Chancellor of the Order of Australia "Chancellor and Principal Dame" if the incumbent is a 'Dame of the Order of Australia' (AD), or as "Chancellor and Principal Companion" if the incumbent is a 'Companion of the Order of Australia' (AC). The Order of Australia is the only Australian order of chivalry (although certain dynastic British orders of chivalry, such as the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle and the Royal Victorian Order, may still be awarded to Australians by the Monarch). It was established on 14 February 1975 by the Monarch to recognise Australian citizens and other persons for achievement, meritorious service, or
Order of chivalry Order of chivalry A chivalric order, order of chivalry, order of knighthood or equestrian order is an order, confraternity or society of knights typically founded during or in inspiration of the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades (circa 1099–1291), paired with medieval concepts of ideals of chivalry. During the 15th century, orders of chivalry, or dynastic orders of knighthood, began to be created in a more courtly fashion that could be created "ad hoc". These orders would often retain the notion of being a society or association of individuals, however, some of them were ultimately purely honorific, consisting of