Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown of Luxembourg

The Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown of Luxembourg, awarded to Dutch Prime Minister Willem Drees in 1951. The Order was founded by King William II of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg on the 29th of December 1841, for all classes of society, for distinguished merit in the army, civil service, or the arts and sciences, and may, in some instances, be also conferred upon foreigners. At the heart of the insignia lies an eight-pointed, radiant silver order star, its surface adorned with a central medallion bearing a crowned initial 'W' (after William II) in Gothic script, encircled by the gold-lettered motto 'Je Maintiendrai' on a crimson backdrop. Surrounding the medallion, a lush green-and-gold oak wreath extends across the star's rays, culminating in an elegant bow at its base. Complementing the star is the order badge, a striking gold Maltese Cross enamelled in pristine white. Its centrepiece is a raised diamond-shaped medallion, featuring once again the crowned Gothic 'W' on an emerald green field, framed by a golden border. Suspended from a shoulder strap in broom yellow with three verdant stripes—symbolising Luxembourg's oak forests and blooming broom bushes—the badge rests upon a rosette. Both pieces are housed in an oblong box lined with white silk, nestled atop a soft yellow velvet elevation, with the shoulder strap tucked beneath.