Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III
Order of Salote Tupou III Ko e Fakalangilangi Ma’olunga ‘o Salote Topou III | |
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Awarded by King of Tonga | |
Type | Order |
Established | 28 June 2008 |
Royal house | House of Tupou |
Awarded for | Personal services to the sovereign |
Status | Constituted |
Grand Master | Tupou VI |
Grades | Knight Grand Cross with Collar (KGCCQS) Knight/Dame Grand Cross (K/D-GCQS) Knight/Dame Commander (K/D-CQS) Member (MQS) |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Order of the Crown of Tonga |
Next (lower) | Royal Military Order of St George |
Ribbon of the order |
The Most Illustrious Order of Queen Salote Tupou III is a knighthood order of the Kingdom of Tonga.
History[]
The Order was established on 28 June 2008 by His Late Majesty King George Tupou V to commemorate the grand figure of his grandmother, Queen Sālote Tupou III, who, during the nearly fifty years of her government (5 April 1918 – 16 December 1965), had guided the state of Tonga to a substantial economical and social evolution.
The Order has been created as the principal civil reward for meritorious personal services to the sovereign. Above all, it is awarded as a Family Order for Tongan & foreign Royal Families.[1]
Classes[]
The Order consists of four classes:[1][2]
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar (KGCCQS) - Collar, Star, Sash, Miniature & Rosette
- Knight/Dame Grand Cross (K/D GCQS) - Sash, Star, Miniature & Rosette
- Knight/Dame Commander (K/D CQS) - Necklet badge from a ribbon, Miniature & Rosette
- Member (MQS) - Breast badge from a ribbon, Miniature & Rosette
Insignia[]
The ribbon for the two upper classes is a 102mm sky-blue-ultramarine Sash (Ladies Sash approx. 74mm)
Knight Grand Cross[]
- The Collar is a double gold chain, the centre-piece looks like being a gold knot, tied with a ribbon in the base (also gold). Moving upwards from the centre-piece on either side, a gold dove with its wings displayed and turned slightly towards the centre, alternating with the golden knot of the centre-piece. The Collar Badge is a deep-blue enamelled Maltese cross with a white edge, between each arm is a golden dove (from the collar) with a fleur-de-lis at the dove’s claws. The gold central medallion has a raised bust of Queen Salote Topou III, also in gold. The dark-blue riband probably has the name of the order in gold capital letters, above the cross is a gold Tongan crown.
The Star is an 8-pointed silver, silver-gilt and enamel faceted star, with the collar badge superimposed in the centre (minus the crown).
Grand Cross[]
The Star is an 8-pointed silver and enamel star, the collar badge is placed overall in the centre, the dove and the fleurs-de-lis are silver.
Commander[]
The necklet badge is similar to the collar-badge except, that the central medallion is silver-gilt, the riband is dark-blue with the legend in gold capital letters, all suspended from a gold Tongan crown.
The necklet ribbon is sky-blue-ultramarine and approx. 41mm .
Member[]
The breast badge is, as the Commander’s class, in silver and enamel (above, except smaller and the suspended crown is silver).
The breast ribbon is approximately 38 mm (as above). [2]
Notable recipients[]
National recipients[]
- King Tupou VI (18.03.2012 - ) : Grand Master - Knight Grand Cross (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
- Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala : Knight Grand Cross (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
- Siosaʻia Maʻulupekotofa Tuita, 9th Tuita : Knight Grand Cross (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
- Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu Kalaniuvalu-Fotofili (Prince Sione Ngu's eldest daughter) : Dame Grand Cross with Collar (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
- Kinikinilau Tuto'atasi, 7th Lord Fakafānua (Crown Princess' Father) : Knight Grand Cross (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
- Queen Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho Dame Grand Cross with Collar (30.6.2015)[citation needed]
- Queen Mother Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe : Dame Grand Cross[citation needed]
- Princess Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita, The Princess Royal of Tonga : Dame Grand Cross with Collar (31.7.2008)[citation needed]
Foreign recipients[]
- Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom : Dame Grand Cross (19.12.1953) [3]
- King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of the Kingdom of Bhutan : Knight Grand Cross (14.5.2010)[citation needed]
- Empress Masako of the State of Japan : Dame Grand Cross (4.7.2015) [4]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Gentleman's Military Interest Club" Forum Tonga Orders
- ^ Jump up to: a b John Duncan McMeekin's summary
- ^ Tongan stamp showing Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Order.
- ^ Tonga
- Orders, decorations, and medals of Tonga