What medals are the royal family wearing?

Everything you need to know about royal medals, and which medals the royal family wear on formal occasions

By Emma Longstaff

Published: Wednesday, 12 April 2023 at 12:00 am

At Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last year, we saw senior members of the royal family with chests full of medals, leading many to wonder what they signified.

Some of these medals denoted military service, but others, better described as royal medals, were issued to reward service to the royal household or to celebrate the Queen’s coronation and subsequent jubilees.

Find out more about military medals here.

What are royal medals?

The coronation of Queen Victoria was the first to be commemorated with an official coronation medal, with official jubilee medals also released to mark the golden (50th) and diamond (60th) years of her reign in 1887 and 1897.

A coronation medal has been issued for every British monarch since Victoria, with a silver jubilee medal also awarded in 1935 to mark 25 years of King George V’s reign.

A further four jubilee medals were issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II – for the silver jubilee in 1977, the golden jubilee in 2002, the diamond jubilee in 2012, and finally for the platinum jubilee in 2022.

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Who can wear a royal medal?

When coronation and jubilee medals were first created they were given to a very select group of people, explains Christopher Mellor-Hill, a life-long medal collector and Head of Client Liaison at Noonans, the specialist medal auctioneer.

Recipients would include, ‘members of the royal household, ambassadors or other dignitaries, senior government officials and overseas officials, along with officers with a connection to royal household service and a few long-serving soldiers.’

Over time, according to Christopher, the scope of who is eligible for these medals has widened, meaning the later medals were issued in much larger numbers.

The 2022 platinum jubilee medal – the seventh jubilee medal awarded by a British monarch – was given to serving members of the armed forces, front line emergency workers, prison service staff, members of the royal household, and living recipients of the Victoria and George Crosses.

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Will there be a medal for King Charles’ coronation?

It’s not yet known if there will be a coronation medal for King Charles III, and whether it will feature the Queen Consort – the 1911 coronation medal for George V depicted Queen Mary, so there is a precedent. Nor is it clear whether the medal will be ready in time to be worn during the coronation. We also don’t yet know who will be eligible to receive the award.

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What medals do the royal family wear?

King Charles III

Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images

At Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral King Charles III wore 10 medals:

Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Silver Jubilee Medal
Gold Jubilee Medal
Diamond Jubilee Medal
Platinum Jubilee Medal
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal (with three additional service bars)
Canadian Forces Decoration (with three additional service bars)
The New Zealand Commemorative medal
The New Zealand Armed Forces Award
Order of the Garter (collar)
Order of the Green Thistle (sash)

King Charles’ military medals explained:

Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)

replicacrownjewels.com

Created by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, this medal is awarded by the government of New Zealand ‘for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or appointed office’. It features a stylised manuka flower, native to New Zealand, with an image of Queen Elizabeth at the centre. The ribbon has a traditional red, black and white Māori Poutama motif, symbolising the stairway to heaven.

Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal (with three additional service bars)

awardmedals.com

In 2006 Prince Charles was promoted to Admiral in the Royal Navy, General in the Army and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force, and as monarch is Commander in Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The medal is usually awarded after 15 years of good service, with additional bars for each additional 15 years.

Canadian Forces Decoration (with three additional service bars)

Awarded after 12 years of military service, with a bar for each 10 years of additional service. Since 1977, he has held various honorary appointments in the Canadian Forces, including Colonel-in-Chief of Canada’s Air Reserve and six army regiments.

The New Zealand Commemorative medal

Museum Of New Zealand www.tepapa.govt

Instituted in 1990 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the creation of modern New Zealand.

The New Zealand Armed Forces Award

www.birkenheadrsamedals.nz

Granted for 15 years of good service. Charles has held honorary roles including Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Field Marshal for the New Zealand Army and Marshal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Order of the Garter

Sothebys

Denoted by a 4 inch wide, mid-blue riband (sash) worn across the body from the left shoulder, signifying his position as Royal Knight Commander of the Order, a position he has held since 2008. This is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III in 1348. It is worn with a breast star, featuring the red cross of St George and a motto in Middle French, which translates as ‘shame on him who thinks evil’.

Order of the Green Thistle

www.tallinnmuseum.com

A broad, four inch-wide dark green silk riband worn across the body from the left shoulder, this is Scotland’s highest order and second only to the Order of the Garter. Established in 1687 by James V11 of Scotland (later James II of England), it is awarded at the discretion of the monarch in recognition for public service. The accompanying breast star features an enamelled thistle surrounded by a green border bearing the Order’s motto ‘nemo me impune lacessit’ – ‘no one harms me with impunity’.

Usually the Order of the Garter takes precedence. However, on so called ‘collar days’, including the coronation, holders must wear the ornate gold and enamel chain of the highest Order they hold, with the riband of the next highest Order.