The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. It was established in 1902 by King Edward VII (based on the Prussian Pour le Mérite) as a reward for distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. Appointments to the Order are in the Sovereign's personal gift and ministerial advice is not required. The Order of Merit ranks immediately below Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath; and although it confers no title, recipients are entitled to add the suffix O.M. after their surname.
The badge has the appearance of a red cross surmounted by a golden crown. The rarer military awards are distinguished from the civil by having a pair of crossed swords behind the central medallion. The ribbon is red and blue.
The Order is limited to the Sovereign and twenty-four members, but additional foreigners may be added as "honorary members". From the beginning the Order was open to women, and Florence Nightingale was the first woman to receive the honour, in 1907.
Sir Laurence Olivier (1907-1989), in 1981, was the first actor to receive the honour, followed by Sir John Gielgud (1904-2000) in 1996.
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Current members
- Sovereign: HM The Queen
- Members:
- The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO CD PC (1968), Royal Consort
- Owen Chadwick OM KBE (1983), Theological Historian
- Sir Andrew Huxley OM FRS (1983), Physiologist, Nobel Laureate (Medicine) and President of the Royal Society (1980-1985)
- Dr Frederick Sanger OM CH CBE FRS (1986), Biochemist and Double Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
- Baroness Thatcher LG OM PC FRS (1990), British Prime Minister (1979-1990)
- Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE (1991), Coloratura Soprano
- Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS (1992), Mathematician, Fields medalist, Abel Laureate and President of the Royal Society (1990-1995)
- Lucian Freud OM CH (1993), Painter
- Sir Aaron Klug OM FRS (1995), Biophysicist, Nobel Laureate (Chemistry) and President of the Royal Society (1995-2000)
- Lord Foster of Thames Bank OM RA (1997), Architect and Pritzker Laureate
- Sir James Black OM FRS (2000), Pharmacologist and Nobel Laureate (Medicine)
- Sir Anthony Caro OM CBE (2000), Sculptor
- Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS (2000), Mathematical physicist
- Sir Tom Stoppard OM CBE (2000), Playwright
- The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM AK QSO CD PC ADC (2002), Heir to the Throne
- Lord May of Oxford OM AC FRS (2002), Ecologist and President of the Royal Society (2000-2005)
- Lord Rothschild OM GBE FBA (2002), Philanthropist
- Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS (2005), Broadcaster
- Baroness Boothroyd OM PC (2005), First female Speaker of the House of Commons
- Sir Michael Howard OM CH KBE MC (2005), Military historian
- Sir Timothy Berners-Lee OM KBE FRS FREng FRSA (2007), Inventor of the World Wide Web, Director of the W3C
- Lord Rees of Ludlow OM PRS (2007), Astronomer Royal (1995 - ) and President of the Royal Society (2005 - )
- Lord Eames OM (2007), Anglican Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh (1986-2006)
- There is one vacancy, following the death of Sir Denis Rooke in September 2008.
- Honorary Members:
- Nelson Mandela OM CC AC QC (1995), Statesman and Nobel Laureate (Peace).
References
- Martin, Stanley (2007). The Order of Merit, I. B. Tauris. ISBN 1-86064-848-7.
See also
External links
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