In theUnited Kingdom and theBritish Overseas Territories, personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours. The honours system consists of three types of award:
Appointments to the variousorders and awards of other honours are usually published inThe London Gazette.
Although theAnglo-Saxon monarchs are known to have rewarded their loyal subjects with rings and other symbols of favour, it was theNormans who introducedknighthoods as part of theirfeudal government. The first Englishorder of chivalry, theOrder of the Garter, was created in 1348 byEdward III. Since then, the system has evolved to address the changing need to recognise other forms of service to the United Kingdom.
As thehead of state, theSovereign is thefount of honour,[1] but the system for identifying and recognising candidates to honour has changed considerably over time. Various orders of knighthood have been created (see below) as well as awards for military service, bravery, merit, and achievement which take the form of decorations or medals. Most medals are not graded. Each one recognises specific service so there are normally set criteria which must be met. These criteria may include a period of time and will often delimit a particular geographic region. Medals are not normally presented by the Sovereign. A full list is printed in the "order of wear", published (infrequently) by theLondon Gazette.
Honours are split into classes ("orders") and are graded to distinguish different degrees of achievement or service, according to various criteria.[2] Nominations are reviewed byhonours committees made up of government officials and private citizens from different fields, who meet twice a year to discuss the candidates and make recommendations for appropriate honours to be awarded by the Sovereign.[3]
A list of approximately 1,350 names is published twice a year, at theNew Year and on the date of theSovereign's (official) birthday. Since decisions are inevitably subjective, the twice-yearly honours lists often provoke criticism from those who feel strongly about particular cases.[4][5] Candidates are identified by public or private bodies, by government departments, or are nominated by members of the public. Depending on their roles, those people selected by the honours committee are submitted either to thePrime Minister,Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, orSecretary of State for Defence for their approval before being sent to the Sovereign for final approval. Certain honours are conferred solely at the Sovereign's discretion, such as appointments to theOrder of the Garter,[6] theOrder of the Thistle, theRoyal Victorian Order,[7] and theOrder of Merit.[8] The honours' insignia are then presented by the Sovereign or his representative at investitures held atBuckingham Palace,Windsor Castle or thePalace of Holyroodhouse;Prince Charles,Prince William andPrincess Anne deputised forQueen Elizabeth II with William and Anne continuing to do so forKing Charles III since his September 2022 accession.[9]
By convention, a departingprime minister is allowed to nominatePrime Minister's Resignation Honours, to reward political and personal service. In recent history, onlyTony Blair andGordon Brown have not taken up this privilege (although Brown did issue the2010 Dissolution Honours).
As part of the British honours system, Special Honours are issued at theMonarch'spleasure at any given time. The Special Honours refer to the awards made within royal prerogative, operational honours, political honours and other honours awarded outside theNew Years Honours andBirthday Honours.
