History

The Royal Guelphic Order was established by Prince Regent George, the future King George IV, in 1815 as an order of the new Hanoverian Kingdom. It was first proposed by Count Ernst Friedrich von Münster, the acting Minister of Hanover in London, in order to secure the status of the kingdom and reward Hanoverian subjects for their military achievements in the Napoleonic Wars. It was also awarded for a short period to British subjects, but the award of the Order ceased following the death of King William IV in 1837 and the permanent separation of the British and Hanoverian crowns. The Order continues to be awarded in Germany by the head of the Hanoverian House.

The Order’s name is an allusion to the ancient dynasty of the House of Guelph of which the House of Hanover is a descendant. The institution date of the Order is also significant, as it was the Prince Regent’s birthday and the 101st anniversary of the accession of the House of Hanover to the British Throne.

From 1815-1837 when the Order was awarded in the United Kingdom, appointees were considered “honourary” and were not automatically named Knights. The Order was conferred upon both military personnel and civilians and was numerously awarded during the reign of William IV. At the time, it was the only order in the United Kingdom that could be awarded to those who did not hold military or government positions. During this period, it was awarded in three classes and two divisions. Following the separation of the crowns in 1837, the Order was reorganized into five, and later four, classes and two divisions.

The decorations of the civil division of the Collar feature a wreath of laurel, while decorations of the military division feature a wreath of oak with crossed swords above the suspension. Both feature the motto of the Order, NEC ASPERA TERRENT (“Difficulties do not terrify”).

The Collar was worn by all Grand Crosses until 1839 when it was permanently abolished. It is composed of alternating links of rampant lions, crowns, and royal monograms of GR (Georgius Rex, "King George"). The badge appendant differs according to the division of the recipient.

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See also the Royal Guelphic Order in the Orders of Hannover of the German Empire (1871-1918) for the continuation of the Order to the present day.