Medal of the Royal Guelphic Order, detail

The Royal Guelphic Order (german: Königliche Guelphen-Orden), sometimes referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a

Hanoverian The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe: * British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901 * things relating to; ** Electorate of Hanover ** Kingdom of Hanover ** Province o ...

order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent (later King George IV). It takes its name from the House of Guelph, of which the Hanoverians were a branch. Since Hanover and the United Kingdom shared a monarch until 1837, the order was frequently bestowed upon British subjects.

History

Until 1837 the order was frequently awarded to officers in the British Navy and Army, although it was still classed as a foreign order, with British members of the order not entitled to style themselves as "Sir" unless they were also created Knights Bachelor, as many were. The British link ended in 1837 when Hanover's royal union with Great Britain ended, with Ernest Augustus becoming King of Hanover and Queen Victoria ascending the British throne. When Hanover was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1866, the order continued as a house order to be awarded by the Royal House of Hanover. Today, its current Sovereign is the Hanoverian head of the house, Ernst August, Prince of Hanover.

Classes

The insignia was based on the white horse on Hanover's arms. The Order includes two divisions, Civil and Military, the latter indicated by crossed swords on both the badge and star. It originally had three classes, but with several reorganisations since 1841, as house order today it has four classes and an additional Cross of Merit. In descending order of seniority the classes are:

1815–1841

* Knight Grand Cross (GCH). Received a collar chain and badge, a star worn on the left breast, and a badge worn from sash over the right shoulder. * Knight Commander (KCH). A neck badge worn from a ribbon, with a breast star, smaller than that for the GCH. * Knight (KH). Wore the badge on the left breast. Versions in both gold and silver were awarded. Holders of the respective degrees of the order in Britain were entitled to be post-nominally addressed with the initials, which stand for Knight Grand Cross of Hanover, Knight Commander of Hanover and Knight of Hanover. The initial GCG was also used, and was cited in the original statutes of the order. Gold and silver medals were attached to the order, for award to those not eligible for the order itself, including

non commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

s and royal servants.

After 1841

*Grand Cross *Commander 1st Class *Commander 2nd Class *Knight *Cross of Merit

The Order

Officers

The Order has six officers: the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar, the

King of Arms King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings and sometimes certify genealogies and noble titles. In other traditions, the power has been de ...

, the Genealogist, and the Secretary.

Officers until 1837

The first six officers were: * Chancellor: Count Ernst Friedrich Herbert von Münster * Vice-Chancellor:

Georg Nieper Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) * , a Kriegsmarine coastal tanker See also * George (disambiguation) George may refer to: People * George (given name) * G ...

* Secretary: Ludwig Moeller * King of Arms:

Sir George Nayler Sir George Nayler, KH FRS ( bapt. 29 June 1764 – 28 October 1831) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Early life George Nayler was born on 29 June 1764 in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. He was the fifth son o ...

* Genealogist:

August Neubourg August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named ''Sextilis'' in Latin because it was the 6th month in ...

* Registrar: Sir William Woods

Officers since 1987

*Chancellor: Ernst August, Prince of Hanover

Members

* List of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order * List of Knights Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order *

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* Felton Hervey-Bathurst *

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* William Hotham (Royal Navy officer, born 1794) * John Hobart Caradoc, 2nd Baron Howden * Frederick Irwin * James Ivory (mathematician) * James Jackson (British Army officer) * William Jervois (British Army officer) *

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* Charles Konig *

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* Henry John Leeke * John Leslie (physicist) *

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* Sir John Murray, 8th Baronet *

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