The Royal Victorian Order is an order of knighthood awarded by the sovereign of the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth realms. It is granted personally by the monarch and recognises personal service to the monarchy, the Royal Household, royal family members, and the organisation of important royal events."Royal Victorian Order", The British Monarchy (accessed 16 August 2014)"Royal Victorian Order", The Governor-General of Canada (accessed 16 August 2014) The order was officially created and instituted on 23 April 1896 by letters patent under the Great Seal of the Realm by Queen Victoria.The London Gazette, issue 26733, p. 2455 It was instituted with five grades, the two highest of which were Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) and Knight Commander (KCVO), which conferred the status of knighthood on holders (apart from foreigners, who typically received honorary awards not entitling them to the style of a knight).McCreery, 2008, p. 29Honorary Knighthood , Debrett's (accessed on 20 August 2014)Knighthood, The British Monarchy (accessed on 20 August 2014) Women were not admitted until Edward VIII altered the statutes of the order in 1936; those receiving the highest two awards were styled dames and those grades, when conferred on women, are Dame Grand Cross and Dame Commander (DCVO).Duckers, 2004, p. 38
No limit was placed on the number of appointments which could be made.McCreery, 2008, pp. 28–29 King George VI (reigned 1937–52) appointed 102 Knights Commander and nine Dames Commander of the order.
Knights and dames commander appointed by George VI The list below is ordered by date of appointment. Full names, ranks and titles are given where applicable, as correct at the time of appointment to the order. Branch of service or regiment details are given in parentheses to distinguish them from offices. The names, dates, offices and occasions listed are those given by Peter Galloway in his 1996 history of the order, Royal Service.Galloway, 1996, pp. 125–126, 135.