and by women from a ribbon tied in a bow on the left shoulder.