| Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House | |
| Type: | Dynastic Order |
| Date: | 12 April 1993 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| House: | House of Braganza |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Head Title: | Grand Master |
| Head: | Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza |
| Higher: | Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa Order of Saint Isabel |
| Lower: | None |
The Order of Merit of the Portuguese Royal House (Portuguese: Ordem do Mérito da Casa Real Portuguesa or Ordem do Mérito da Causa Monárquica) is a dynastic order of knighthood for extraordinary services rendered to the Portuguese Royal House and for outstanding Merit in the Monarchist Cause.[1] [2] [3]
The Order also conferred the Medal of dedication to the Monarchist Cause, Youth Medal of dedication to the Monarchist Cause and Youth Medal of Fidelity, though these are now suppressed through a reform carried out by the Grand-Master.[4]
The Royal Patron is the Head of the Portuguese Royal House. The Chancellor of the Order is Dr. José António da Cunha Coutinho, Baron of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira.
The Order was founded by decree of 12 April 1993 by Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza.[1] [5] as a way to reward extraordinary services rendered to the Portuguese Monarchical Cause and for exceptional merit in the Monarchical Cause between 1973 and 1993.
The Order confers the following traditional ranks of Knighthood of the Knights and Dames of the Portuguese Royal House of Braganza namely: