The

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

is an

order of knighthood An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concept ...

awarded by the sovereign of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

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."Royal Victorian Order"
''The British Monarchy'' (accessed 16 August 2014) The order was officially created and instituted on 23 April 1896 by letters patent under the Great Seal of the Realm by

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

. 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).Honorary Knighthood
, ''

Debrett's Debrett's () is a British professional coaching company, publisher and authority on etiquette and behaviour, founded in 1769 with the publication of the first edition of ''The New Peerage''. The company takes its name from its founder, John De ...

'' (accessed on 20 August 2014) 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). No limit was placed on the number of appointments which could be made. King

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

(reigned 1937–52) appointed 102 Knights Commander and nine Dames Commander of the order.

Knights and Dames Commander appointed by George VI

The list below is ordered by date of appointment. Full names, 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 names, dates, offices and occasions listed are those given by Peter Galloway in his 1996 history of the order, ''Royal Service''.Galloway, 1996, pp. 125–126, 135.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* P. Duckers (2004)
''British Orders and Decorations''
(Princes Risborough: Shire Publications Ltd, ) * P. Galloway, D. Stanley, D. Martin (1996)
''Royal Service''
volume 1 (London: Victorian Publishing, ) * C. McCreery (2008)
''On Her Majesty's Service: Royal Honours and Recognition in Canada''
(Toronto:

Dundurn Press Dundurn Press is one of the largest Canadian-owned book publishing companies of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction. The company publishes Canadian literature, history, biography, politics and arts. Dundurn has about 2500 books in print, ...

; ) * W. M. Shaw (1906)
''The Knights of England''
volume i (London: Sherratt and Hughes; OCLCbr>185192520
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Victorian Order, Knights and Dames Grand Cross appointed by George VI to the British honours system Royal Victorian Order Royal Victorian