Shimon Peres, GCMG

Let us start with a few examples of people wearing their medals incorrectly. Amusing examples that have been publicly documented in photographs. Here we have Shimon Peres, President of Israel. Peres is wearing the insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG). It is unfortunate that Mr. Peres failed to read the little card contained in the case that the GCMG was contained in, otherwise he would have probably learned that the sash of the Order is worn over the right shoulder with the badge resting on the left hip. At least he has the breast star in approximately the right place. Sashes are not to be worn as neck ribbons!

Given that a number of Canadian Governors General and Prime Ministers were GCMGs I thought this an amusing example to begin with.

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Her Excellency Marie Bashir, AC, CVO, Governor of New South Wales

Next we have Her Excellency Maire Barhir, the present Governor of New South Wales and a highly accomplished Australian. Like many of her Canadian vice-regal counterparts Her Excellency holds an honorary commission -- Bashir is an Honorary Commodore in the Royal Australian Navy. It is always risky to put civilians in military uniforms, they rarely seem wear them correctly. Her Excellency is incorrectly wearing the ribbon of her insignia of a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) outside of the collar on her High Collar Whites, and her Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) is being worn as a breast star on a bow. Now the RAN dress regs are pretty clear that all this is totally incorrect. Her Excellency should be wearing her AC at the neck (with the ribbon hidden under the collar) and her CVO should be on a straight neck ribbon protruding from the second button on her tunic. Does Her Excellency lack an RAN Aide de Camp to help her with such things?