The current system is made up of six orders of chivalry and four orders of merit. Thestatutes of each order specify matters such as the size of the order, the use ofpost-nominal letters and insignia design and display. These are ordered by the order of wear.[10]
| Complete name | Ranks (letters) | Ribbon | Established | Founder | Motto | Awarded to/for/by | Associated awards | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most Noble Order of the Garter | Knight Companion (KG) Lady Companion (LG) |  | 23 April 1348 | King Edward III | Honi soit qui mal y pense ('Shame upon him who thinks evil of it') | Relating to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Appointments are made at the Sovereign's sole discretion. | [11] | |
| Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle | Knight (KT) Lady (LT) |  | 29 May 1687 | King James VII & II | Nemo me impune lacessit ('No one provokes me with impunity') | Relating to Scotland. Appointments are made at the Sovereign's sole discretion. | [12] | |
| Most Honourable Order of the Bath | Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCB) Knight/Dame Commander (KCB/DCB) Companion (CB) |  | 18 May 1725 | King George I | Tria iuncta in uno ('Three joined in one') | Civil division: seniorcivil servants; Military division: senior military officers. The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. | [13] | |
| Order of Merit | Member (OM) | .svg) | 23 June 1902 | King Edward VII | 'For merit' | Military, science, art, literature, culture. Members are personally appointed by the Sovereign with the assistance of their private secretaries. Limited to 24 members. | [14] | |
| Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George | Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCMG) Knight/Dame Commander (KCMG/DCMG) Companion (CMG) |  | 28 April 1818 | George, Prince Regent | Auspicium melioris ævi ('Token of a better age') | Diplomats and colonial service. The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. | [15] | |
| Royal Victorian Order | Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GCVO) Knight/Dame Commander (KCVO/DCVO) Commander (CVO) Lieutenant (LVO) Member (MVO) |  | 21 April 1896 | Queen Victoria | Victoria ('Victory') | Services to the Crown. Appointments are made at the Sovereign's sole discretion. | Royal Victorian Medal, Royal Victorian Chain | [16] |
| Most Excellent Order of the British Empire | Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight/Dame Commander (KBE/DBE) Commander (CBE) Officer (OBE) Member (MBE) | _Ribbon.svg) _Ribbon.svg) | 4 June 1917 | King George V | 'For God and the Empire' | Miscellaneous (military and civil). The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. | British Empire Medal | [17] |
| Order of the Companions of Honour | Member (CH) |  | 4 June 1917 | King George V | 'In action faithful and in honour clear' | Arts, science, politics, industry, religion. The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. | [18] | |
| Distinguished Service Order | Companion (DSO) - plusbars |  | 6 September 1886 | Queen Victoria | Military officers for leadership while on active service. The Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government. | [19] | ||
| Imperial Service Order | Companion (ISO) |  | 8 August 1902 | King Edward VII | 'For faithful service' | Civil servant for 25 years (in administrative or clerical capacity) | Imperial Service Medal | [20] |
Orders were created for particular reasons at particular times. In some cases these reasons have ceased to have any validity and orders have fallen intoabeyance, primarily due to the decline of theBritish Empire during the twentieth century. Reforms of the system have sometimes made other changes. For example, the British Empire Medal temporarily ceased to be awarded in the UK in 1993, as was the companion level award of theImperial Service Order (although its medal is still used). The British Empire Medal was revived, however, in 2012 with 293 BEMs awarded for the2012 Birthday Honours, and has continued to be awarded in some other Commonwealth nations.
| Complete name | Ranks (letters) | Ribbon | Established | Founder | Motto | Awarded to/for | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick | Knight (KP) |  | 17 March 1783 | King George III | Quis separabit? ('Who will separate us?') | Relating to Ireland | |
| Most Exalted Order of the Star of India | Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) Knight Commander (KCSI) Companion (CSI) |  | 25 June 1861 | Queen Victoria | 'Heaven's light our guide' | Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian rulers, Viceroys, Governors and senior administrators, Commanders-in-Chief, senior military officers and Indian civil servants | |
| Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire | Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) Knight Commander (KCIE) Companion (CIE) |  | 1 January 1878 | Queen Victoria | Imperatricis auspiciis ('Under the auspices of the Empress') | ||
| Imperial Order of the Crown of India | Companion (CI) | | 1 January 1878 | Queen Victoria | British Princesses, wives or female relatives of Indian Princes and wives or female relatives of any person who holds or held the office of:
| ||
| Order of Burma | Member (OB) | _-_ribbon_bar.png) | 10 May 1940 | King George VI | Long, faithful and honourable service of members of certain armed forces in Burma |
The Order of St Patrick was founded in 1783 byGeorge III for theKingdom of Ireland, and after theActs of Union 1800 continued for Irish peers in theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. After theIrish Free State's secession in 1922, only members of the royal family were appointed to the order, the last in 1936. The last surviving knight wasPrince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, who died on 10 June 1974. Although dormant, the order technically still exists, and may be used as an award at any time.
