Provincial Grand Lodges

The Global Presence of the Royal Order of Scotland

The Royal Order of Scotland is a global Order and the Grand Lodge has established many Provincial Grand Lodges throughout the world so that members can be admitted into the Order wherever they may be.

When Grand Lodge established itself in the UK in the mid-eighteenth century, the Order expanded its presence in Holland, Virginia in the USA, France, Italy and Belgium. However, the Order’s initial expansion receded almost as quickly as it had grown.

The Grand Lodge standardised its approach and Charters are now issued to all legitimate Provincial Grand Lodges and report directly into the Grand Lodge of the Royal Order of Scotland. The oldest existing province is the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sweden which was Chartered in 1852. The number of provinces is steadily growing and our latest is the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Finland, Erected and Consecrated in Turku on 23 April 2022.

Provincial Grand Lodges

There are now over 95 Provincial Grand Lodges throughout the world, the work they perform to admit new members is the same as Grand Lodge using the Order's ritual performed in English. The provinces admit members from the region they have been allocated by Grand Lodge and have the same powers and processes to admit new knights.

A province is headed and chaired by a Provincial Grand Master, appointed by Grand Lodge, and will serve in that office for five years or so.