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The order was created in 1960 to commemorate the V Centenary of Prince Henry, the Navigator’s death. The order is awarded for relevant services to Portugal and for services in the expansion of the Portuguese culture, its history and its values. As it happens with other Portuguese orders the order has a restricted number of members in each grade, which can only be exceeded, exceptionally, by the will of the President of the Republic – the Grand Master of the Order. The order has a Grand Collar only conferred on foreign Heads of State and 5 classes in descending order of seniority:
The Order of Prince Henry is the fifeth-most senior in the Portuguese honours system ranking after the Order of the Tower and of the Sword, Valour, Loyalty and Merit, the Order of Christ, the Order of Avis and the Order of St. James of the Sword. The statutes amended in 1962, were altered in 1986. The order can be conferred to nationals and foreigners who become its honorary members. I The Ribbon consists of three equal sized stripes in blue, white and black. The Badge of the Order is a red-enamelled Paty Cross edged gold. The Star is a 9-pointed star in gold (in silver for Commanders), with plain rays, charged with a smaller 9-pointed star, having in the centre, upon a silver field, the Badge of the Order, surrounded by a circle of black, having thereon the motto, "Talant de Bien Faire" in letters gold, within a garlanded laurel in gold. Foreigners awarded with the Order become Honorary Members having the right to wear its insignia. In the event of a promotion to a higher class within the Order, ceases the right to wear the insignia of the former and lower class of the Order.
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