| Awarded By: | King of Norway |
| Type: | Chivalric order with five degrees |
| Motto: | RET OG SANDHED (Justice and Truth) |
| Day: | 22 August 1961 |
| Criteria: | Remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity |
| Status: | Currently constituted |
| Head Title: | Grand Master |
| Head: | King Harald V |
| Higher: | Medal for Outstanding Civic Service |
| Lower: | Royal Norwegian Order of Merit |
The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (Norwegian: Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or Sanct Olafs Orden, the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav.
Just before the union with Sweden was dissolved in 1905, the Order of the Norwegian Lion was instituted in 1904 by King Oscar II, but no appointments were awarded by his successor, King Haakon VII. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is used to reward individuals for remarkable accomplishments on behalf of the country and humanity. Since 1985, appointments to the order has only been conferred upon Norwegian citizens, though foreign heads of state and royalty may be appointed as a matter of courtesy.
The reigning monarch of Norway is the order's Grand Master.[1] The order consists of three grades, of which two are divided into two classes, and may be awarded for either civilian or military contributions, in descending order of distinction. The collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy.
The collar of the Order is in gold, with five enamelled and crowned monograms "O", five enamelled and crowned coat-of-arms of Norway, and 10 gold crosses bottony each flanked by two battle axes with silver blades and golden shafts (The latter element is also featured in the coat of arms of the Church of Norway).
The badge of the Order is a white enamelled Maltese Cross, in silver for the knight class and in gilt of the higher classes; crowned monograms "O" appear between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle-axe; the reverse disc bears the King Oscar's motto «Ret og Sandhed» "Justice and Truth" in Norwegian; both discs are surrounded by a white-blue-white ring. The cross is topped by a crown; military awards have crossed swords between the crown and the cross.
The star of the Order for the Grand Cross is an eight-pointed silver star with faceted rays, bearing the obverse of the badge of the Order (minus the crown on the top).
The star for Commander with Star is a silver faceted Maltese Cross, with gilt crowned monograms "O" between the arms of the cross. The central disc is red with the golden Norwegian lion rampart bearing a battle axe, surrounded by a white-blue-white ring.[2]
The ribbon of the Order is red with white-blue-white edge stripes.
In very exceptional circumstances the Order may be awarded "with diamonds", in which case a ring of diamonds replaces the white-blue-white enamel ring surrounding the central disc on the front of the badge as well as in the crown.
The insignia are expected to be returned either upon the receiver's advancement to a higher level of the order or upon his or her death. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen.
The King makes appointments upon the recommendation of a six-member commission, none of whom may be a member of the government, consisting of a chancellor, vice chancellor, the Lord Chamberlain (acting as treasurer), and three other representatives. The Lord Chamberlain nominates the members of the commission, and the monarch approves them.[3] Nominations to the order are directed at the commission through the county governor.
Princes and Princesses with succession rights to the throne are appointed to the highest degree upon reaching their age of majority.[4]
The Order of St. Olav is the highest civilian honour currently conferred by Norway and only ranks after the military War Cross among all Norwegian decorations still awarded in the general ranking.
In the order of precedence used at the royal court of Norway, bearers of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav with collar are ranked 15th in the order of precedence, directly after the Mistress of the Robes and generals and directly before recipients of the War Cross with Sword. Bearers of the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav are ranked 16th.
This list contains holders of the Grand Cross, some of whom have also been awarded the Collar and gives the year of their appointment. The list is collated alphabetically by the last name; those recipients not possessing the last name, such as royalty and most Icelanders are collated by the first name. Six of the listed are not heads of states or royals; these are marked by names in bold. Before the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was created in 1985, appointments to the Order of St Olav was awarded to members of a foreign delegation during state visits. Many holders of the Grand Cross who are not heads of state are not listed here.
