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| The '''Order of the Elephant''' is the highest ] of ]. The Order is of ancient origin, but was instituted in its current form on ] ] by ]. The statute of the Order was amended in ] by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order. The membership has tripled in the past few years. | |||
| The Danish monarch is the head of the Order. The Order is worn by members of the Royal family, and may also be bestowed on foreign heads of state. | |||
| The Order of the Elephant has one class: Knight of the Elephant (Ridder af Elefantordenen). | |||
| ==Insignia== | |||
| * The ''collar'' of the Order is of gold. It consists of alternating elephants and towers. On the cover of the elephants there is a D which stands for ''Dania'', mediaeval ] for Denmark. | |||
| * The ''badge'' of the Order is the elephant made of white-enamelled gold. It is about 5cm high. On its back the elephant is bearing a watch tower; in front of the tower a ] is sitting, holding a golden spear; on the right side of the elephant there is a cross of diamonds and on the left the elephant bears the monogram of the bestowing monarch. | |||
| * The ''star'' of the Order is an eight-pointed silver star. At its center there is a red disc with a cross, surrounded by a laurel wreath in silver. It is worn on the left side of the chest. | |||
| * The ''sash'' of the Order is of light-blue silk moiré and 10 cm wide. It is placed on the left shoulder with the elephant resting against the right hip. The collar is not worn when the sash is used. | |||
| Upon the death of a Knight of the Elephant, the insignia of the Order must be returned. | |||
| == Current knights and officers == | |||
| ====Sovereign of the Royal Danish Orders of Chivalry==== | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Denmark | |||
| ====Knights of the Elephant==== | |||
| *HE Martti ], former President of the Republic of Finland | |||
| *HIM ], Emperor of Japan | |||
| *HM ], King of the Belgians | |||
| *HSH ], Prince of Monaco | |||
| *HH ], Princess of Denmark, Countess of Frederiksborg | |||
| *HM ], Queen of the Hellenes | |||
| *HM ], Queen of the Netherlands | |||
| *HRH ], Princess of Denmark | |||
| *HM ], King of Thailand | |||
| *HE Algirdas ], former President of the Republic of Lithuania | |||
| *HE Fernando Henrique ], former President of the Federative Republic of Brazil | |||
| *HM ], King of Sweden | |||
| *HE ], Count of Wisborg | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of the United Kingdom, Prince of Wales | |||
| *HE Christian, Count of Rosenborg | |||
| *HE Princess ], Mrs Magnuson | |||
| *HM ], King of the Hellenes | |||
| *HE Emil ], former President of Romania | |||
| *HH ], Princess of Denmark | |||
| *HM ], Queen of the United Kingdom | |||
| *HIM ], Empress of Iran | |||
| *HE Vigdís ], former President of the Republic of Iceland | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Prince of Denmark | |||
| *HE Valéry ], former President of the French Republic | |||
| *HE Ólafur Ragnar ], President of the Republic of Iceland | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Prince of Norway | |||
| *HE Tarja ], President of the Republic of Finland | |||
| *HM ], King of Norway | |||
| *HRH ], Grand Duke of Luxembourg | |||
| *HRH ], Prince Consort of Denmark | |||
| *HIH ], Prince of Japan | |||
| *HE Ion ], former President of Romania | |||
| *HE Ingolf, Count of Rosenborg | |||
| *HRH ], Grand Duke of Luxembourg | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of Denmark | |||
| *HM ], King of Spain | |||
| *HE Mauno ], former President of the Republic of Finland | |||
| *HE Milan ], former President of the Republic of Slovenia | |||
| *HE Nelson ], former President of the Republic of South Africa | |||
| *HRH ], Grand Duchess of Luxembourg | |||
| *HE Princess ] | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Princess of Denmark | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of Greece and Denmark | |||
| *HIM ], Empress of Japan | |||
| *HIH ], Prince of Japan | |||
| *HE Mærsk Mc-Kinney ] | |||
| *HE Hosni ], President of the Arab Republic of Egypt | |||
| *HIH ], Crown Prince of Japan | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Jordan | |||
| *HM ], Queen of the Belgians | |||
| *HE Georgi ], President of the Republic of Bulgaria | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of the United Kingdom, Duke of Edinburgh | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of Belgium, Duke of Brabant | |||
| *HE António ], former President of the Portuguese Republic | |||
| *HH ], Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg | |||
| *HE Oscar Luigi ], former President of Italian Republic | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Sweden | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Thailand | |||
| *HE Mário ], former President of the Portuguese Republic | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Spain | |||
| *HM ], Queen of Norway | |||
| *HE Petar ], former President of the Republic of Bulgaria | |||
| *HRH Guntis ], former President of the Republic of Latvia | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Prince of Thailand | |||
| *HRH ], Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland | |||
| *HE Lech ], former President of the Republic of Poland | |||
| *HE Richard von ], former President of the Federal Republic of Germany | |||
| *HRH ], Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange | |||
| ====Officers of the Chapter of the Royal Danish Orders of Chivalry==== | |||
| *Chancellor: HRH Prince ], The Prince Consort | |||
| *Secretary: Mr Niels Eilschou Holm, LL.D., Chamberlain, Private Secretary to HM The Queen | |||
| *Treasurer: Ambassador Paul Fischer, LL.D., Chamberlain | |||
| *Secretary of the Chapter: Mr Per Thornit, Chamberlain, Chief of TRH The Crown Prince and The Crown Princess's Household | |||
| *Historiographer of the Chapter: Professor Knud J.V. Jespersen, Dr. Phil. | |||
| ==Recently departed knights== | |||
| * ], President of the Republic of Estonia (d. 2006) | |||
| * ], King of Saudi-Arabia (d.2005) | |||
| * ], Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (d. 2005) | |||
| * ], Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Lippe-Biesterfeld (d. 2004) | |||
| * ], Princess of the Netherlands, former Queen of the Netherlands (d. 2004) | |||
| * ], Prince Bernadotte, former Prince of Sweden (d. 2003) | |||
| * ], Prince of the Netherlands (d. 2002) | |||
| * Flemming, Count of Rosenborg, former Prince of Denmark (d. 2002) | |||
| * ], Count of Wisborg, former Prince of Sweden (d. 2002) | |||
| * Friedrich Franz, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (d. 2001) | |||
| * ], King of Nepal (d. 2001) | |||
| * ], Queen of Denmark (d. 2000) | |||
| * ], Empress of Japan (d. 2000) | |||
| * ], President of the Tunisian Republic (d. 2000) | |||
| * ], President of the Republic of Austria (d. 2000) | |||
| ==Other notable knights== | |||
| Previous non-royal knights have included: | |||
| * ], Dutch vice-admiral (]) | |||
| * ], Dutch-Danish admiral-general (]) | |||
| * ], Danish landowner, politician and President of the Council of State (]) | |||
| * ], Professor, Dr. Phil., Danish linguist (]) | |||
| * H.N. Andersen, Danish businessman, Consul-General, titular Councilor of State (]) | |||
| * ], President of the Republic of Finland, Marshal of Finland (]) | |||
| * ], President of the Republic of Poland (]) | |||
| * ], President of the Czechoslovak Republic (]) | |||
| * ], Austro-Hungarian vice-admiral, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (]) | |||
| * ], British Field Marshal (]) | |||
| * ], President of the United States of America, General of the Army (]) | |||
| * ], Professor, Dr. Phil. & Scient. & Techn., Danish physicist and Nobel laureate (]) | |||
| * ], British prime minister and Nobel laureate (]) | |||
| * ], President of the United Republic of Tanzania (]) | |||
| * ], President of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (]) | |||
| * ], President of the Socialist Republic of Romania (Note: Awarded on the November ] State Visit to Denmark but revoked by the Queen on ], ] for the first time in history. The insignia have been returned to Denmark and Ceauşescu's name has been deleted from the official rolls) | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==External link== | |||
| * Unofficial site. Pictures of the Order of the Elephant, history and recipients. | |||
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