Order of Merit facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Order of Merit is a special award given in countries that are part of the Commonwealth realms. It's like a huge "thank you" for people who have done amazing things. This includes great work in the armed forces, science, art, writing, or helping to spread culture.

Badge and ribbon bow of the order (for wear by female recipients)

Ribbon bar of the order

Edward VII started the Order of Merit in 1902. Today, Charles III (who is Edward VII's great-great-grandson) still personally chooses who gets this award. Only 24 living people from the Commonwealth realms can be members at one time. There can also be a few special "honorary" members.

When someone receives the Order of Merit, they get to use the letters OM after their name. They also get to wear a special badge. The importance of the Order of Merit compared to other awards can be different in each country.

History of the Order of Merit
Who Can Be a Member?
- How Members Are Chosen
- Honorary Members
The Order's Insignia
- The Badge
- The Ribbon
Current Members
- Some Current Members
- Honorary Members
Order of Importance
Images for kids
See also

History of the Order of Merit

For a long time, leaders in the United Kingdom thought about creating a special award for people who excelled in areas like art, science, and literature.

Early Ideas for a Special Award

Around 1773, George III thought about starting an award called the "Order of Minerva" for artists and writers. He even designed a badge and a special sash. But people argued so much about who should get it that he gave up the idea. He thought about it again later, adding scientists to the list.

After a big sea battle in 1805, some important leaders, Lord Barham and William Pitt, also talked about creating an order of merit, but nothing came of it.

Queen Victoria's Vision

Later, Queen Victoria and her advisors felt that the existing awards didn't properly recognize achievements in fields like art, music, literature, and science. They wanted something similar to the Pour le Mérite award from Prussia. Victoria's husband, Albert, Prince Consort, was very interested in this idea and discussed it with the Queen.

Even though the idea didn't happen right away, it didn't disappear. More than 40 years later, in 1888, Prime Minister Lord Salisbury gave Queen Victoria a plan for an Order of Merit in Science and Art. It would have two parts: one for science and one for art. However, the head of the Royal Academy, Frederic Leighton, advised against it because of how members would be chosen.

Edward VII Establishes the Order

King Edward VII, who founded the Order of Merit

It was Queen Victoria's son, Edward VII, who finally created the Order of Merit on June 26, 1902. He wanted to honor "exceptionally good service" in the Navy and Army, or for great achievements in Art, Literature, and Science. All the main features of the order we see today were set up by him, including a special section for military members.

From the very beginning, prime ministers tried to suggest people for the award. But the Royal Family kept the choices very private. After 1931, when many parts of the British Empire became independent countries, the Order of Merit continued to be an award for all these realms. In 1935, the rules were changed to include members of the Royal Air Force. In 1969, it was made possible for people from other Commonwealth of Nations countries (not just the realms) to become honorary members.

The Order of Merit has always been open to women. Florence Nightingale, famous for her nursing work, was the first woman to receive it in 1907. Some famous people have actually turned down the award, including writers Rudyard Kipling and George Bernard Shaw. The youngest person ever to receive the Order of Merit was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was 47 when Queen Elizabeth II gave it to him in 1968.

Who Can Be a Member?

Anyone who is a citizen of a Commonwealth realm can be chosen for the Order of Merit.

How Members Are Chosen

There can only be 24 living members at any time, not counting honorary members. The reigning monarch, currently Charles III, personally chooses new members. He gets help from his private secretaries. Because of this, the Order of Merit is often called one of the most respected awards in the world.

There is a special military section within the order, but it doesn't have any members right now. The last person to be honored in this way was Lord Mountbatten of Burma.

Honorary Members

"Honorary members" are a separate group, and there's no limit to how many there can be. However, these appointments are very rare. People from Commonwealth countries that are not headed by King Charles are considered "foreigners" for this award, so they can only receive honorary memberships. Famous honorary members include Nelson Mandela from South Africa and Mother Teresa from India.

When someone becomes a member of the Order of Merit, they get to use the letters OM after their name. They also receive the special badge of the order.

The Order's Insignia

The insignia is the special badge and ribbon that members wear.

Reverse of the badge as awarded during the reign of Elizabeth II, 1952–2022

The Badge

The badge is a golden crown with a red cross hanging from it. In the middle of the cross is a blue circle surrounded by a laurel wreath (a symbol of honor). On the front of the blue circle, it says FOR MERIT in gold letters. On the back, it has the special symbol of the monarch who is ruling at the time. For military members, the badge has two crossed swords behind the central circle.

The Ribbon

The ribbon of the Order of Merit has two stripes: one red and one blue. Men wear their badges on a ribbon around their neck. Women wear theirs on a ribbon bow pinned to their left shoulder.

Since 1991, members are asked to return the insignia after they pass away.

Current Members

Sovereign: Charles III
Secretary and Registrar: The Lord Janvrin

Some Current Members

Name	Known for	Date of appointment
The Lord Foster of Thames Bank	Famous architect	25 November 1997
Sir Roger Penrose	Mathematical physicist and Nobel Prize winner	9 May 2000
Sir David Attenborough	Broadcaster and naturalist	10 June 2005
Sir Tim Berners-Lee	Inventor of the World Wide Web	13 June 2007
Jean Chrétien	Former Prime Minister of Canada	13 July 2009
David Hockney	Artist	1 January 2012
John Howard	Former Prime Minister of Australia	1 January 2012
/ Sir Magdi Yacoub	Heart surgeon	1 January 2014
Sir James Dyson	Inventor and industrial designer	1 January 2016
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu	Nurse	11 November 2022
/ The Baroness Benjamin	Broadcaster	11 November 2022
Margaret MacMillan	Historian	11 November 2022
/ Sir David Adjaye	Architect	11 November 2022
Sir Paul Nurse	Geneticist and Nobel Prize winner	11 November 2022
/ Venki Ramakrishnan	Structural biologist and Nobel Prize winner	11 November 2022

Honorary Members

There have been no honorary members of the Order of Merit since Nelson Mandela passed away in December 2013.

Order of Importance

The Order of Merit is given in 15 different countries, and each country has its own system of awards. So, the Order of Merit's place in the "order of importance" (which award comes first) changes from country to country.

In the United Kingdom, for example, the Order of Merit is considered the highest civilian award.

Here's how it ranks in some countries:

Country	Comes Before	Comes After
Australia	Knight/Lady of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle	Knight/Dame of the Order of Australia
Canada	Cross of Valour	Companion of the Order of Canada
New Zealand	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath	Member of the Order of New Zealand
United Kingdom	Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath	Baronet's Badge