Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest Order (decoration) of Denmark. The Order is of ancient origin, but was instituted in its current form on December 1 1693 by King Christian V. The statute of the Order was amended in 1958 by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order.
The Order of the Elephant has one class: Knight of the Elephant.
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 Latin 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 Moor 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.
Membership
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. (Queen Elizabeth II of England is a member.)
Previous non-royal members have included:
- Vice-Admiral Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer (1659)
- Admiral-General Cornelis Tromp (1676)
- General Dwight David Eisenhower (1945)
- Field Marshall Sir Bernard Law Montgomery (1945)
- Sir Winston Churchill (1950)
- Professor Vilhelm Thomsen (1912)
- Hans Niels Andersen (1919)
- Professor Niels Bohr (1947)
- Mærsk McKinney Møller (2000)
- Rumanian Dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu (1980)