Royal Victorian Order

The Royal Victorian Order is an order of chivalry that was established by Queen Victoria on 21 April 1896. The Order includes five classes, in order of seniority:

Chapel

The chapel of the Order has been The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy since 1938. Every four years, the Order holds a religious service in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle; St George's is used instead of Savoy because it may accommodate more individuals.

Related Topics:
1938 - St George's Chapel - Windsor Castle

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The Sovereign and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted stalls in the choir of the chapel, above which their heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest. Under English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear helms or crests; instead, the coronet appropriate to the dame's rank, if there is one, is used (see coronet). Above the crest or coronet, the stall's occupant's heraldic banner is hung, emblazoned with his or her coat of arms. At a considerably smaller scale, to the back of the stall is affixed a piece of brass (a "stall plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling and crest are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather, they remain permanently affixed somewhere about the stall, so that the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1938.

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