Royal Order of the Polar Star Kungliga Nordstjärneorden Cross and star of the order Awarded by the monarch of Sweden Type Five grade order of merit Royal house Bernadotte Motto Nescit Occasum (It knows no decline) Eligibility Until 1975: Swedish and foreign persons Since 1975: Foreign citizens and members of the Swedish Royal Family Awarded for Until 1975: Civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions. After 1975: Services to Sweden Status Currently constituted Sovereign King Carl XVI Gustaf Chancellor Svante Lindqvist[1] Grades Commander Grand Cross (KmstkNO) Commander 1st Class (KNO1kl) Commander (KNO) Knight/Member 1st Class (RNO1kl/LNO1kl) Knight/Member (RNO/LNO) Statistics First induction 1748 Precedence Next (higher) Royal Order of the Sword Next (lower) Royal Order of Vasa 1748 - 1975 (all recipients) 2013 - present (Swedish princes only) 1975 - present (foreign recipients) Ribbon bars of the order