| Order of the Companions of Honour | |
|---|---|
 Badge and ribbon of the order | |
| Awarded byCharles III | |
| Type | Order |
| Established | 4 June 1917 |
| Motto | In Action Faithful and in Honour Clear |
| Eligibility | All living citizens of theCommonwealth realms |
| Criteria | Nationally important service |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Founder | George V |
| Sovereign | Charles III |
| Grades | Member (CH) |
 Ribbon bar of the order | |
TheOrder of the Companions of Honour is anorder of theCommonwealth realms. It was founded on 4 June 1917 by KingGeorge V as a reward for outstanding achievements. It was founded on the same date as theOrder of the British Empire.[1][2]
The order was originally intended to be conferred upon a limited number of persons for whom this special distinction seemed to be the most appropriate form of recognition, constituting an honour dissociated from either the acceptance of title or the classification of merit.[1] It is now described as being "awarded for having a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government lasting over a long period of time".[3] The first recipients of the order were all decorated for "services in connection with thewar" and were listed inThe London Gazette.[4]
The order consists of the monarch of the Commonwealth realms, who is the Sovereign of the Order of the Companions of Honour, and a maximum of 65 members. Additionally, foreigners or Commonwealth citizens from outside the Commonwealth realms may be added as honorary members. Members are organised into a single class and are appointed by the monarch of the Commonwealth realms in their capacity as sovereign of the order. While membership of the order confers no title orprecedence, those inducted into the order are entitled to use thepost-nominal lettersCH.
Appointments to the order are generally made on the advice of prime ministers of the Commonwealth realms.[2] For Canadians, the advice to the Sovereign can come from a variety of officials.[5] Originally, the order was limited to 50 ordinary members, but in 1943 it was enlarged to 65, with a quota of 45 members for theUnited Kingdom, seven forAustralia, two each forNew Zealand andSouth Africa, and nine forIndia,Burma, and the otherBritish colonies. The quota numbers were altered in 1970 to 47 for the United Kingdom, seven for Australia, two for New Zealand, and nine for other Commonwealth realms. The quota was adjusted again in 1975 by adding two places to the New Zealand quota and reducing the nine for the other countries to seven.[6]
Whilst still able to nominate candidates to the order, theCabinet of Australia has effectively stopped the allocation of this award to that country's citizens in preference to other Australian honours. The last Australian member,Doug Anthony, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, died on 20 December 2020.[7] Companions from other Commonwealth realms continue to be appointed: DameKiri Te Kanawa, a New Zealand soprano, was given the award in 2018 and Canadian authorMargaret Atwood was given the award in 2019.
Lord Coe represented the Order at the2023 Coronation.[8]
The insignia of the order is an oval medallion, surmounted by a royal crown (but, until recently,[when?] surmounted by an imperialcrown), and with a rectangular panel within, depicting on it an oak tree, a shield with theRoyal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom hanging from one branch, and, on the left, a mountedknight in armour. The insignia's blue border bears in gold letters the motto "in action faithful and in honour clear",Alexander Pope's description (iniambic pentameter) in hisEpistle to Mr Addison ofJames Craggs the Younger, later used on Craggs's monument inWestminster Abbey. Men wear the badge on a neck ribbon (red with golden border threads) and women on a bow at the left shoulder.
| Name | Year of appointment | Present age |
|---|---|---|
| KingCharles III (ex officio) | Sovereign since 2022 | 77 |
| Name | Year of appointment | Present age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine, Princess of WalesGCVO, CH | 2024 | 43 | First Royal Companion |
| Member number | Name | Known for | Year of appointment | Present age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-(261) | Amartya SenCH, FBA | Economist | 2000 | 92 |
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