Orders relating to theBritish Raj or theBritish Indian Empire are also dormant. The senior order, the Order of the Star of India, was divided into three grades, Knight Grand Commander, Knight Commander and Companion, of which the first and highest was conferred upon the Princes and Chiefs of Indian states and upon important Britishcivil servants working in India. Women were not eligible to receive the award. The junior order, the Order of the Indian Empire, was divided into the same ranks and also excluded women. The third order, the Order of the Crown of India, was used exclusively to honour women. Its members, all sharing a single grade, consisted of the wives and close female relatives of Indian Princes or Chiefs; theViceroy orGovernor-General; the Governors ofBombay,Madras andBengal; thePrincipal Secretary of State for India; and theCommander-in-Chief in India. UponIndian independence in 1947, appointments to all these orders ceased.
HHMaharaja Tej Singh Prabhakar Bahadur of Alwar, who was a KCSI and the last surviving member of theOrder of the Star of India, died in February 2009, aged 97. The last surviving member of theOrder of the Indian Empire, HHMaharaja Meghrajji III of Dhrangadhra-Halvad, a KCIE died in August 2010, aged 87. Queen Elizabeth II was appointed to theOrder of the Crown of India (then as Princess Elizabeth) and was the last surviving former member of that order until her death in September 2022, aged 96.
TheOrder of Burma was created in May 1940 by KingGeorge VI of the United Kingdom to recognise subjects of the British colony ofBurma (Myanmar) after it became a distinct colony, separate fromBritish India. This order had one class which entitled the member to the postnominal letters OB but no title. It was originally intended to reward long and faithful service by military and police. In 1945 the Royal Warrant was altered to allow for membership for acts of gallantry as well as meritorious service. The Order was one of the rarest awarded with only 33 appointments by the time appointments were discontinued in 1948 when Burma declared independence.
| Complete name | Ranks (letters) | Ribbon | Established | Founder | Motto | Awarded to/for | Associated awards | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Guelphic Order | Knight Grand Cross (GCH) Knight Commander (KCH) Knight (KH) |  | 28 April 1815 Defunct 1841 (British order) Since 1841 (Hanoverian House Order) | Prince George, Prince Regent | Nec Aspera Terrent ('Not afraid of difficulties') | At the monarch's pleasure |
TheRoyal Guelphic Order, also known as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, was an honour founded byGeorge, Prince Regent in the name of his fatherKing George III in 1815. In the United Kingdom, it was used only briefly, until the death ofWilliam IV in 1837. That is when thepersonal union with theKingdom of Hanover ended due to the Hanover throne succession, which followedSalic Law, unlike the United Kingdom, where women could inherit the throne. The order continued for some time as a national order of Hanover, until the Kingdom of Hanover’s defeat againstPrussia and forced dissolution in 1866. Since then, it has been ahouse order to be awarded by theHouse of Hanover. The order's current head isErnst August Prinz von Hanover, head of the House of Hanover. The Order includes two Divisions: Civil and Military. During the personal union of the United Kingdom and Hanover, it originally had three classes. Today, after several reorganizations since 1841, it is a house order with four classes and an additional Cross of Merit.
Current awarded decorations in order of wear:[10]
| Complete name | Post- nominal letters | Ribbon | Established | Founder | Awarded to/for | Associated awards | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Cross | VC |  | 29 January 1856 | Queen Victoria | British Empire, Commonwealth and allied military personnel for "... most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy." | ||
| George Cross | GC |  | 24 September 1940 | King George VI | Commonwealth subjects for "... acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger." | George Medal | |
| Conspicuous Gallantry Cross | CGC |  | October 1993 | Queen Elizabeth II | British and allied forces for "... an act or acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy." | Distinguished Conduct Medal‡ Conspicuous Gallantry Medal‡ | |
| Royal Red Cross | RRC | _ribbon.png) | 27 April 1883 | Queen Victoria | Members of the Military Nursing Service for "... exceptional services in military nursing" | ||
| Distinguished Service Cross | DSC |  | 15 June 1901 as the Conspicuous Service Cross. Renamed the Distinguished Service Cross in October 1914. | King Edward VII | British, (formerly) Commonwealth and allied forces at sea for "... gallantry during active operations against the enemy." | Distinguished Service Medal‡ | |
| Military Cross | MC |  | 28 December 1914 | King George V | British, (formerly) Commonwealth, and allied forces on land for "... gallantry during active operations against the enemy." | Military Medal‡ | |
| Distinguished Flying Cross | DFC |  | 3 June 1918 | King George V | British, (formerly) Commonwealth, and allied forces in the air for "... gallantry during active operations against the enemy." | Distinguished Flying Medal‡ | |
| Air Force Cross | AFC |  | 3 June 1918 | King George V | British, (formerly) Commonwealth, and allied air forces for "... gallantry while flying but not on active operations against the enemy." | Air Force Medal‡ |
‡ In abeyance.
