The Russian Legitimist has received a recent enquiry about the award of chivalric orders of the Imperial House. The enquiry was prompted by a blogger who sold on the internet a medal in his possession which pertained to one of the imperial orders.
Like her father and grandfather before her, the current Head of the Imperial House has continued to award the orders of the dynasty. With some exceptions, these awards are for the most part made to her fellow Russians – that is, to Russians who have served or worked in support of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian art and culture, Russian charitable organisations, or the Russian Imperial House.
There are no costs or fees of any kind associated with being awarded a dynastic order.
A person who is awarded an imperial order receives a diploma (‘gramota’) duly signed by the Grand Duchess Maria and countersigned by the Director of her Chancellery, who also affixes to it the seal of her Chancellery. There is no cost or fee whatever associated with the issuance of a diploma.
With some exceptions (especially in the cases of hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church), the Head of the Imperial House does not present to the recipient of an order the actual physical insignia or medal pertaining to it. She only presents the diploma. A person honoured by award of an order who wishes to acquire the medal or insignia of the order in question may obtain it at his or her own expense from one of the private commercial establishments who specialise in manufacturing such medals.
Under the monarchy, there were annual dues associated with some of the imperial orders. The Grand Duchess Maria has formally abolished any such dues.
In summary, membership of dynastic orders must be earned. It may not be purchased. It is commemorated by a formal diploma. If a recipient wishes to obtain the physical medal pertaining to the order, he may acquire it at his or her own expense from one of several commercial establishments having no connection with the Imperial House.
