Sophie Petersen, baker and personality behind Full Time Tart spoke with us about her father, Sir Palle Petersen. Sir Palle recently received one of the most prestigious acknowledgments- a knighthood, awarded by the royal Danish monarchy.

“My dad, Sir Palle Petersen, has called Christchurch home since 1988. He moved here from Denmark to work in the wool industry. After beginning to volunteer as the Danish Honorary Consul since 2011, Dad helped a large number of Danish people through challenging times while living and travelling throughout New Zealand.”

Sir Palle was awarded with The Order of Dannebrog, a Danish knighthood for his services to Denmark over the last 10 years.

The Order of the Dannebrog is a Danish order of chivalry, instituted in 1671 by Christian V.

Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to only fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known as White Knights to distinguish them from the Blue Knights, who were members of the Order of the Elephant. In 1808, the Order was reformed and divided into four classes.

The Grand Commander class is reserved to persons of princely origin. It is awarded only to royalty with close family ties with the Danish Royal House. The statute of the Order was amended in 1951 by a Royal Ordinance so that both men and women could be members of the Order.Today, the Order of the Dannebrog is a means of honouring and rewarding the faithful servants of the modern Danish state for meritorious civil or military service, for a particular contribution to the arts, sciences or business life, or for working for Danish interests.

The award was presented by Pernille Kardel, the Danish Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, on behalf of Queen Margarethe II of Denmark.

Family and friends celebrated over dinner, at Miro.

THE ORDER OF DANNEBROG