Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | |
|---|---|
| Order | Royal Victorian Order |
| Awarded by | The Sovereign |
| Precedence | 6 |
| Post-nominals | GCVO |
| Style | Sir or Dame |
The Knight or Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) is the highest class of the Royal Victorian Order. It is part of the honours system, and a holder is styled "Sir" or "Dame", and holders use the letters GCVO after their name.
Contents
The order
The Royal Victorian Order was founded by Queen Victoria in 1896 to reward personal service to the Sovereign. Appointments are the Sovereign's personal gift, made without the advice of ministers. It has five classes: Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO) and Member (MVO). Its chapel is the Savoy Chapel in London, and its motto is simply "Victoria".
Appointment
Honours are awarded by The Sovereign, usually on the advice of the Prime Minister. In UKOGB any member can nominate another for an honour on the website, with a citation explaining why. Once it is awarded, the honour and the date it was given appear on the holder's profile, and their styled name changes to include it.
This page was last edited on 3 November 2026.