On 1 July 2009, BBC News reported[21] that the Queen had approved a new posthumous award, theElizabeth Cross, honouring members of the armed forces killed in action or by terrorist attack since World War II. The cross itself is given to the deceased's family.
These decorations have not been awarded since theIndependence of India in 1947.
| Complete name | Post- nominal letters | Ribbon | Established | Founder | Awarded to/for | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Order of Merit | IOM |  | 1 May 1837 | East India Company | Indian citizens in the armed forces and civilians for gallantry. | |
| Order of British India | OBI |
| 17 April 1837 | East India Company | For "long, faithful and honourable service". | |
| Kaisar-i-Hind Medal |  | 10 April 1900 | Queen Victoria | Civilians of any nationality for "... distinguished service in the advancement of the interests of the British Raj". | [22] | |
| Indian Distinguished Service Medal | IDSM |  | 25 June 1907 | King Edward VII | Indian citizens in the armed forces and police. |
There are five ranks of hereditarypeerage:duke,marquess,earl,viscount, andbaron. Until the mid-20th century, peerages were usuallyhereditary. Until the end of the 20th century, English, Scottish, British, and UK peerages (except, until very recent times, those for the time being held by women) carried the right to a seat in theHouse of Lords.
Hereditary peerages are now normally given only toRoyal Family members. The most recent were the grants to: Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son,Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, on his marriage in 1999; the Queen's grandsonPrince William, made theDuke of Cambridge on the morning before his marriage toCatherine Middleton on 29 April 2011; and the Queen's grandsonPrince Harry, made theDuke of Sussex on the morning before his marriage toMeghan Markle on 19 May 2018. No hereditary peerages were granted tocommoners after the Labour Party came to power in 1964, untilMargaret Thatcher tentatively reintroduced them by two grants to men with no sons in 1983: Speaker of the House of CommonsGeorge Thomas and former deputy prime ministerWilliam Whitelaw. Both titles died with their holders. She followed this with an earldom in 1984 for former prime ministerHarold Macmillan not long before his death, reviving a traditional honour for former prime ministers. Macmillan's grandson succeeded him on his death in 1986. No hereditary peerages have been created since, and Thatcher's own title was a life peerage (see further explanation below). The concession of abaronetcy (i.e., hereditary knighthood), was granted to her husband Denis following her resignation (explained below).
Hereditary peerages are not "honours under the crown" and cannot normally be withdrawn. A peerage can be revoked only by a specific Act of Parliament, and then only for the current holder, in the case of hereditary peerages. A hereditary peer can disclaim his peerage for his own lifetime underPeerage Act 1963 within a year of inheriting the title.
Modernlife peerages were introduced under theAppellate Jurisdiction Act 1876, following atest case, theWensleydale Peerage Case (1856), which established that non-statutory life peers would not have the right to sit in the House of Lords. At that time, life peerages were intended only forlaw lords, who would introduce appellate legal expertise into the chamber without conferring rights on future generations, which might not have legal experts.
