Queen Juliana decided to reorganise the Order to bring it more in line with the ever more egalitarian spirit of the Dutch society. As a result, the order is now divided into four semi-independent groups: The House Order The Order for Loyalty and Merit Honorary medals The Honorary medal for Arts and Science The Honorary medal for Initiative and Ingenuity The Order of the Crown The House Order today Since the reorganisation in 1969 the House Order itself has these grades: Grand Cross (Grootkruis) - badge may be worn on a sash on the right shoulder, plus an 8-pointed star on the left chest; Grand Honorary Cross (Groot erekruis) - wears the badge on a necklet; Honorary Cross (Erekruis) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest. Every subject of the King (or Queen) of the Netherlands, apart from the members of the Royal House (see note), can be awarded the Cross of Honour. Once awarded, the recipient can be promoted to a higher grade of the House Order after three years. ''Note: The Royal House (Koninklijk Huis) is a rather complex definition within Dutch constitutional theory and Dutch law. It consists of the Monarch, his or her consort, former monarchs and their consorts and those members of his family that have a right to succeed him up to the second degree and their consorts. The Government is responsible for the actions and words of the monarch and in a lesser respect the members of the Royal House. The House is not the same as the Royal Family. The Queen's second son decided not to ask for parliamentary approval for his marriage and lost his right to succeed to the throne, his membership of the Royal House and the title Prince of the Netherlands. He did however retain the style and title of Royal Highness, a Prince of Orange-Nassau and a member of the Royal Family. References External links 1905 establishments in the Netherlands