In 1844, the Chancelleries of the two Orders were merged into the Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders, headed by only one Chancellor. The first Chancellor was Lieutenant general Hendrik Merkus Baron de Kock. Around the turn of the previous century, the current designation became popular: the Chancellor of the Netherlands Orders.

The Chancellor manages the Dutch Orders and monitors their integrity. He carries out this task on behalf of the Grand Master of the Orders: the head of state. In his work, the Chancellor is directly subordinate to the minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and is located in The Hague.

Briefly, the Chancellor has the following tasks and responsibilities:

• provide co-operation to protecting the interests of the Dutch decorations
• demonstrate his insight regarding all issues related to the decorations
• ensures that registers of decorated persons are kept at the Chancellery;
• provides the management of the decorations themselves and for correct shipping thereof to the persons who will confer them.
• monitors the 'purity and dignity' of the Orders;

In his current task description, the Chancellor has three 'hats': he has the competent authority and the organisational management of the Chancellery of the Netherlands Orders, he is the chairman of the Advisory Commission of the Military William Order and he is a member of the Civil Honours Advisory Commission.

Since 1 October 2002, the Chancellor of the Netherlands Orders is J.H. de Kleyn, Lieutenant General (ret.)