Subsequently, under theLife Peerages Act 1958, life peerages became the norm for all new grants outside the Royal Family. This was viewed as a modest reform of the second legislative chamber. However, its effects were gradual because hereditary peers and their successors retained their rights to attend and vote with the life peers. All hereditary peers, except 92 chosen in a secret ballot of all hereditary peers, have now lost their rights to sit in the second chamber. All hereditary peers, however, retain dining rights to the House of Lords, viewed as "the best club in London".
All life peers hold the rank ofbaron and automatically have the right to sit in the House of Lords. The title exists only for the duration of their own lifetime and is not passed to their heirs, although the children of life peers enjoy the samecourtesy titles as those of hereditary peers. Some life peerages are created as an honour for achievement, some for the specific purpose of introducing legislators from the various political parties (known asworking peers), and some under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876, with a view to judicial work. There is a discrete number appointed as "People's Peers", recommended by the general public. Twenty-six Church of England bishops have a seat in the House of Lords.
As a life peerage is not technically an "honour under the Crown", it cannot normally be withdrawn once granted. Thus, while knighthoods have been withdrawn as "honours under the Crown", convicted criminals who have served their sentences have returned to the House of Lords. In the case ofLord Archer of Weston-super-Mare, he has chosen only to exercise dining rights and has not spoken in Parliament since released from his perjury conviction.
Abaronetcy is the lowest hereditary title in the United Kingdom. It carries the titlesir. In order of precedence, a Baronetcy is below a Barony but above most knighthoods.[23] Baronetcies are not peerages. When a baronetcy becomes vacant on the holder's death, the heir is required to register the proofs of succession if he wishes to be addressed as "Sir". The Official Roll of Baronets is kept at the Ministry of Justice, transferred from the Home Office in 2001, by the Registrar of the Baronetage. Anyone who considers that he is entitled to be entered on the roll may petition the Crown through theLord Chancellor. Anyone succeeding to a baronetcy must exhibit proofs of succession to the Lord Chancellor.[24] A person who is not entered on the roll will not be addressed or mentioned as a baronet or accorded precedence as a baronet, effectively declining the honour. The baronetcy can be revived at any time on provision of acceptable proofs of succession.[25] As of 2017, 208 baronetcies are listed as presumedly not extinct but awaiting proofs of succession.[26]
As with hereditary peerages, baronetcies generally ceased to be granted after the Labour Party came to power in 1964. The sole subsequent exception was a baronetcy created in 1990 for the husband ofMargaret Thatcher, SirDenis Thatcher, later inherited by their sonMark Thatcher.
Descended from medievalchivalry, knights exist both within theorders of chivalry and in a class known asKnights Bachelor. Regular recipients includeHigh Court judges and, to a lesser extent,Chief Constables of larger police forces. Knighthood carries the titleSir; the female equivalentDame exists only within the orders of chivalry—Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) is usually awarded as an equivalent of a Knight Bachelor.
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TheMost Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem established in 1888 with a royal charter, is a royal order of chivalry dedicated to charitable work, notably through St John Ambulance. Operating independently of the UK government under the patronage of the monarch as Sovereign Head, the Order’s ranks include Bailiff or Dame Grand Cross (GCStJ), Knight or Dame of Justice or Grace (KStJ/DStJ), Commander (CStJ), Officer (OStJ), and Member (MStJ). Members may wear the Order’s insignia, including those of Bailiff or Dame Grand Cross, as recognized in the UK order of wear.[27][28] However, these ranks do not confer official rank in the order of precedence, andpost-nominal initials (e.g., GCStJ, KStJ) are strictly unofficial and should never be used outside the Order's internal correspondence. Recipients of the highest grades are not addressed as “Sir” or “Dame”.
Other British and Commonwealthorders, decorations, and medals exist that do not carry titles but entitle the holder to placepost-nominal letters after his or her name, as do a small number ofRoyal Family Orders.
