The two principalities were collateral lines of the House of the Hohenzollern, and cousins to the ruling house of Prussia.  On August 23, 1851, after the two principalities had been annexed by Prussia, the order was adopted by the Prussian branch of the house.   Also, although the two principalities had become an administrative region of the Prussian kingdom, the princely lines continued to award the order as a house order.

The Prussian version was then known as the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern (Königlicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern or Königlich Hohenzollernscher Hausorden), to distinguish it from the Princely House Order of Hohenzollern (Fürstlicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern or Fürstlich Hohenzollernscher Hausorden).   Although Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated in 1918 as German Emperor and King of Prussia, he did not relinquish his role as Head of the Royal House and as such he was still able to confer the Royal House Order. The Princely House Order continued to be awarded, unofficially, after the fall of the German Monarchy.

The Inhaber-Eagle Order Of Hohenzollern was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status.