History

The Silver Carnation was established by Prince Bernard in 1950. It was created in commemoration of the 1940 protest during the German occupation, known as "Carnation Day," in which Dutch citizens protested the occupation by celebrating the birthday of the Prince and by wearing carnations in the buttonhole of their jackets in the same fashion as the Prince.

It is awarded by the King or Queen to Dutch citizens in recognition of outstanding contributions to the nation and human rights issues. It is permitted for wear on military uniforms.

There are two versions of the Silver Medal that differ in design. The first version is shaped like a bell, while the current version is shaped like a flower. Both versions have an obverse inscription that translates to "It's Your Concern." There may be additional versions that differ in size.