| Country | Name | Charge | Grand Cross with Collar | Grand Cross | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauricio Macri | Former President | 2018 | |||
| Heinz Fischer | 2007 | ||||
| Albert II | Former King | 1964 | |||
| Mathilde | Queen | 2003 | |||
| Paola | Former Queen | 1997 | |||
| Philippe | King | 2003 | |||
| Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva | President | 2003 | |||
| Georgi Parvanov | Former President | 2006 | |||
| Ivo Josipović | Former president | 2011 | |||
| Benedikte | Princess | 1974 | |||
| Frederik X | King (when Crown Prince) | 2024, 1990 | |||
| Joachim | Prince | 1991 | |||
| Margrethe II | Former Queen (when Princess) | 1958 | |||
| Marie | Princess | 2014 | |||
| Mary | Queen (when Crown Princess) | 2005 | |||
| Christian | Crown Prince (when Prince) | 2023 | |||
| Toomas Hendrik Ilves | Former President | 2014 | |||
| Arnold Rüütel | 2002 | ||||
| Tellervo Koivisto | Former President's wife | 1983 | |||
| Sauli Niinistö | Former President | 2012 | |||
| Tarja Halonen | Former President | 2000 | |||
| Joachim Gauck | Former President | 2014 | |||
| Horst Köhler | 2007 | ||||
| Marianne von Weizsäcker | Former first lady | 1986 | |||
| Farah Pahlavi | Former Empress | 1965 | |||
| Former President | 2017 | ||||
| Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson | Former President | 1998 | |||
| Vigdís Finnbogadóttir | 1982 | ||||
| Sergio Mattarella | President | 2016 | |||
| Akihito | Emperor Emeritus | 2001, 1953 | |||
| Masako | Empress (when Crown Princess) | 2001 | |||
| Michiko | Empress Emerita | 2001 | |||
| Naruhito | Emperor (when Crown Prince) | 2001 | |||
| Nobuko | Princess | 2001 | |||
| Abdullah II | King | 2000 | |||
| Hussein | Crown Prince | 2020 | |||
| Hassan | Prince (when Crown Prince) | 1980 | |||
| Rania | Queen | 2000 | |||
| Guntis Ulmanis | Former President | 1998 | |||
| Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga | 2000 | ||||
| Andris Bērziņš | 2015 | ||||
| Valdas Adamkus | 1998 | ||||
| Dalia Grybauskaitė | 2011 | ||||
| Henri | Grand Duke | 2011 | |||
| Maria Teresa | Grand Duchess | 1996 | |||
| Beatrix | Former Queen (when Princess) | 1964 | |||
| Margriet | Princess | 1964 | |||
| Willem-Alexander | King | 2021, 1996 | |||
| Máxima | Queen | 2013 | |||
| Astrid | Princess | 1956 | |||
| Kjell Magne Bondevik | Former Prime Minister | 2004 | |||
| Lars Petter Forberg | Former Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household | 2004 | |||
| Åge Bernhard Grutle | 2015 | ||||
| Haakon | Crown Prince | 1991 | |||
| Magne Hagen | Former Cabinet Secretary to the King | 2000 | |||
| Harald V | King | Grand Master | 1955, 1991 | ||
| Ingrid Alexandra | Princess | 2022 | |||
| Märtha Louise | Princess | 1989 | |||
| Mette-Marit | Crown Princess | 2016, 2001 | |||
| Edvard Moser | Professor, psychologist and neuroscientist, Nobel laureat | 2018 | |||
| May-Britt Moser | Professor, psychologist and neuroscientist, Nobel laureat | 2018 | |||
| Gry Mølleskog | Former Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household | 2022 | |||
| Arne Omholt | Former Marshal of the Court | 2016 | |||
| Carsten Smith | Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway | 2003 | |||
| Sonja | Queen | 1972 | |||
| Sverre Magnus | Prince | 2023 | |||
| Berit Tversland | Former Cabinet Secretary to the King | 2012 | |||
| Andrzej Duda | President | 2016 | |||
| Bronislaw Komorowski | Former President | 2012 | |||
| Aleksander Kwaśniewski | Former President | 1996 | |||
| Lech Wałęsa | Former President | 1995 | |||
| António Ramalho Eanes | Former President | 1978 | |||
| Former President | 2008 | ||||
| Emil Constantinescu | Former President | 1999 | |||
| Moon Jae-in | Former President | 2019 | |||
| Andrej Kiska | Former President | 2018 | |||
| Ivan Gašparovič | 2010 | ||||
| Borut Pahor | Former President | 2019 | |||
| Danilo Türk | Former President | 2011 | |||
| Cristina | Princess | 1995 | |||
| Elena | 1995 | ||||
| Felipe | King | 1995 | |||
| Juan Carlos I | Former King | 1982 | |||
| Sofía | Former Queen | 1982 | |||
| Carl XVI Gustaf | King | 1974 | |||
| Carl Philip | Prince | 2005 | |||
| Christina | Princess | 1992 | |||
| Daniel | Prince | 2022 | |||
| Désirée | Princess | 1992 | |||
| Madeleine | 2005 | ||||
| Silvia | Queen | 1982 | |||
| Victoria | Crown Princess | 1995 | |||
| Sirikit | Former Queen | 1965 | |||
| Abdullah Gül | Former President | 2013 | |||
| Nelson Mandela | Former President | 1998 | |||
| Charles III | King | 1978 | |||
| Andrew | Prince and Duke of York | 1988 | |||
| Edward | Prince and Duke of Kent | 1988 | |||
| Richard | Prince and Duke of Gloucester | 1973 | |||