Until the mid-20th century, the British honours system was the primary—and generally the sole—honours system utilised across the variousdominions and territories of theBritish Empire, which became theCommonwealth of Nations from 1949. Today, British honours and decorations continue to be awarded to citizens ofCommonwealth realms andBritish Overseas Territories. Within the Commonwealth realms, however, the nature of the British honour or decoration awarded and the permissibility of its conferment varies from government to government. The British honours system comprises bothdynastic honours, the personal gift of the Sovereign, and British state honours or decorations (known as imperial honours or decorations outside the UK), which are not. Dynastic honours continue to be conferred by the Sovereign across the Commonwealth realms, although outside the United Kingdom they are typically non-titular[further explanation needed] honours, such as the Order of Merit or the lower grades of the Royal Victorian Order.
In 1917 and 1919, the Canadian House of Commons passed theNickle Resolutions, which although non-binding gradually ended the conferment of titular honours—peerages, baronetcies, and knighthoods—to Canadians. Occasional conferments of knighthoods (in 1934 and 1935) and imperial honours, notably after the Second World War, continued until 1955, when the Canadian government officially ended all awards of imperial honours to Canadians.[29] In 1967, Canada established its own honours system with theOrder of Canada, created its own system of bravery decorations in 1972, and its own system of military decorations for valour in 1993. Canadian service personnel remained eligible to receive the imperialVictoria Cross until 1993, when a Canadian version was instituted. Canadian citizens remain eligible for imperial honours, including peerages and knighthoods, presumably for achievements within Great Britain, however such conferment may involve individual approval by the Canadian government.
In 1975, the Australian government established its own honours system, creating theOrder of Australia and its own system of bravery decorations. Indigenous police and fire service decorations followed from 1986, with a new system of military decorations created in 1991. Imperial honours continued to be conferred on Australians through 1989, when the last recommendations were made. With effect from 5 October 1992, the Australian government discontinued the awarding of imperial honours.[30]
In 1975,New Zealand also instituted its first indigenous honour, theQueen's Service Order, followed by theOrder of New Zealand in 1987. In 1996, it replaced imperial honours with theNew Zealand Order of Merit, and replaced imperial gallantry and bravery decorations with New Zealand decorations in 1999.
Other Commonwealth realms have continued to apply the imperial honours system together with their own honours systems.Jamaica established its own honours system in 1969, passing theNational Honours and Awards Act.Saint Lucia followed in 1980; theSolomon Islands in 1981;Belize in 1991;Antigua and Barbuda in 1998;Papua New Guinea in 2004; andGrenada in 2007. The government of theBahamas continues to solely use imperial honours. In 2007, it passed a National Honours Act establishing a Bahamian honours system; however, it had not come into effect as of 2015.[31][32]
In practice, legislation across the Commonwealth realms regulating the awarding of imperial honours to citizens of a realm, including knighthoods and damehoods, does not necessarily prevent a citizen of a Commonwealth realm from receiving a substantive award of an imperial honour for service in the United Kingdom or to its government. There continue to be numerous examples of Canadians, New Zealanders, and Australians who the British government have honored and can use the honour or its accompanying style when they are resident in their own nation or the United Kingdom.
Citizens of countries that do not have the King as theirhead of state sometimes have honours conferred upon them, in which case the awards are "honorary". In the case of knighthoods, the holders are entitled to place initials after their name but not style themselves "Sir" as they are not entitled to receive theaccolade.[33][34] Examples of foreigners with honorary knighthoods areBilly Graham,Bill Gates,Bob Geldof,Bono,Steven Spielberg,John Williams andRudolph Giuliani, whileArsène Wenger andGérard Houllier are honorary OBEs.[35][36] Honorary knighthoods are of Orders of Chivalry rather than as Knights Bachelor as the latter confers no postnominal letters.
Recipients of honorary awards who later become subjects of His Majesty may apply to convert their awards to substantive ones.[37] Examples of this areMarjorie Scardino, American CEO ofPearson PLC, andYehudi Menuhin, the American-born violinist and conductor. They were granted an honorary damehood and knighthood respectively while still American citizens, and converted them to substantive awards after they assumed British nationality, becoming Dame Marjorie and Sir Yehudi. Menuhin later accepted a life peerage with the title Lord Menuhin.
