At Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s funeral last year, we saw senior members of the royal family with chests full of medals, leading many to wonder what they signified.
Some of these medals denoted military service, but others, better described as royal medals, were issued to reward service to the royal household or to celebrate the Queen's coronation and subsequent jubilees.
Find out more about military medals here.
What are royal medals?
The coronation of Queen Victoria was the first to be commemorated with an official coronation medal, with official jubilee medals also released to mark the golden (50th) and diamond (60th) years of her reign in 1887 and 1897.
A coronation medal has been issued for every British monarch since Victoria, with a silver jubilee medal also awarded in 1935 to mark 25 years of King George V’s reign.
A further four jubilee medals were issued during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II – for the silver jubilee in 1977, the golden jubilee in 2002, the diamond jubilee in 2012, and finally for the platinum jubilee in 2022.
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Who can wear a royal medal?
When coronation and jubilee medals were first created they were given to a very select group of people, explains Christopher Mellor-Hill, a life-long medal collector and Head of Client Liaison at Noonans, the specialist medal auctioneer.
Recipients would include, 'members of the royal household, ambassadors or other dignitaries, senior government officials and overseas officials, along with officers with a connection to royal household service and a few long-serving soldiers.'
Over time, according to Christopher, the scope of who is eligible for these medals has widened, meaning the later medals were issued in much larger numbers.
The 2022 platinum jubilee medal – the seventh jubilee medal awarded by a British monarch – was given to serving members of the armed forces, front line emergency workers, prison service staff, members of the royal household, and living recipients of the Victoria and George Crosses.
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Will there be a medal for King Charles' coronation?
It’s not yet known if there will be a coronation medal for King Charles III, and whether it will feature the Queen Consort – the 1911 coronation medal for George V depicted Queen Mary, so there is a precedent. Nor is it clear whether the medal will be ready in time to be worn during the coronation. We also don’t yet know who will be eligible to receive the award.
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What medals do the royal family wear?
King Charles III
At Queen Elizabeth II's funeral King Charles III wore 10 medals:
- Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal (with three additional service bars)
- Canadian Forces Decoration (with three additional service bars)
- The New Zealand Commemorative medal
- The New Zealand Armed Forces Award
- Order of the Garter (collar)
- Order of the Green Thistle (sash)
King Charles' military medals explained:
Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
Created by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, this medal is awarded by the government of New Zealand 'for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or appointed office'. It features a stylised manuka flower, native to New Zealand, with an image of Queen Elizabeth at the centre. The ribbon has a traditional red, black and white Māori Poutama motif, symbolising the stairway to heaven.
Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal (with three additional service bars)
In 2006 Prince Charles was promoted to Admiral in the Royal Navy, General in the Army and Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force, and as monarch is Commander in Chief of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The medal is usually awarded after 15 years of good service, with additional bars for each additional 15 years.
Canadian Forces Decoration (with three additional service bars)
Awarded after 12 years of military service, with a bar for each 10 years of additional service. Since 1977, he has held various honorary appointments in the Canadian Forces, including Colonel-in-Chief of Canada’s Air Reserve and six army regiments.
The New Zealand Commemorative medal
Instituted in 1990 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the creation of modern New Zealand.
The New Zealand Armed Forces Award
Granted for 15 years of good service. Charles has held honorary roles including Admiral of the Fleet of the Royal New Zealand Navy, Field Marshal for the New Zealand Army and Marshal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Order of the Garter
Denoted by a 4 inch wide, mid-blue riband (sash) worn across the body from the left shoulder, signifying his position as Royal Knight Commander of the Order, a position he has held since 2008. This is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III in 1348. It is worn with a breast star, featuring the red cross of St George and a motto in Middle French, which translates as 'shame on him who thinks evil'.
Order of the Green Thistle
A broad, four inch-wide dark green silk riband worn across the body from the left shoulder, this is Scotland’s highest order and second only to the Order of the Garter. Established in 1687 by James V11 of Scotland (later James II of England), it is awarded at the discretion of the monarch in recognition for public service. The accompanying breast star features an enamelled thistle surrounded by a green border bearing the Order’s motto 'nemo me impune lacessit' – 'no one harms me with impunity'.
Usually the Order of the Garter takes precedence. However, on so called 'collar days', including the coronation, holders must wear the ornate gold and enamel chain of the highest Order they hold, with the riband of the next highest Order.
