the order was Countess Renée de Merode. The order can be bestowed posthumously; for example, Emile Verhaeren received the Grand Cordon after his death. Recipients can be deprived of the order, as for example happened during World War I with Alfred Wotquenne. After the Second World War, the Order of Leopold was bestowed on the several officers of foreign military forces who had helped to liberate Belgium from German occupation. Most illustrious was the grand Cordons with Palms given by the King to Sir Winston Churchill and Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1945. The medal was also granted to Karel Bossart in 1962, and Josip Broz Tito in 1970. Today membership can only be granted by decree of His Majesty King Philippe of the Belgians and is reserved to the very most important Belgian nationals and to some distinguished foreign persons who contributed in one way to the Belgian military, the Belgian civil society or the Belgian State. Annually, there are two major days when the king normally grants membership, 15 April (King Philip's birthday) and 15 November (Day of the Belgian Dynasty). During state visits, the Order of Leopold is the most important diplomatic gift of the state. In 2015 some protest was noted when King Philippe offered the Grand Cordon to President Erdoğan of Turkey during his state visit in Belgium. A parliamentary question was consequently submitted by Barbara Pas. Classes The Order of Leopold is issued in five classes: Grand Cordon ('Grand Cordon/Grootlint'), who wears the badge on a collar (chain) or on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left side of the chest; Grand Officer ('Grand Officier/Grootofficier'), who wears a badge on a necklace, plus a star on the left side of the chest (created on 31 December 1838); Commander ('Commandeur'), who wears the badge on a necklace; Officer ('Officier'), who wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left side of the chest; Knight ('Chevalier/Ridder'), who wears the badge on a ribbon on the left side of the chest. All five classes come in three divisions (civil, military, maritime). No membership can be granted to a person before the age of 42, except in the military division. Only the Belgian king is entitled to chair the order and to be named Grand Master ('Grand Maître/Grootmeester'). Grand Cordon The Grand Cordon title is reserved in general for other monarchs, heirs,