Ribbons, Sashes and Orders Answers

Here are the answers, provided by Robyn H., P.C.R.E.

1. In which countries are the following orders given?

a. Order of the Seraphim: Sweden
b. Order of the Golden Fleece: Spain (there is also an Austrian Order of the Golden Fleece)
c. Order of the Elephant: Denmark
d. Order of St. Olav: Norway
e. Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau: Trick question: the order is given by both the Grand Duke of Luxembourg (as the highest national order) and the Queen of the Netherlands (as a house/dynastic order, for personal service to the sovereign).

2. You are the Crown Prince(ss) of ABCland, and the Royal Family is about to host a state visit from the King and Queen of XYZania. You've received a lot of orders over the years, so out of your many sashes, which one do you wear for the photoshoot?
The general rule is that on a state visit, one should wear his or her highest-level order from the country he or she wishes to honor. Thus, as Crown Prince(ss) of ABCland, you would wear the highest order you've received from XYZania, unless you haven't received one yet, in which case you would wear your highest-level order from ABCland. Since state visits are mutual appreciation societies, the XYZanian royals would wear ABClandic orders, if they had any.

3. On which shoulder are most sashes worn? When is a sash never worn over the shoulder?
Most sashes are worn right shoulder to left hip, except for a few, including the Order of the Garter and the Order of the Elephant. To complicate things, if a man is wearing white tie, then the sash isn't worn over the shoulder at all, but under the arm.

4. Many royals also wear bows on their shoulders with their orders and decorations at formal events. What's so special about them, and what would you have to do (or be) to get one?

The bows are badges of membership in the Royal Family Order of the monarch. For instance, Queen Elizabeth II wears the Royal Family Orders of her father and grandfather. They are given in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway to titled female members of the royal family. Receipt of the order is not automatic, though: Diana, Princess of Wales and The Countess of Wessex received one, but Sarah, Duchess of York never did, and neither have the Queen's granddaughters.

5. Usually, a recipient of the highest grades of an order will receive a star to pin to his or her side in addition to a sash. But one British order also gives out the item for which it is named. Which order is it?
The Order of the Garter. (I would certainly not want it to be the Danish Order of the Elephant!) [You can see the blue garter on George IV's left calf in this image.]