Who Can Wear Family Medals at UK Ceremonies?

A row of medals can hold a family’s most direct connection to military service: a grandfather’s campaign, a parent’s long career, or a relative who never returned. Understandably, families often ask who can wear family medals when attending Remembrance, a funeral, a regimental reunion or another commemorative occasion. In the UK, the answer rests on a clear distinction between the recipient’s entitlement to wear an award and a relative’s respectful, customary way of representing their memory.

The short answer: relatives may wear them on the right

British medals are awarded to an individual and remain that person’s decorations. Only the recipient is entitled to wear their own medals in the normal position on the left breast. When the recipient has died, a family member may customarily wear their medals on the right breast at appropriate commemorative occasions.

This right-breast placement is the recognised visual signal that the wearer is not claiming the award as their own. It honours the service of the person named on the medal while preserving the meaning of the distinction.

There is no single rule limiting this custom solely to one relation. A widow, widower, child, grandchild, sibling or another close family representative may wear the medals of a deceased relative. In practice, it is best for one person to wear a particular group at an event, especially where several relatives are attending together. This avoids confusion and treats the medals as the personal record they are.

Who can wear family medals at formal events?

The custom is most often observed at Remembrance Sunday services, wreath-laying ceremonies, military funerals, veterans’ associations events, regimental occasions and anniversaries connected with a campaign or unit. It is also commonly seen at events held by local branches of service charities and Commonwealth commemorations.

Context matters. Wearing family medals to a formal act of remembrance is very different from wearing them as an accessory at a social event. The purpose should be to commemorate the recipient, not to suggest personal service, rank or entitlement.

Serving personnel should take particular care. Family medals are not worn on uniform as though they were personal decorations. Service dress regulations govern the medals and ribbons a member of the Armed Forces may wear, and only authorised personal awards belong on the left breast of uniform. A relative attending in civilian clothing may wear a deceased family member’s medals on the right breast, provided the occasion is suitable.

Veterans follow the same basic principle. Their own medals are worn on the left breast. If they also wish to represent a deceased relative, that relative’s medals belong on the right breast. Keeping the two groups separate is essential.

What about medals belonging to someone still living?

A living recipient should wear their own medals. It is generally inappropriate for another person to wear them, even for a family occasion. If the recipient cannot attend, a framed display, photograph or carefully presented medal box is usually a more fitting way to acknowledge their service.

This distinction protects the integrity of the award. Medals are not inherited in the same sense as jewellery or other possessions: they are honours earned through an individual’s service, conduct or sacrifice.

The correct position for inherited medals

A family group should be placed on the right side of the chest, broadly mirroring the normal left-breast position used by the recipient. They should sit neatly and securely, not low on the waistcoat, coat or jacket lapel.

The medals may be worn full size at daytime ceremonies, particularly where the dress is formal and the event has a strong service connection. Miniature medals are often the better choice for evening functions, dinner events or black-tie occasions, provided the event’s dress guidance permits them. The same right-breast convention applies.

Avoid placing family medals on a handbag, hat, scarf or casual outerwear. Although well meant, this can leave medals insecure and detract from their ceremonial purpose. A plain, well-fitted jacket or coat gives a group the proper support and appearance.

Wear the original medals or replicas?

Original medals carry irreplaceable historical and sentimental value. However, regular wear exposes them to rain, abrasion, loose pins and accidental loss. For a valuable group, a high-quality British-made replica set can be a sensible parade or remembrance option, while the originals remain safely preserved.

This is particularly relevant where medals include a named gallantry award, an older campaign medal with fragile suspender fittings, or a complete group with original ribbons. A replica does not diminish the family connection when it is worn correctly and clearly represents the same recipient. It can protect the original medals for future generations.

Arrange the group in the recipient’s order of wear

Medals should be displayed in their official order of wear, not simply in the order in which they were found. For British awards, precedence is determined by the type and date of the award, with campaign medals, commemorative medals, long-service awards and foreign decorations following established conventions.

For many family groups, the sequence is straightforward. Difficulties arise with several campaigns, duplicate awards, clasps, foreign medals, Coronation or Jubilee medals, and medals issued under Commonwealth arrangements. A group that has been remounted over the years may not be in the correct order.

Do not remove clasps from campaign medals. A clasp records a specific qualifying period, operation or area of service and forms part of the medal’s history. Likewise, do not replace original ribbons casually. Ribbons fade and wear, but an incorrect replacement can alter the appearance and historical accuracy of a group.

Where the order is uncertain, identify each medal before mounting it. Service papers, medal cards, discharge documents, photographs and the recipient’s name, rank and service number can all help establish an accurate record. Specialist advice is worthwhile before any permanent work is carried out.

Mounting matters when medals are to be worn

Loose ribbons and individual pins are prone to twisting, snagging and pulling a jacket out of shape. Professional court mounting keeps medals aligned on a backing board and allows them to hang correctly when worn. It is usually the best choice for family groups intended for regular ceremonial use.

Swing mounting is another traditional method, where medals are attached separately and move freely. It can suit certain historic groups and collectors’ preferences, but it may be less practical for a relative wearing medals at an outdoor service. The movement can cause medals to knock together, and the group may sit less evenly.

A carefully mounted group should be secure, proportionate and easy to attach. It should also use suitable ribbon lengths and correct spacing. These details are not merely cosmetic: proper mounting respects the official character of the awards and reduces unnecessary wear.

When display is better than wear

Not every medal group should be worn. Some are too fragile, too valuable or too historically significant to leave the house. In those cases, a properly framed display offers a dignified alternative for Remembrance, family gatherings and home preservation.

Framing can include the medals, ribbons, a cap badge, service photograph, citation or a small engraved plate. The best displays avoid adhesive directly on medals and keep items protected from dust, handling and strong sunlight. If a family has more than one descendant wishing to preserve the story, a framed group can become a shared focal point rather than an item passed quietly from one drawer to another.

Cleaning should also be approached with restraint. Tarnish, age and minor marks are often part of an original medal’s history. Abrasive polishing can remove detail or damage lacquered surfaces. Before cleaning or applying a protective finish, consider the medal’s age, material and collector value.

A respectful approach for every generation

There is no need to have served yourself to honour a deceased relative at a suitable ceremony. The right-breast convention exists precisely so families can carry that memory forward without confusing it with personal entitlement. Wear the group neatly, keep it separate from your own awards, and be prepared to explain whose medals they are if asked.

For medals that will be worn regularly, professionally mounted replicas may offer reassurance; for originals, accurate mounting, careful conservation and framing protect both the objects and the story behind them. Empire Medals can assist with specialist mounting, replacement ribbons and presentation work where a family group needs to be prepared with care.

The most meaningful choice is not always to wear every medal available. It is to present the recipient’s service faithfully, whether that means a right-breast group at the Cenotaph, a single medal carried in remembrance, or a preserved display that gives the next generation a reason to ask who earned it.