Noble Order of Westarctica

The Noble Order of Westarctica was the first Order of Chivalry created by Grand Duke Travis. It was created to recognize exceptional leadership qualities in foreign Heads of State, but the criteria was later expanded to include any monarch or peer. Knights are entitled to use the postnominal "OW" and companions are entitled to the postnominal "CW."

Grand Duke Travis in 2005 wearing the sash of the Noble Order of Westarctica

Creation of the Order

Although the Noble Order of Westarctica was the highest honor listed in the 17 March 2005 Royal Decree Revising the Orders of Westarctica which dealt with the four original Orders of Chivalry in Westarctica, it first came into use in 2004, around the time the Grand Ducal Mandate was decreed. The section of the March 2005 decree on the Noble Order read:

This Noble Order is designed to recognize exceptional leadership characteristics in foreign Heads of State. There is one class, Knight. The regalia for this Order is a blue sash (or riband) worn across the right shoulder to the left-side waist.

Hereditary nature of the Order

Badge for a Companion of the Noble Order of Westarctica

The Noble Order of Westarctica is the only Order of Chivalry that is hereditary in nature. When the holder of the knighthood, even an honorary knighthood, dies, the honor is bestowed upon their heir. In most cases, as the order is only bestowed upon nobles or international Heads of State, whichever of their heirs assumes the throne or title becomes the new bearer of Westarctica's knighthood as well.

It's important to note that in the case of abdications, a knight does not lose their knighthood merely because they are longer upon the throne. In the cases of monarchs who have abdicated, but are still living (King Juan Carlos, Queen Beatrix, King Gyanendra, and King Albert), they retain their honorary knighthood until their death.

The first inheritance of a knighthood in the Noble Order of Westarctica occurred upon the death of Prince Rainier III of Monaco on 6 April 2005. His Serene Highness's honorary knighthood, which had been bestowed less than a year prior, passed to his son, Prince Albert II, who still holds it to this day.

Classes

On 11 March 2021, Grand Duke Travis issued a Royal Decree that expanded the number of classes from one to two.

• Knight: Awarded to monarchs in recognition of excellent leadership.
• Companion: Awarded to peers of any nation in recognition of their nobility of character.

Knights of the Order

The first knighthoods in the order were bestowed through the mail upon twelve reigning monarchs on 20 November 2004. As these were foreign leaders, the knighthoods were only honorary.

On 7 March 2005, honorary knighthoods were bestowed upon the exiled heirs of the Imperial thrones of Iran and Ethiopia. Due to an oversight in researching the Ethiopian Imperial bloodline, the knighthood was wrongly bestowed upon Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie, a cousin of the actual Emperor-in-exile. This oversight was corrected on 30 May 2018 when His Imperial Highness was stripped of the honor.

On 4 April 2005, President Kevin Baugh of Molossia was given an honorary knighthood. He remains the only non-royal, non-noble Knight of the order.

List of Knights

Name	Year of appointment	Previous Holder(s) of Knighthood	Notes
Grand Duke Travis of Westarctica	2004		Sovereign of the Order
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark	2004
King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden	2004
King Juan Carlos I of Spain	2004		Abdicated in 2014
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands	2004		Abdicated in 2013
King Harald V of Norway	2004
King Albert II of Belgium	2004		Abdicated in 2013
King Gyanendra of Nepal	2004		Monarchy abolished in 2008
King Letsie III of Lesotho	2004
Prince Reza Pahlavi of Iran	2005		Royal in exile. Monarchy overthrown in 1979
Prince Albert II of Monaco	2005	Rainier III (2004-2005)	First heir to inherit a knighthood
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg	2005
President Kevin Baugh of Molossia	2005		Only non-royal member
King Tupou VI of Tonga	2012	Tupou IV (2004-2006) Tupou V (2006-2012)
King Charles III of Great Britain	2022	Queen Elizabeth II (2004-2022)

Companions of the Order

On the occasion of Westarctica's 20th Anniversary, on 2 November 2021, Grand Duke Travis created 15 Companions of the Noble Order of Westarctica by issuing a Royal Decree listing the 20th Anniversary Honors and Appointments. Several members of this inaugural group were knighted in person at Westarctica's 20th Anniversary Celebration.

List of Companions

Name	Year of appointment
Prince-Consort Dinny	2021
Prince David Chase Callahan	2021
Jordan Framer, Duke of the Bear Peninsula	2021
Wolf Tulier, Duke of Waesche	2021
Jon-Lawrence Langer, Duke of Moulton-Berlin	2021
Michael Hammett, Duke of Tapley	2021
Logan Mullins, Duke of the Gothic Mountains	2021
Lars Vorlander, Duke of the Balchen Glacier	2021
Spencer M Dayton, Duke Van Valkenburg	2021
Danni Michele, Countess of Carter	2021
Deborah McHenry Countess of Benton	2021
Daniel Paul Means, Count of Cranton	2021
Christian Klempsmann, Viscount of Bursey	2021
Joachim Adlfinger, Baron of Dorrel	2021
Lyle H. Sorrell, Viscount of Adams	2021
James Stoshak, Count of Faulkender	2021
August Grappin, Duke of Fox Grove	2021
Prince Paul of Wy	2022
Viscount Atwood	2022
Baron of Mars	2023
Queen Lynne of Slabovia	2023
Crown Prince Regent Phillip Pillin	2023
Prince Regent Phillip Joseph Pillin	2023
Duke Kurt of Wright	2023
Baron Trevor of Lambert	2023