Disquatufais, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Order of the Golden Lion of the House of Nassau was founded in 1858. The order was established jointly by King William III of the Netherlands and Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg. The two monarchs were heads of the two branches of the House of Nassau.
The order was intended to symbolize the unity and solidarity of the two Houses of Nassau. The Monarchs of Netherlands and Luxembourg remain Grand Master of the Order. The Monarchs may give out the Order either separately or jointly, and must notify each other of any appointments.
In Luxembourg, this is the country’s highest honor. It is bestowed by the Grand Duke for meritorious service to Luxembourg and the Grand Duke. It is awarded to:
- Members of the royal family
- Foreign Monarchs
- Foreign Heads of state
In the Netherlands, this honor is a a personal gift by the Monarch. The honor is given to:
- Members of the royal family
- People who has rendered special service to the Royal House.
Grades:
- Knight
The honor originally only had one grade, Knight. King William III of the Netherlands add more grades in 1873 & 1888. These additions were not approved by Prince Adolph, the Duke of Nassau (Later Grand Duke of Luxembourg). And were never used in Luxembourg. The extra grades were abolished by Prince Adolph after William III’s death.
(There are no post-nominal letters.)
Insignia
A knight wears the order’s badge on a sash on the right shoulder, and the plaque (breast star) of the order on the left chest.
Robert Prummel at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Leave a Comment!