The Royal Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom for exceptional services in military nursing.

The award was established on 27 April 1883 by Queen Victoria, with a single class of Member. A second class, Associate, grade was added during World War I in 1917.

The award is made to a fully trained nurse of the Official Nursing Service who has shown exceptional devotion and competency in the performance of actual nursing duties, over a continuous and long period, or who has performed some very exceptional act of bravery and devotion at her post of duty. This decoration had the distinction of being confined to females until 1976. It is conferred on members of the nursing services regardless of rank. Holders of the second class are promoted to the first class on second awards.

The Medal itself is in the shape of a cross, 1.375 inches wide, enamelled red, and edged with gold, with a circular medallion (now bearing an effigy of the reigning monarch) at its centre. The words "Faith", "Hope" and "Charity" are inscribed on the upper limbs of the cross, with the year of issue in the lower limb. To recognize further exceptional devotion and competency in the performance of actual nursing duties or some very exceptional act of bravery and devotion at her post of duty, a bar may be awarded to a recipient of the RRC. The bar is linked to the cross and is made of red enamel. A rosette is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote a bar to the RRC.

Recipients of the Royal Red Cross are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "RRC" for "ARRC" for Members and Associates respectively.

The ribbon is dark blue with red edge stripes.

See also

• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations