The Royal Family Order (RFO) and other Royal Orders and Decorations 1: Ending 2022


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Warren said:
Hmm... Wikipedia lists Zara Phillips as having the RFO. Unlikely?

i think it might be true. we just haven't seen it probably.

Well, i wonder when Camila will receive the RFO. I mean, it would be very funny if she didn't get that. Because the RFO is a sign that the Queen acknowladge the reciepient of the order as her family. If Camila didn't get one, how ridiculous it would be. Although, the Duchess of York didn't recieve the RFO also.
 
The Royal Family Order (RFO) and other Royal Orders and Decorations

In another thread it said that Zara had the Queen's family order. Does anyone have a picture of her wearing it? Also do the York girls have the order? Please post any pictures any of the ladies wearing this order!
 
Not sure about Zara actually but I'm pretty sure that we'll be seeing the York girls get it in the near future as well as the Duchess of Cornwall (which could be next week when the Emperor and Empress of Japan visit).
 
Thanks, can not wait to see the pictures from the visit!
 
Although having said that it looks like the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are in Scotland when the dinner is held at Buckingham Palace so I don't think we will see any new family orders on display.
 
I think it will be a few years for the York girls

BeatrixFan said:
Not sure about Zara actually but I'm pretty sure that we'll be seeing the York girls get it in the near future as well as the Duchess of Cornwall (which could be next week when the Emperor and Empress of Japan visit).

I wouldn't expect them to receive them until they are done with school, and working for the 'firm'.

I've read that Zara has it as well, but I've never seen her with one.
 
Wikipedia states that Zara Phillips has the Royal Family Order, but this is open to doubt.
 
BeatrixFan said:
Although having said that it looks like the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are in Scotland when the dinner is held at Buckingham Palace so I don't think we will see any new family orders on display.
At the Concert/Dinner in America in January, when the Duchess wore her new necklace, the Prince of Wales put on alot of Orders, while the Duchess was without the Orders, so i'm doubt we would see any Orders soon with the Duchess of Cornwall.
 
Would Zara wear her RFO on her dress at the Trooping events?
It is odd that Sarah, Duchess of York never received one. I always thought the Queen loved her so much, at least in the early years of the marriage.

As sirhon said, at least it is good that Diana had the RFO and the Dutch order, because she certainly deserved them at least. She earned them through much dedication and hard work.
 
CasiraghiTrio said:
Would Zara wear her RFO on her dress at the Trooping events? .
No. The Order is only worn at State functions, generally tiara events.
 
She has been with the firm for two years though and she is the future Queen. The Emperor of Japan gave Crown Princess Victoria the Order of the Chrysanthemum on his visit to Sweden and I thought that maybe Camilla would get the same at the dinner and would be sporting the sash, badge and the Royal Family Order but I suppose we'll have to wait a little longer.
 
Fergie never got one

BeatrixFan said:
She has been with the firm for two years though and she is the future Queen. The Emperor of Japan gave Crown Princess Victoria the Order of the Chrysanthemum on his visit to Sweden and I thought that maybe Camilla would get the same at the dinner and would be sporting the sash, badge and the Royal Family Order but I suppose we'll have to wait a little longer.

And she and Andrew were together for about 6 years before they parted ways.
 
Yes but Fergie wasn't married to the Prince of Wales and wasn't polishing her tiara for a certain ceremony at Wesminster Abbey.
 
BeatrixFan said:
She has been with the firm for two years though and she is the future Queen. The Emperor of Japan gave Crown Princess Victoria the Order of the Chrysanthemum on his visit to Sweden and I thought that maybe Camilla would get the same at the dinner and would be sporting the sash, badge and the Royal Family Order but I suppose we'll have to wait a little longer.

I doubt that Camilla will get the Order of the Chrysanthemum. Apart from the monarch, the heir receives it, and not the spouse of the heir. No female monarch has this order, except for Elizabeth, Beatrix, and Margrethe. As a consort, and other female members of royal families, the Order of the Precious Crown is bestowed, so if Camilla is to receive any Japanese order, she would receive the Order of the Precious Crown.
 
I don't believe the upcoming visit is a true state visit, so I doubt any orders would be exchanged.
 
Well, the visit to Estonia wasn't a state one but orders were exchanged.
 
HMQueenElizabethII said:
At the Concert/Dinner in America in January, when the Duchess wore her new necklace, the Prince of Wales put on alot of Orders, while the Duchess was without the Orders, so i'm doubt we would see any Orders soon with the Duchess of Cornwall.

That has to do with the dresscode. When the gentleman wears cravate noire (black tie), the usance is not to wear decorations.

The British (and the British Commonwealth) however, has a custom that gentlemen can wear small decorations in combination with a smoking. No sash, no breast star: just small decorations. When the Prince of Orange visited Australia last year, he wore small decorations on his black tie. This was the very first time he ever did so, as on the Continent never decorations are worn with black tie. See this picture. So the Prince adapted to the British / Britis Commonwealth custom.

You see the Princess of Orange wore no decorations. This is in line with the general dresscode: ladies do not wear decorations during black tie events. Not on the Continent and also not in Britain or the British Commonwealth. So no matter how many decorations a royal lady has: during a black tie event she will not wear any.
 
Last edited:
You see the Princess of Orange wore no decorations. This is in line with the general dresscode: ladies do not wear decorations during black tie events. Not on the Continent and also not in Britain or the British Commonwealth. So no matter how many decorations a royal lady has: during a black tie event she will not wear any.

This is not quite true, Her Majesty The Queen often wears the star of an order with black tie, though no other decorations are put on, for examples see photos of dinner on board Britannia with President Regan in the 1980s and lots of other official black tie functions, CHOGM dinners are also a good example.
 
This is not quite true, Her Majesty The Queen often wears the star of an order with black tie, though no other decorations are put on, for examples see photos of dinner on board Britannia with President Regan in the 1980s and lots of other official black tie functions, CHOGM dinners are also a good example.

Not only that, but we often see HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wear the Star of the Order of the Garter and badge of the Order of Merit (suspended from miniature width neck ribband) along with court-mounted miniatures when wearing black tie.
 
The official portrait of the Queen of Canada was taken at a black tie function, but the Queen is wearing the insignia of the Order of Canada and order of Military Merit, and Prince Philip is wearing miniature decorations.
 
Current holders of the Queen's Family Order

Hmm... Wikipedia lists Zara Phillips as having the RFO. Unlikely?

Well if it did when you posted, it doesn't now.
This is the list they give:

· HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (deceased)
· Diana, Princess of Wales (deceased)
· HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (deceased)
· HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (deceased)
· HRH The Princess RoyalCountess of Harewood (deceased)
· HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (deceased)
· HRH The Duchess of Gloucester
· HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne)
· HRH Princess Alexandra
· HRH The Duchess of Kent
· HRH The Countess of Wessex
It should be noted that neither HRH The Duchess of Cornwall nor Sarah, Duchess of York have, at the time of writing, received the honour.
 
Distrusting Wikipedia...

Well if it did when you posted, it doesn't now.
This is the list they give..
No, Zara is still (probably wrongly) listed:

quote from Wikipedia (under the heading 'Wearing the Order'): "Those who wear that of The Queen only are The Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal, Zara Phillips, The Duchess of Gloucester and The Duchess of Kent."
 
Generally, only the more significant royal family members receive the highest order of chivalry (Order of the Garter, Order of the Elephant, Order of Leopold etc). Those further down the line of succession may receive a graded order such as the Royal Victorian Order, Order of the Dannebrog or Order of Leopold II.

Sovereigns are each their state's font of honour and as such may make appointments as ordinary members of orders within the set guidelines of that order (Order of the Garter - 25). However, the limit does not apply to additional appointments of members of the royal family (being thus created Royal Knights and Ladies), or of foreign monarchs and heads of state (stranger knights and ladies).

Lastly, it can be argued that the House of Windsor does indeed have a house order (in the European sense), The Royal Victorian Order. This order is awarded for personal service rendered to Her Majesty The Queen, Her Majesty's vice-regal representatives and to members of the royal family. This order is strictly in the personal gift of Her Majesty, with recommendations being made directly to and coming from Her Majesty, unlike the other graded orders (The Bath, St. Michael and St. George and Order of the British Empire), all recommendations to which are made through the parliament.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
QEII Royal Family Order 2nd class

On Royal Jewels Board, I recently came across htt://www.regiments.org/biograohy/royals/1947birG.htm
a site stating The Duchess of Gloucester's honours etc.
It states that in 1973 The Duchess had QEII Royal Family Order 2nd class.

What does 2nd class mean? Why is there a class difference?
What does a 2nd class Family Order look like?

Whilst reading "The Last Princess" by Matthew Dennison, a story of Princess Beatrice, the youngest daughter of Q. Victoria, it says on page 234, Beatrice received from her brother, Edward VII, His Family Order 2nd class. ???

Can anyone offer and explanation of this 2nd class Royal Family Order?
I am most intrigued and would love to know more.
joye
 
I believe that the First Class of the British Royal Family Orders (each created and bestowed on ladies by the reigning Sovereign) is reserved for those of queenly rank (foreign royalty) and the daughters of the Sovereign.

The Second Class would be for other Royal ladies by birth or marriage; the Third and Fourth Classes are for non-Royal ladies.

RR
 
Last edited:
QEII Royal Family Order 2nd class

Sophie, Countess of Wessex has the FRO, so your theory would not hold.
 
My research indicates that Her present Majesty's Royal Family Order is not distinguished by classes, contrary to past custom.

I do not know if the citation in Regiments.Org is accurate, or reflected then-current practice, or was something assumed from the practice of earlier reigns.

RR
 
Royal Family Orders - listings in Royal Service V2

Volume 2 of Royal Service (Third Millenium, 2001) lists their being two sizes for the Royal Family Orders of Edward VII, George VI and Elizabeth II, and four sizes for George V.

For the current reign it lists...

Size one
HM, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
and HM Queen Mary

Size two
HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
HRH Princess Marina, Duchesss of Kent
HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood)
HRH Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
HRH Princess Alexandra, the Honourable Mrs Angus (later Hon Lady) Ogilvy
HRH The Princess Royal
HRH The Duchess of Kent
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester
HRH The Princess of Wales

Since then we would have to add

HRH The Countess of Wessex.

Photos of all of the badges and the different sizes are show in the chapter on the royal family orders. It is interesting to note that size one badge for Elizabeth II is listed as coming from Princess Margaret and that the queen now wears size one badges of George V and George VI (even though she received size three and two respectively. These three size one badges seem to have been Queen Mary's and after her death were worn by her granddaughters.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Any photos detailing the difference?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom