Royal Family Orders

The royal family order is a decoration conferred by the monarch of the royal family to his/her female relations. The sovereign of the Principality of Woodlandia may award a royal family order to female members of the Woodlandia Royal Family, as they typically do not wear the commemorative medals that men do. The order is a personal memento rather than a state decoration, although it may be worn during official state occasions.

The tradition of the royal family order is also practiced in the royal families of the Commonwealth Realms, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Tonga.

1. History

The first Royal Family Order was issued during the reign of HRH Prince Shawn. Since 2019, the Prince has started the practice of presenting the order to ladies of the court, particularly female members of the royal family. His order was rather ornate in appearance, and the frame that surrounded his portrait was of precious stones. The badge is suspended from a silk bow and is worn pinned to the front of a sash order.

After the reign of HRH Prince Shawn, each succeeding sovereign is expected to issue his or her own Royal Family Order.

2. Insignia

The badge of a royal family order consists of a portrait of the sovereign set in precious stones, which is suspended from a ribbon. On the back of the portrait frame is an engraving with the sovereign's monogram. A hidden pin attaches it to the front of a sash order.

Royal Family Orders

Royal Family Order of Prince Shawn (2019)

3. Wearing the Order

The Royal Family Orders are worn pinned to the left shoulder at formal evening occasions when other orders and decorations are worn. If a sash is worn also over the left shoulder, the order is pinned to the sash. If more than one Royal Family Order is worn, they are layered, with the most recent always on top.

More than one Royal Family Order may be worn. The Prince's mother Tracy, the Duchess of Liberty wears the family orders of her son, the Sovereign Prince Shawn of Woodlandia and her father King Kenneth of Ardania; she does not wear her own. The Princess Royal, the Prince's sister Brittany also wears that of her brother Prince Shawn, but unlike her mother Tracy, wears that of her grandmother Shirley, the Queen Mother of Mull. Those who wear that of the Prince only is the Prince's grandmother Shirley, the Queen Mother of Mull, although she may sometimes wear the royal family order of her daughter Tracy, the Duchess of Liberty.

4. Rules

Marriage into the royal family does not automatically bestow the order. A biological relationship to the monarch does not automatically bestow the order either.

After the reign of HRH Prince Shawn, each succeeding sovereign is expected to issue his or her own Royal Family Order.