The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
| Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden |
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Cross of the Order
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Award of  Norway
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| Type | Three class order with two sub-classes |
| Grand Master | King Harald V |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1985 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of St. Olav |
| Next (lower) | King Haakon VII Freedom Cross |
 Ribbon for Grand Cross  Ribbon for Commander with Star  Ribbon for Commander  Ribbon for Knight 1st Classe  Ribbon for Knight |
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The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (Norwegian, Den Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden) was instituted by King Olav V of Norway in 1985. It is awarded to foreigners, Norwegian citizens living abroad, Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomats, foreign civil servants in Norway, and Norway's honorary consuls for "outstanding service in the interests of Norway". Its counterpart, the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, is generally only awarded to Norwegian citizens living in Norway.
The reigning monarch (King Harald V) is the Grand Master of the Order. The order has five grades: Grand Cross, Commander (which is further subdivided into Commander with Star and Commander), and Knight (which is further subdivided into Knight 1st Class and Knight).
The Order is characterized by a ribbon of deep blue moiré. The Grand Cross is worn on a broad sash that hangs over the right shoulder. The Commander's Cross is worn around the neck on ribbon of the Order. The Knight's Cross is worn over the left breast on a ribbon. Women wear both the Commander's Cross and the Knight's Cross over the left breast on a ribbon of the Order that has been fashioned into a bow. Unlike the Order of St. Olav, the insignia of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit are the property of the recipient.
Applications are submitted through the Protocol Department of the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. HM the King receives the applications and confers the Order based on the council of the Lord Chamberlain of the Court, the Chief Protocol of the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Head of Chancery of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
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