View source for Order of Grimaldi

{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox order
|title           = Order of Grimaldi
|native_name     = {{lang|fr|Ordre de(s) Grimaldi}}
|native_name_lang = fr
|image           = Grand-Croix Ordre de Grimaldi (Monaco).jpg
|caption         = Grand Cross badge and sash
|awarded_by      = [[Image:Flag of Monaco.svg|18px]] [[Prince of Monaco]]<ref name=Hieronymussen1967p169/>
|type            = [[House Order]]
|motto           = 
|day             =
|eligibility     = 
|for             = people who have contributed to the prestige of the Principality with distinction
|status          = Currently constituted
|head_title      = Sovereign
|head            = [[Albert II, Prince of Monaco]]
|head2_title     = Chancellor
|head2           = [[Raoul Biancheri]], Plenipotentiary Minister 
|commander       =
|grades          = Knight Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight
|former_grades   = 
|established     = 18 November 1954<ref name=Hieronymussen1967p169>{{cite book|last=Hieronymussen|first=Paul|year=1967|title=Orders and Decorations of Europe in Color|url=https://archive.org/details/ordersdecoration0000hier|translator-last=Crowley|translator-first=Christine|location=New York|publisher=Macmillan|oclc=1150984867|page=169}}</ref>
|first_induction = 
|last_induction  = 
|total           = 
|recipients      = 
|individual      =
|higher          = [[Order of the Crown (Monaco)|Order of the Crown]]
|lower           = [[Order of Cultural Merit (Monaco)|Order of Cultural Merit]]
|image2          = [[Image:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Knight BAR.svg|85px]]
|caption2        = Ribbon bar of the Order of Grimaldi
}}

The '''Order of Grimaldi''' (usually called {{lang|fr|Ordre de Grimaldi}} but officially {{lang|fr|Ordre des Grimaldi}} according to the Ordonnance) is an [[Order (decoration)|Order]] established in [[Monaco]] on 18 November 1954.

== Award ==
It is awarded to people who have contributed to the prestige of the Principality with distinction. As the Order rewards personal service to the [[Sovereign Prince of Monaco]], it is awarded on the sole discretion of the Grand Master, currently [[Albert II, Prince of Monaco]].

=== Reception ===
According to the statutes, and except for Members of the Princely Family and foreigners, one can only receive the Order first with the rank of Knight. To be awarded the following higher ranks, one must keep the lower rank during the following times: 
* Officer: four years as a Knight 
* Commander: three years as an Officer 
* Grand Officer: four years as a Commander 
* Grand Cross: five years as a Grand Officer

Nominations belong to the Grand Master. The Chancellor proposes promotions. According to the Prince's orders, the Chancellor proposes the projects of nomination and promotion ordonnances. The grantees must be received in the Order before wearing the decorations. The Grand Master receives the Grand Crosses, Grand Officers and Commanders. The Chancellor receives the Officers and Knights; there is one exception: foreigners will be admitted in the Order, but not received.

=== Military honors ===
A member of the Order wearing the decorations will be honoured by the carabiniers as such:
* Command "Right shoulder, ARMS" ({{lang|fr|Portez, Armes}}) for Officers and Knights and 
* Command "Present, ARMS" ({{lang|fr|Présentez, Armes}}) for Grand Crosses, Grand Officers and Commanders.

==Grades==
The Order has five classes:<ref name=Hieronymussen1967p169/>
*''Grand Cross'', which wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
*''Grand Officer'', which wears the badge on a necklet, plus the star on the right chest;
*''Commander'', which wears the badge on a necklet;
*''Officer'', which wears the badge on a ribbon with [[Rosette (decoration)|rosette]] on the left chest;
*''Knight'', which wears the badge on a plain ribbon on the left chest.

{|align=center class=wikitable width=60%
! colspan=5|Ribbon bars
|-
|width=20% valign=top align=center|[[File:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Grand Cross BAR.svg|100px|center]]<small>Grand Cross</small>
|width=20% valign=top align=center|[[File:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Grand Officer BAR.svg|100px|center]]<small>Grand Officer</small>
|width=20% valign=top align=center|[[File:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Commander BAR.svg|100px|center]]<small>Commander</small>
|width=20% valign=top align=center|[[File:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Officer BAR.svg|100px|center]]<small>Officer</small>
|width=20% valign=top align=center|[[File:MCO Order of Grimaldi - Knight BAR.svg|100px|center]]<small>Knight</small>
|-
|}

==Insignia==
*The ''badge'' of the Order is a white-enamelled Maltese Cross, in silver for Knight class, in [[Gilding|gilt]] for higher classes. The obverse central disc is in gilt, bearing a mounted knight carrying the coat-of-arms of Monaco (actually that of the [[House of Grimaldi|Grimaldi]] family), surrounded by the legend "Rainer Grimaldi, Prince de Monaco". The reverse central disc, also in gilt, bears the year "1950" and the legend "Principauté de Monaco". The badge is topped by a crown.
*The ''star'' of the Order is a modern design in silver, formed by 16 [[rhomb]]s (from the coat-of-arms of the Grimaldi family and of Monaco) arranged in a circle. The gilt central disc is the same as that on the obverse of the badge.
*The ''ribbon'' of the Order is white, with a thin red stripe near (but not touching) the edge of the ribbon.

== Legal basis ==
* Ordonnance n° 1.028 of 18/11/1954 instituting the Order of Grimaldi: [http://www.legimonaco.mc/305/legismclois.nsf/db3b0488a44ebcf9c12574c7002a8e84/e305f5be97a471d0c125773f00380c2a!OpenDocument Text] (French)
* The statutes of the Order of Saint-Charles ([http://www.legimonaco.mc/305/legismclois.nsf/db3b0488a44ebcf9c12574c7002a8e84/847b3db8901892bec125773f003757df!OpenDocument text of the ordonnance in French]) are used for the Order of Grimaldi, with "Chancellor of the Order of Grimaldi" instead of "Chancellor of the Order of Saint-Charles" where needed.

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://www.palais.mc/en/sovereign-house/royal-orders-and-decorations-1-25.html Princely Orders and Decorations] – Prince's Palace of Monaco
*[https://en.gouv.mc/Portail-du-Gouvernement/Government-Institutions/History-and-Heritage/Symbols/Orders-and-decorations Orders and decorations] – Government of Monaco
*[https://semon.fr/DECORATIONS_MONACO.htm ''Décorations monégasques''] {{in lang|fr}}

[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Monaco|Grimaldi]]


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