Royal Victorian Medal

Infobox Military Award
name= Royal Victorian Medal


caption= Medal and ribbon
awarded_by= UK and Commonwealth
type= Royal decoration.
eligibility= British and Commonwealth citizens and non-commissioned personnel
for=Personal service to the Sovereign or Royal Family
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status= Currently awarded
description=
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established= April 1896
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The Royal Victorian Medal is a British Commonwealth medal established by Queen Victoria in April 1896. It is a reward for personal service to the Sovereign or the Royal Family, and as a mark of royal esteem. The Medal is conferred upon civilians and non-commissioned military personnel. Although the Medal is related to the Royal Victorian Order, it differs in appearance and in the way it is worn. Like the Royal Victorian Order, this medal is the personal gift of the sovereign.

The Medal has three different categories: Bronze, Silver and silver gilt (gold). Bars may be awarded to each class of Medal for further services. Recipients may continue to wear their original medal if they are awarded a higher level for further service. In most cases recipients are given the silver medal. The medal may also be worn in addition to the badge of the Royal Victorian Order if this is later given to them.

The medal is given to Commonwealth citizens during royal visits and holds a place on the Order of Precedence in many Commonwealth countries.

Recipients are entitled to use the post-nominal letters RVM.

Description

* On the obverse side of the medal appears the effigy of the reigning Sovereign and an inscription of the current legend.
* On the reverse is the Royal Cypher upon an ornamental shield within a laurel wreath.
* The ribbon is blue with thin stripes of white and red on each edge. Awards to foreigners have a white central stripe

ee also

*Royal Victorian Order
*Royal Victorian Chain

References

External links

* [http://www.gg.ca/honours/medals/hon04-rvm_e.asp Governor General of Canada site about the RVM]
* [http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/pdf/OrderOfWearing.pdf PDF file - The Order of wearing Australian honours]