Order of the Crown of Tonga
| Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga Ko e Fakalangilangi ‘o Kalauni ‘o Tonga | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of Member of the Order | |
| Awarded by King of Tonga | |
| Type | Order of Merit |
| Royal house | House of Tupou |
| Motto | KO'E 'OTUA MO TONGA KO HOKU TOFI'A. ("God and Tonga Are My Inheritance") |
| Eligibility | Civilians and militaries, Tongan or foreigners |
| Awarded for | Exceptional services to the State and the Crown |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Sovereign | King Tupou VI |
| Grades | Knight Grand Cross with Collar Knight/Dame Grand Cross Knight/Dame Commander Member |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of King George Tupou I |
| Next (lower) | Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III |
 Ribbon of the order | |
The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga (Tongan: Fakalangilangi 'o Kalauni 'o Tonga) is an Order of Merit awarded for exceptional services to Tonga and the Crown of Tonga.
History[]
It was established 16 April 1913 by George Tupou II to reward those who distinguished themselves by exceptional services to the State and the Crown. It was reorganized on 31 July 2008 by King George Tupou V, in particular relatively to all the classes of merit. It can be awarded to militaries and civilians, native of Tonga or foreigner, without distinction of religion.
Classes[]
The order is presented in four classes:[1][2]
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar - Collar, Star, Sash, Miniature & Ribbon bar
- Knight/Dame Grand Cross - Star, Sash, Miniature & Ribbon bar
- Knight/Dame Commander - Necklet, Miniature & Ribbon bar
- Member - Breast Badge, Miniature & Ribbon bar
Insignia[]
The Sash for the two upper classes is a red moiré sash with a white stripe near each edge. Men's sash is 102mm wide (proportions : 2.5/14.5/68/14.5/2.5mm). Women's sash is 75mm wide (proportions : 1.5/10./51/10.5/1.5mm).
Knight Grand Cross[]
The Collar is a double gold chain, set with a 6-pointed white enamel gold edged star (centre-piece), with on either side moving upwards; a golden dove in flight, three gold crossed swords, a 6-pointed white enamel gold edged star. Hanging from it, a white enamel Maltese cross with a narrow gold edge, pendant from a gold Tongan crown. The red central medallion has a raised gold Tongan crown, the red riband has a gold legend in capital letters : KO'E 'OTUA MO TONGA KO HOKU TOFI'A. ("God and Tonga Are My Inheritance").
The Knight Grand Cross' Star / Plaque is a silver, silver-gilt & enamel 8-pointed faceted star with the collar-badge (minus the crown), placed in the centre.
Recipients include:
- Australia
- Dame Quentin Bryce (Former Governor-General of Australia)
- General Sir Peter Cosgrove (Former Governor-General of Australia)
- Bhutan
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Thailand
- Tonga
- Halaevalu Mataʻaho, The Late Queen Mother of Tonga
- Prince Sione Ngū Manumataongo, The 5th Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake
- The Princess Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tukuʻaho of Tonga, The Princess Royal, The Lady Tuita of ʻUtungake
- The Late Queen Sālote Tupou III
- The Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, The Crown Prince of Tonga
- The Princess Sinaitakala Fakafanua, The Crown Princess of Tonga
- The Prince Viliami Tukuʻaho, The 15th Prince ʻAta of Tonga
- United Kingdom
Grand Cross[]
The Grand Cross' Star is a silver 8-pointed faceted star, with the collar-badge (minus the crown), placed in the centre.
Commander[]
The Commander’s Necklet Badge is a white badge with a gold crown worn from the neck on a ribbon, approx. 41mm wide, red with two white stripes near the edge (approximative proportions 1/5.5/28/5.5/1 mm). Recipients include:
Member[]
The Member’s Badge is a breast badge (smaller than Commander's) worn from a similar 36mm ribbon (approximative proportions 6/6/12/6/6mm).[2]
References[]
- ^ a b "ODM of Tonga: Order of the Crown of Tonga". Medals.org.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
- ^ a b John Duncan McMeekin's summary
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- Orders, decorations, and medals of Tonga
- Awards established in 1913
- 1913 establishments in Tonga