Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol

The Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol, also called the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Umbrella (Lao: ອິສະຣິຍາພອນລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ Itsariyaphon Lan Sang Hom Khao), is the highest knighthood order of the Royal Family of Laos.

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Quick Facts Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasolອິສະຣິຍາພອນລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ, Awarded by the King of Laos ...

Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol ອິສະຣິຍາພອນລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ

Awarded by the King of Laos
Status	Extinct as the Kingdom, now Dynastic award
Sovereign	Sisavang Vong Savang Vatthana
Grades	Grand Cross with Collar Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Knight
Precedence
Next (higher)	None; highest.
Next (lower)	Order of the Crown
Ribbon of the Order

History

The Order was founded on 1 May 1909 by King Sisavang Vong.^[1]

The name of the order reflected an old name of Laos, Lan Xang Hom Khao which means "million elephants and white umbrella".^[2]

The Royal system of Orders and Medals effectively ended with the fall of Laos in 1975. The Royal Orders, by their nature, remain the dynastic property of the Royal House of Laos in absentia, and are still awarded by the Royal House as a dynastic award. The honour is still awarded in recognition of dedicated services to charity and humanitarianism. All grades of the Order are approved for wear as a foreign order (i.e. after all British and other Commonwealth decorations) by Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, as it is on the "Schedule of Approved Countries and Awards".^[3]

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Classes

The Order consisted of the following classes, in descending order: