Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall has received a high and very personal honour from The Queen having been made a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on April 9th which is the occasion of the Duchess's 7th Wedding Anniversary of her marriage to Prince Charles.
This is no doubt a sign of not just Her Majesty's approval of Camilla as a member of the Royal Family, but also her contribution to Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
The Queen, as Fons Honorum or Font of Honour, is known to set a very high standard when it comes to the bestowal of honours, particularly those that are within her discretion as Monarch.
The Order was founded in 1896 by Queen Victoria as a way of rewarding individual service to her and the Royal Family, rather than as governmental or state honour. Today the Order is still given at the discretion of the Monarch, free of political interference.
Indeed like the Orders of the Garter, the Thistle and the Order of Merit, the Royal Victorian is greatly valued because it is seen as The Queen's personal gift.
