The Royal Victorian Order is an order of knighthood awarded by the sovereign of the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth realms. It is granted personally by the monarch and recognises personal service to the monarchy, the Royal Household, royal family members, and the organisation of important royal events.[1][2] The order was officially created and instituted on 23 April 1896 by letters patent under the Great Seal of the Realm by Queen Victoria.[3] It was instituted with five grades, the two highest of which were Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) and Knight Commander (KCVO), which conferred the status of knighthood on holders (apart from foreigners, who typically received honorary awards not entitling them to the style of a knight).[4][5][6] Women were not admitted until Edward VIII altered the statutes of the order in 1936; those receiving the highest two awards were styled dames and those grades, when conferred on women, are Dame Grand Cross and Dame Commander (DCVO).[7]
No limit was placed on the number of appointments which could be made.[8] Queen Elizabeth II appointed 79 Knights and 8 Dames Grand Cross between her accession to the throne on 6 February 1952 and the end of her Silver Jubilee year (1977).
Knights and dames grand cross appointed by Elizabeth II
The list below is ordered by date of appointment. Full names, styles, ranks and titles are given where applicable, as correct at the time of appointment to the order. Branch of service or regiment details are given in parentheses to distinguish them from offices. The offices listed are those given in the official notice, printed in the London Gazette. Where applicable, the occasion is given that was listed either with the notices or in published material elsewhere, in which case that material is cited.
| Name | Date of appointment | Notes | Gazette |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Terence Edmund Gascoigne Nugent, KCVO, MC | 5 June 1952 | Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain's Office and Extra Equerry to the Queen | |
| Rose Leveson-Gower, Countess Granville, DCVO | 1 January 1953 | ||
| Princess Margaret, CI | 1 June 1953 | [9] | |
| Princess Marie Louise, CI, GBE | 1 June 1953 | [9] | |
| Mabell Frances Elizabeth Ogilvy, Dowager Countess of Airlie, GBE | 1 June 1953 | Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary | [10] |
| Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, DSO | 1 June 1953 | Lord High Constable and Field Marshal commanding Coronation Troops | [10] |
| Geoffrey Francis Fisher | 1 June 1953 | Archbishop of Canterbury | [10] |
| George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley | 1 June 1953 | Lord Great Chamberlain | [10] |
| Admiral Sir John Hereward Edelsten, GCB, CBE | 1 June 1953 | Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, and First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp | [10] |
| Air Chief Marshal Sir William Elliot, KCB, KBE, DFC | 1 June 1953 | Air Aide-de-Camp | [10] |
| Sir David Patrick Maxwell Fyfe | 1 June 1953 | Secretary of State, Home Department | [10] |
| Colonel Sir Dermot McMorrough Kavanagh, KCVO | 1 June 1953 | Crown Equerry | [10] |
| Major Sir Arthur Horace Penn, KCVO, MC | 1 June 1953 | Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother | [10] |
| Lawrence Roger Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarborough, KG, PC, GCSI, GCIE, TD | 1 June 1953 | Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order | [10] |
| Sir Harold Richard Scott, KCB, KBE | 1 June 1953 | Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis | [10] |
| Sir Harold George Campbell, KCVO, DSO | 16 November 1953 | Equerry and Groom of the Robes to the Queen | |
| Alfred Webb-Johnson, 1st Baron Webb-Johnson, KCVO, CBE, DSO, TD | 1 January 1954 | Surgeon to Queen Mary | |
| Sir Charles Wolloughby Moke Norrie, GCMG, CB, DSO, MC | 15 January 1954 | Governor-General and Commander in Chief of New Zealand, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to New Zealand | |
| Sir William Joseph Slim, GCB, GCMG, GBE, DSO, MC | 16 February 1954 | Governor-General and Commander in Chief of Australia, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Australia | |
| Herwald Ramsbotham, 1st Viscount Soulbury, PC, GCMG, OBE, MC | 20 April 1954 | Governor-General and Commander in Chief of Ceylon, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Ceylon | |
| Cyril Forster Garbett | 6 February 1955 | Archbishop of York | |
| Mary Cavendish, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire | 9 June 1955 | Mistress of the Robes to the Queen | |
| Sir Horace Evans | 9 June 1955 | Physician to the Queen and to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother | |
| Sir James Wilson Robertson, KCMG, KBE | 3 February 1956 | Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Federation of Nigeria, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit | |
| Sir Harold Brewer Hartley, KCVO, CBE, MC | 1 January 1957 | For personal services to the Duke of Edinburgh | |
| Sir Charles Alfred Howard, KCVO, DSO | 1 January 1957 | Serjeant-at-Arms attending the Speaker, House of Commons | |
| Sir Ernest Henry Pooley, Bt, KCVO | 1 January 1957 | Chairman of the Management Committee, King Edward VII's Hospital Fund | |
| Sir Hubert Miles Gladwyn Jebb, GCMG, CB | 10 April 1957 | Ambassador to France, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to France | |
| Sir William Stewart Duke-Elder, KCVO | 1 January 1958 | Surgeon-Oculist to the Queen | |
| Sir Edward Michael Conolly Abel Smith, KCVO, CB | 1 January 1958 | Flag Officer, Royal Yachts and Extra Equerry to the Queen | |
| Sir Owen Frederick Morshead, KCB, KCVO, DSO, MC | 12 June 1958 | Librarian, Windsor Castle and Assistant Keeper of the Queen's Archives | |
| Sir Frederick Albert Minter, KCVO | 1 January 1959 | For services to the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy | |
| Sir Frederick Arthur Montague Browning, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO | 14 May 1959 | Treasurer to the Duke of Edinburgh | |
| Princess Alexandra of Kent | 25 December 1960 | ||
| Prince Edward, Duke of Kent | 25 December 1960 | ||
| Sir Henry Ashley Clarke, KCMG | 4 May 1961 | Ambassador to Italy, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Italy | |
| Sir Harold Anthony Caccia, GCMG, KCVO | 31 August 1961 | Ambassador to the United States of America | |
| Sir Maurice Henry Dorman, GCMG | 1 December 1961 | Governor-General of Sierra Leone, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit | |
| Sir Arthur Guy Salisbury-Jones, KCVO, CMG, CBE, MC | 20 December 1961 | Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps | |
| Sir Michael Edward Adeane, KCB, KCVO | 1 March 1962 | Private Secretary and Extra Equerry to the Queen | |
| John Scott, 4th Earl of Eldon, KCVO | 1 January 1963 | Lord in Waiting to the Queen | |
| Sir Norman Wilmshurst Gwatkin, KCVO, DSO | 1 January 1963 | Equerry and Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office | |
| Cameron Fromanteel Cobbold, 1st Baron Cobbold, PC | 29 January 1963 | Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and Chancellor of the Royal Victorian Order | |
| Sir Bernard Edward Fergusson, GCMG, DSO, OBE | 11 February 1963 | Governor-General of New Zealand, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to New Zealand | |
| William Philip Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle, VC, GCMG, PC | 14 March 1963 | Governor-General of Australia, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Australia | |
| Walter Turner Monckton, 1st Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, PC, KCMG, KCVO, MC | 1 January 1964 | For personal services | |
| Sir Frank Kenyon Roberts, GCMG | 28 May 1965 | Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany | |
| Sir Henry Charles Loyd, KCB, KCVO, DSO, MC | 12 June 1965 | Colonel of the Coldstream Guards | |
| Sir Solomon Hochoy, GCMG, OBE | 10 February 1966 | Governor-General of Trinidad and Tobago, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to the Caribbean | |
| Sir Clifford Clarence Campbell, GCMG | 4 March 1966 | Governor-General of Jamaica, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to the Caribbean | |
| Sir Roderick Edward Barclay, KCMG, KCVO | 11 May 1966 | Ambassador to Belgium, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Belgium | |
| Sir James Newton Rodney Moore, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO | 11 August 1966 | Defence Services Secretary | |
| Charles Laing Warr, KCVO | 1 January 1967 | Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle | |
| Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, KCVO | 10 June 1967 | Lord Lyon King of Arms and Secretary to the Order of the Thistle | |
| Sir Edward Hedley Fielden, KCVO, CB, DFC, AFC | 8 June 1968 | Senior Air Equerry to the Queen | |
| Sir John Wriothesley Russell, KCVO, CMG | 9 November 1968 | Ambassador to Brazil, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's state visit to Brazil | |
| Charles George Vivian Tryon, 2nd Baron Tryon, KCB, KCVO, DSO | 1 January 1969 | Keeper of the Privy Purse, Treasurer to The Queen and Secretary to the Royal Victorian Order | |
| Anthony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon | 7 July 1969 | On the occasion of the investiture of the Prince of Wales | |
| Hon. Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs, KCMG, KCVO, OBE | 9 July 1969 | Governor of Southern Rhodesia | |
| Sir Arthur Espie Porritt, Bt, GCMG, KCVO, CBE | 21 March 1970 | Governor-General of New Zealand, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to New Zealand | |
| Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck, GCMG | 27 April 1970 | Governor-General of Australia, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to Australia | |
