Sunday, 4 October 2026

The gold Grand Chain of the Legion of Honour of 1953 and President Macron's links

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The gold Grand Chain of the Legion of Honour of 1953 and President Macron's links

The Grand Collar of the Legion of Honour weighs 952 grams and is made of solid gold. It was first created in 1804 as a mark of distinction worn, among others, by Napoleon. It became the emblem of the President under the Third Republic. The example presented to Macron was made in 1953: the necklace has 16 links bearing the monogram of the order's motto, Honneur et Patrie, with the star of the Legion of Honour at the centre; each link depicts one of France's great achievements, and the reverse bears the name of the President with the year of his election. Macron's previous term is recorded on the link "Industry and Commerce". This was neither his choice nor anyone's decision: all the emblems were executed at the time of manufacture, and each president receives the next link in order, which can, purely symbolically, be taken as a sign. For this term, Macron drew "Knowledge of the World".

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