ribbon has a central vertical gold stripe when awarded for an exceptionally meritorious act in wartime; A silver star is added to the ribbon when awarded for meritorious acts of charity; A gold star is added to the ribbon when the recipient has been mentioned in dispatches at the national level; Silver or gold palms are added to the ribbon when awarded in wartime to military personnel. Stars and borders or stripes can be awarded together, but these deviations are currently only rarely awarded. The colour of the ribbon has varied during the nineteenth century from red to purple. The ribbon bar of the order, which is worn on the semi-formal dress uniform is: Since 1921, insignias of the order not awarded in wartime have to be purchased by the recipient. Award conditions Current award conditions of Belgian national orders National orders are awarded by royal decree at fixed dates: 8 April (Birthday of King Albert I), 15 November (King's Feast), and in some cases on 21 July (Belgian national holiday) to reward meritorious services to the Kingdom of Belgium based on the career path and age of the recipient. A number of different regulations rule the award of national order for the various ministries. In addition, the national orders may be awarded by the king for especially meritorious deeds. The royal decrees, except for conferrals on foreigners, are published in the Belgian Official Journal (Moniteur Belge). The minister responsible for Foreign Affaires, currently the Federal Public Service (SPF/FOD) Foreign Affairs, administers the national orders and has a role of advisor in cases not fitting within a regulation. For the award of national orders for persons to which no regulation apply or has been adopted, the number of awards is limited every year by decision of the Council of Ministers (contingent). The classes of the national orders are integrated in a combined hierarchy defined by law, whereby within one class the Order of Leopold is senior to the Order of the Crown, which is senior to the Order of Leopold II. Except in some specific cases, one cannot be awarded a national order at a level below the highest that the recipient has already received (example of an exception: a commissioned officer who becomes a Commander of the Order of Leopold II because of meritorious service to the king before he became a Knight of the Order of Leopold may