Order of Merit
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The Order of Merit is a British Order. 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. The rarer military awards were distinguished from the civil by having a pair of crossed swords behind the central medallion.
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; Florence Nightingale was the first woman to receive the order, in 1907. The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this single-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "OM". The badge has the appearance of a red cross surmounted by a golden crown. The ribbon is red and blue.
Current members
- Sovereign: HM The Queen
- Members:
- HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO PC (1968), Royal Consort
- The Revd Owen Chadwick OM KBE (1983), Theological Historian
- Sir Andrew Huxley OM FRS (1983), Physiologist and Nobel Laureate (Medicine)
- Dr. Frederick Sanger OM CH FRS (1986), Biochemist and Double Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
- Dame Cicely Saunders OM DBE (1989), Founder of the modern Hospice Movement and recipient of the Templeton Prize
- The Rt Hon. The 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 and Fields Medalist
- Lucian Freud OM CH (1993), Painter
- Sir Aaron Klug OM FRS (1995), Biophysicist and Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Foster of Thames Bank OM RA (1997), Architect and Pritzker Laureate
- Sir Denis Rooke OM CBE (1997), Industrial Engineer
- 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
- HRH The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM AK QSO PC ADC (2002), Heir to the Throne
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord May of Oxford OM AC FRS (2002), Ecologist and President of the Royal Society
- The Rt. Hon. The Lord Rothschild OM GBE (2002), Philanthropist
- Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS (2005), Broadcaster
- The Rt Hon. The Baroness Boothroyd OM PC (2005), First female speaker of the House of Commons
- Professor Sir Michael Howard OM CH (2005), Military historian
- Honorary Members:
Statesman and Nobel Laureate (Peace)
See also
External Links
- A history of the Order and a full list of all recipients 1902-2002 (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page1880.asp)de:Order of Merit