the award filled a gap in the honour system under queen victoria. it was only possible to reward people who held official positiions. so, for example, t.h. huxley could be rewarded because he had sat on royal commissions, but charles darwin and alfred russel wallace held no official positions. without question their work was as important as huxley's, or more so. this kind of problem was known by edward vii, and when he eventually became king, he drew up this new award which had no such limitations. the idea had been discussed before.