The Queen Consort (Camilla)
The Queen Consort can wear:
- Order of the Garter
- Royal Family Order
The Queen Consort's medals explained:
During Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, Camilla didn’t wear any medals, but she presumably received the diamond and platinum jubilee medals, as she became a member of the royal family after her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005.
Camilla was granted the Order of the Garter in June 2022 by Queen Elizabeth. At state occasions, Camilla also usually wears the Royal Family Order pinned to her left shoulder.
At the centre of the order, which is now awarded only to women, is a miniature of Queen Elizabeth in evening dress. Originally this was painted onto ivory, but since 2017 has been produced on glass. It is fixed onto a pale yellow ribbon.
Both orders usually are only worn during official state occasions in the presence of the reigning monarch, such as state banquets.
The Prince of Wales (William)
Medals from left:
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Order of the Garter or Order of the Thistle
The Princess of Wales (Kate)
The Princess of Wales can wear:
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Royal Victorian Order
- Royal Family Order
The Princess of Wales' medals explained:
The Royal Victorian Order is denoted by a blue riband (sash) bordered with red, along with breast star and Maltese cross sash badge, signifying she is a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order of Queen Elizabeth II (abbreviated to GCVO).
This is worn across the body from the right shoulder. It is given personally, without public ceremony, by the monarch in recognition of the recipient’s years of service as a working royal.
Originally created by Queen Victoria (hence the name) in 1896 it is intended to 'personally thank and honour people who had helped her directly, or represented her across the Empire.'
The Duke of Sussex (Harry)
The Duke of Sussex can wear:
- Afghanistan Service Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Royal Victorian Order
Prince Harry's medals explained:
Prince Harry completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and rose to the rank of Captain and so he wears the Afghanistan Service Medal to recognise his service.
He is also another member of the family to have the Royal Victorian Order, although he usually wears this on a blue ribbon around his neck, rather than the riband across the torso.
The Princess Royal (Anne)
The Princess Royal can wear:
- Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal
- Canadian Forces Decoration
- Order of St John Service medal
- New Zealand Commemorative Medal
- Order of the Garter and/ or Order of the Thistle
- Royal Victorian Order
Princess Anne's medals explained:
First issued in 1899, the Order of St John Service medal rewards conspicuous service in the St John Ambulance Brigade, and not exclusively length of service. The Princess Royal is the Commander in Chief of the organisation.
The Duke of York (Andrew)
The Duke of York can wear:
- South Atlantic Campaign Medal: Denotes Andrew’s active service during the Falkland’s War as a helicopter pilot.
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medal
- Canadian Forces Decoration
- New Zealand Commemorative Medal
- Order of the Garter
- Royal Victorian Order
Prince Andrew's medals explained:
The South Atlantic Campaign Medal denotes Andrew’s active service during the Falkland’s War as a helicopter pilot.
The Earl of Wessex (Edward)
The Earl of Wessex can wear:
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Long Service and Good Conduct medal
- Canadian Forces Decoration
- New Zealand Commemorative Medal
- Order of the Garter
- Royal Victorian Order
The Countess of Wessex (Sophie)
The Countess of Wessex can wear:
- Silver Jubilee Medal
- Gold Jubilee Medal
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
- Royal Family Order
Mike Tindall
- MBE for services to rugby
- Diamond Jubilee Medal
- Platinum Jubilee Medal
Can you buy royal medals?
It’s possible to buy a genuine platinum jubilee medal for around £40 on eBay. Older coronation and jubilee medals, for example from the reign of Queen Victoria, make similar sums.
Although they’re quite affordable, anyone thinking of wearing a coronation or jubilee medal, for example during the coronation festivities for King Charles III, should think again.
It is considered bad form to wear a medal if you weren’t awarded it personally, with one exception. After World War One it became common practice for widows to wear their deceased husband’s medals on the right breast – medals are normally worn on the left – and it has now become a generally accepted practice for relatives to wear their deceased relatives' medals.
It's only when coronation and jubilee medals are well-documented as belonging to members of the nobility or the royal household, or are sold in groups with named military medals, that they make much money at auction.
For example, in January 2022 Noonans sold a 1953 coronation medal and a royal household long service medal belonging to Herbert Oliver Heuston, who served as a gamekeeper at Sandringham for 28 years.
The pair was sold with a large number of accompanying royal letters and invitations, and was hammered down for £1,000.
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