The order served to distinguish civilians and soldiers, subjects of the king or strangers, who had made themselves worthy.

For French appointments, the recipient had to be at least 29 years old and enter the Order first as a knight, to be promoted to a higher grade after a certain period.

From 1933 the Order was also granted for the organization of exhibitions dedicated to Cambodia and sacred events important to the French colonies.

The order was approved by King Norodom Sihanouk during his government and also granted during his exile in Beijing.

Following United Nations supported elections in 1993, H.M. King Norodom Sihanouk, was returned to the throne and the Order was reinstituted by Royal Decree No.

Those honored in this way are raised to the personal, non-hereditary status of nobility and henceforth bear the title His or Her Excellence (H.E.).

[3][4] The medal of the order comes in many different forms, as a slightly elongated silver or gold star surmounted by a Cambodian crown and with an image of the king's crown and coat of arms in gold on a violet blue background and surrounded by a red circle.

The central image on the star of the order is the same as the medal, though the crown is missing and the rays are usually smooth.