The Order of the Elephant is the highest-ranked honor of Denmark. Known in Danish as Elefantordenen, it is the country’s premier order of chivalry and is awarded by the Danish sovereign.
The order has roots in a 15th-century Danish religious confraternity, but its modern form was established under King Christian V in 1693. It has only one class: Knight of the Order of the Elephant. Since Denmark became a constitutional monarchy in 1849, membership has been used mainly to honor members of royal families and foreign heads of state.
Its insignia centers on a white-enamelled elephant carrying a tower, with blue details and jeweled decoration. The gold collar alternates elephants and towers; the letter D on the elephants represents Dania, the medieval Latin name for Denmark. The order’s motto is Magnanimi Pretium, meaning “the prize of greatness.”
The distractors are notable because Norway and Sweden have their own senior orders, while Thailand has the Order of the Royal House of Chakri and other national honors. None is the Danish Order of the Elephant.