| Sir Christopher Douglas Bonham-Carter, KCVO, CB | 26 November 1970 | Treasurer to the Duke of Edinburgh | |
| Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean, Baron Maclean, PC, KT, KBE | 30 November 1971 | Lord Chamberlain | |
| David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns, KCVO, CB | 2 February 1972 | Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps | |
| Sir Arthur Leonard Williams, GCMG | 24 March 1972 | Governor-General of Mauritius, appointed on the occasions of the Queen's visit | |
| Sir Arthur Christopher John Soames, GCMG, CBE | 19 March 1972 | Ambassador to France, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's state visit to France | |
| Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham, KG, PC, GCMG, TD | 3 June 1972 | Lord Steward to the Royal Household | |
| Ralph Francis Alnwick Grey, Baron Grey of Naunton, GCMG, KCVO, OBE | 2 June 1973 | Governor of Northern Ireland | |
| Sir Ronald Bodley-Scott, KCVO | 9 November 1973 | Physician to the Queen | |
| Sir Henry Laurence Lindo, CMG | 12 December 1973 | High Commissioner for Jamaica and Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps | |
| Sir John Wheeler Wheeler-Bennett, KCVO, CMG, OBE | 1 January 1974 | Historical Advisor, The Queen's Archives | |
| Prince Richard of Gloucester | 1 January 1974 | ||
| Sir Edward Denis Blundell, GCMG, KBE | 7 February 1974 | Governor-General of New Zealand, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to New Zealand | |
| Princess Anne | 15 August 1974 | ||
| Sir Allan Henry Shafto Adair, Bt, KCVO, CB, DSO, MC | 19 December 1974 | Colonel of the Grenadier Guards | |
| Sir Arleigh Winston Scott, GCMG | 18 February 1975 | Governor-General of Barbados, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit | |
| Hon. Sir Milo Boughton Butler, GCMB | 20 February 1975 | Governor-General of the Bahamas, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit | |
| Sir Frederick Archibald Warner, KCMG | 7 May 1975 | Ambassador to Japan, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's state visit | |
| Sir Martin Michael Charles Charteris, KCB, KCVO, OBE | 1 January 1976 | Private Secretary to the Queen | |
| Hon. Sir Peter Edward Ramsbotham, KCMG | 11 July 1976 | Ambassador to the United States of America, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's visit to the United States of America | |
| Geoffrey Noel Waldegrave, 12th Earl Waldegrave, KG, TD | 17 December 1976 | Lord Warden of the Stannaries, Duchy of Cornwall | |
| Sir Seymour John Louis Egerton, KCVO | 3 February 1977 | Chairman of Coutts Bank | |
| Ratu Sir George Kadavulevu Cakobau, GCMG, OBE | 16 February 1977 | Governor-General of Fiji, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee visit | |
| Sir John Robert Kerr, AK, GCMG | 7 March 1977 | Governor-General of Australia, appointed on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee visit | |
| Katherine, Duchess of Kent | 9 June 1977 | ||
| George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley, MC | 11 June 1977 | Lord Great Chamberlain | |
| Sir Deighton Harcourt Lisle Ward, GCMG | 1 November 1977 | Governor-General of Barbados. appointed on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee visit | [11] |
Source: Galloway et al. 1996, pp. 113–114, 116
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ "Royal Victorian Order", The British Monarchy (accessed 16 August 2014)
- ^ "Royal Victorian Order", The Governor-General of Canada (accessed 16 August 2014)
- ^ The London Gazette, issue 26733, p. 2455
- ^ McCreery, 2008, p. 29
- ^ Honorary Knighthood Archived 2015-03-16 at the Wayback Machine, Debrett's (accessed on 20 August 2014)
- ^ Knighthood, The British Monarchy (accessed on 20 August 2014)
- ^ Duckers, 2004, p. 38
- ^ McCreery, 2008, pp. 28–29
- ^ a b Supplement to the London Gazette, 26 May 1953 (issue 39863), pp. 2940
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Supplement to the London Gazette, 26 May 1953 (issue 39863), pp. 2946
- ^ London Gazette, 17 January 1978 (issue 47440), p. 619
Bibliography
- P. Duckers (2004), British Orders and Decorations (Princes Risborough: Shire Publications Ltd, ISBN 0-7478-0580-6)
- P. Galloway, D. Stanley, D. Martin (1996), Royal Service, volume 1 (London: Victorian Publishing, ISBN 0-9528527-0-5)
- C. McCreery (2008), On Her Majesty's Service: Royal Honours and Recognition in Canada (Toronto: Dundurn Press; ISBN 1-77070-282-2)
- W. M. Shaw (1906), The Knights of England, volume i (London: Sherratt and Hughes; OCLC 185192520)
 Appointments to the Royal Victorian Order | |
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| Officers | |
| Knights and Dames Grand Cross by monarch |
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| Knights and Dames Commander by monarch |
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| Both | |
This page was last edited on 29 December 2023, at 10:07