Wearing of Orders, Decorations and Medals

Order of Wear

There are strict rules surrounding the wearing of orders, decorations and medals.

The latest full list of the British Orders of Knighthood, decorations, medals and the order of wear can be found in the 2019 publication of The London Gazette

Wearing of medals

You should only wear official decorations, medals or emblems that you are entitled to and have been approved for acceptance and wear. Unofficial medals should not be worn with official orders, decorations and medals.

Medals should be court or swing mounted.

If you are the next of kin of a deceased medal recipient, it is common practice to wear your relative’s decorations and medals as a mark of remembrance. It is custom to wear medals on the right breast in civilian dress only, official approval is not required to wear relative’s medals.

Those who are attending National Police Memorial Day in uniform should not wear relative’s medals or unofficial medals whilst wearing uniform.

Wearing of ribbons

Given the nature of the National Police Memorial Day you should wear official orders, decorations, medals or emblems however we realise some may elect to wear ribbons instead.

Your ribbons should correlate to those orders, decorations, medals and emblems awarded to you and worn as per the Order of Wear in your uniform on the left.

Elizabeth Emblem

The next of kin may wear either the full size or miniature Elizabeth Emblem.

Unofficial medals

Unofficial medals, sometimes referred to as ‘commemorative’ medals, are usually designed and manufactured by private medal companies to commemorate some form of service, usually where no official recognition has been previously given.

These medals have not been approved by His Majesty The King, nor granted permission to wear, and cannot be mounted with official orders, decorations and medals.