Order of Merit

The Order of Merit is a British and Commonwealth Order bestowed by the Monarch. It was established in 1902 by King Edward VII (based on the Prussian Pour le Mérite) as a reward for distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture. The rarer military awards were distinguished from the civil by having a pair of crossed swords behind the central medallion.

Current members

• Sovereign: HM The Queen
• Members:
• HRH The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO PC (1968), Royal Consort
• The Revd Owen Chadwick OM KBE (1983), Theological Historian
• Sir Andrew Huxley OM FRS (1983), Physiologist and Nobel Laureate (Medicine)
• Dr Frederick Sanger OM CH CBE FRS (1986), Biochemist and Double Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
• The Rt Hon. The Baroness Thatcher LG OM PC FRS (1990), British Prime Minister (1979-1990)
• Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE (1991), Coloratura Soprano
• Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS (1992), Mathematician and Fields Medalist
• Lucian Freud OM CH (1993), Painter
• Sir Aaron Klug OM FRS (1995), Biophysicist and Nobel Laureate (Chemistry)
• The Rt Hon. The Lord Foster of Thames Bank OM RA (1997), Architect and Pritzker Laureate
• Sir Denis Rooke OM CBE (1997), Industrial Engineer
• Sir James Black OM FRS (2000), Pharmacologist and Nobel Laureate (Medicine)
• Sir Anthony Caro OM CBE (2000), Sculptor
• Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS (2000), Mathematical physicist
• Sir Tom Stoppard OM CBE (2000), Playwright
• HRH The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM AK QSO PC ADC (2002), Heir to the Throne
• The Rt Hon. The Lord May of Oxford OM AC FRS (2002), Ecologist and President of the Royal Society
• The Rt Hon. The Lord Rothschild OM GBE (2002), Philanthropist
• Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS (2005), Broadcaster
• The Rt Hon. The Baroness Boothroyd OM PC (2005), First female speaker of the House of Commons
• Sir Michael Howard OM CH KBE (2005), Military historian
• Honorary Members:
• Nelson Mandela OM CC (1995), Statesman and Nobel Laureate (Peace)

The recent death of Dame Cicely Saunders OM DBE has dropped the number of members to twenty-three until the Queen appoints a new member.

Related Topics:
Dame Cicely Saunders - OM DBE

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~