SirTony O'Reilly, who holds bothBritish andIrishnationality,[note 1] uses the style "Sir", but has also gained approval from theIrish Government to accept the award as is necessary under theIrish Constitution.Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, the German soprano, became entitled to be known as "Dame Elisabeth" when she took British nationality. Irish-born SirTerry Wogan was initially awarded an honorary knighthood, but by the time he collected the accolade from the Queen in December 2005, he had obtained dual nationality[note 1] and the award was upgraded to a substantive knighthood.
Bob Geldof is often erroneously referred to as "Sir Bob"; he is not entitled to this style as an honorary knight, as he is a citizen of the Republic of Ireland (i.e., he is not a citizen of a Commonwealth realm).
There is no law in the UK preventing foreigners from holding a peerage (e.g.,Newburgh), though onlyCommonwealth and Irish citizens may sit in the House of Lords. This has yet to be tested under the new arrangements. However, some other countries have laws restricting the acceptances of awards granted to would-be recipients by foreign powers. InCanada, where theHouse of Commons of Canada (but not theSenate of Canada) has opposed the granting of titular honours with its (non-binding)Nickle Resolution, then Prime MinisterJean Chrétien advised the Queen not to grantConrad Black a titular honour while he remained a Canadian citizen[38] (seeBlack v Chrétien).
Each year, around 2,600 people receive their awards personally from the monarch or another member of theRoyal Family. The majority ofinvestitures take place atBuckingham Palace, but an annual ceremony also takes place at thePalace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (duringHolyrood Week), and some happen atWindsor Castle. There are approximately 120 recipients at each Investiture. In recent years theKing, thePrince of Wales andThe Princess Royal have all held investitures.
During the ceremony, the monarch enters the ballroom ofBuckingham Palace attended by twoGurkha orderly officers, a tradition begun in 1876 byQueen Victoria. On duty on the dais are five members of the King's Body Guard of theYeomen of the Guard, which was created in 1485 byHenry VII; they are the oldest, but not most senior, military corps in the United Kingdom. ThreeLady or Gentleman Ushers are on duty to help look after the recipients and their guests.
The King or his representative is escorted by either theLord Chamberlain or theLord Steward. After thenational anthem has been played, he stands to the right of the King and announces the name of each recipient and the achievement for which they are being decorated. The King or his representative is provided with a brief background for each recipient by theirequerry as they approach to receive their decorations.
Men who are to beknighted kneel on an investiture stool to receive theaccolade, which the King bestows.Elizabeth II used the sword used by her father,George VI asDuke of York andColonel of theScots Guards. Only men are knighted. Women receive their honours in the same fashion as men receiving decorations or medals, even if they are receiving a damehood. Occasionally an award for gallantry may be made posthumously and in this case, the King or his representative presents the decoration or medal to the recipient's next-of-kin in private before the publicinvestiture begins. TheElizabeth Cross was created especially for this purpose.
After the investiture ceremony, those honoured are ushered out of the ballroom into the Inner Quadrangle of Buckingham Palace, where the royal rota's photographers are stationed. Here recipients are photographed with their awards. In some cases, members of the press may interview some of the more well-known people who have been honoured.
In 2003,Sunday Times published a list of almost 300 people who had declined an honour between 1951 and 1999. In 2020,the Guardian reported based on aFreedom of Information request, that the number of people refusing an honour had more than doubled in the previous nine years.[39]
Honours are sometimesrevoked (forfeited), for example if a recipient is subsequently convicted of a seriouscriminal offence. TheHonours Forfeiture Committee is anad hoc committee convened under the chairmanship of theHead of the Home Civil Service,[44] to consider cases where information has been received which indicates an individual is unsuitable to hold an award. Sometimes the original decision to grant an honour was made on the basis of inaccurate information (including through manipulation of the public nominations system), but normally cases relate to actions that took place after the award was made. Recommendations are made to themonarch of the United Kingdom, who has the sole authority to rescind an honour.[45]
In 2009,Gordon Brown confirmed[46] that the process remains as set out in 1994 by the then Prime MinisterJohn Major in a written answer to the House of Commons:
The statutes of most orders of knighthood and the royal warrants of decorations and medals include provision for the Queen to "cancel and annul" appointments and awards. Cancellation is considered in cases where retention of the appointment or award would bring the honours system into disrepute. There are no set guidelines for cancellations, which are considered on a case-by-case basis. Since 1979, theLondon Gazette has published details of cancellations of 15 appointments and awards—three knighthoods, one CBE, five OBEs, four MBEs and two BEMs.[47]
In October 2016, theHouse of Commons approved a motion to ask the Honours Forfeiture Committee to strip SirPhilip Green of his knighthood for his role in the downfall ofBritish Home Stores. It was the first time MPs voted to recommend rescinding a knighthood.[48]
Honours, decorations and medals are arranged in the "Order of Wear", an official list which describes the order in which they should be worn.[50] Updates to the Order of Wear are published inThe London Gazette when necessary. The current Order of Wear was published on 11 January 2019.[51] Additional information on the social events at which an award may be worn is contained in the insignia case given to each recipient.
The list places the Victoria Cross and George Cross at the top, followed by the orders of knighthood arranged in order of date of creation. Below the Knights of the Garter and Thistle, individuals of a higher rank precede those of a lower rank. For instance, a Knight Grand Cross of any order precedes any Knight Commander. For those of equal rank, members of the higher-ranked Order take precedence. Within the same Order, precedence is accorded to that individual who received the honour earlier.
Not all orders have the same number of ranks. The Order of Merit, the Order of the Companions of Honour, the Distinguished Service Order and the Imperial Service Order are slightly different, being single-rank honours, and have been placed at appropriate positions of seniority. The precedence of Knight Bachelor is below the knights of the different orders and above those with the rank of Commander or lower.
Decorations are followed by medals of various categories, being arranged in date order within each section. These are followed byCommonwealth and honorary foreign awards of any level. Miscellaneous details are explained in notes at the bottom of the list.
The order of wear is not connected to and should not be confused with theorder of precedence.
For peers, seeforms of address in the United Kingdom.
For baronets, the styleSir John Smith, Bt (orBart) is used. Their wives are styledLady Smith. A baronetess is styledDame Jane Smith, Btss.
For knights, the styleSir John Smith [postnominals] is used, attaching the proper postnominal letters depending on rank and order (for knights bachelor, no postnominal letters are used). Their wives are styledLady Smith, with no postnominal letters. A dame is styledDame Jane Smith, [postnominals]. More familiar references or oral addresses use the first name only, e.g.Sir John, orDame Joan.
Wives of knights and baronets are styledLady Smith, although customarily no courtesy title is automatically reciprocated to male consorts.
Recipients oforders, decorations and medals receive no styling ofSir orDame, but they may attach the according postnominal letters to their name, e.g.,John Smith, VC. Recipients of gallantry awards may be referred to in Parliament as "gallant", in addition to "honourable", "noble", etc.:The honourable and gallant Gentleman.
Bailiffs or Dames Grand Cross (GCStJ), Knights/Dames of Justice/Grace (KStJ/DStJ), Commander Brothers/Sisters (CStJ), Officer Brothers/Sisters (OStJ), Serving Brothers/Sisters (SBStJ/SSStJ), and Esquires (EsqStJ) of the Order of St John do not receive any special styling with regards to prenominal address i.e. Sir or Dame. They may, however, attach the relevant postnominal initials (solely) within internal correspondence of the Order[citation needed]. In the Priory of Australia, Canada and the United States, the rank of Serving Brother/Sister is no longer granted. The rank now awarded is referred to as Member of the Order of St John for both men and women.
For honours bestowed upon those in theentertainment industry (e.g.,Anthony Hopkins,Maggie Smith), it is an accepted practice to omit the title for professional credits.[52]
Reforms of the system occur from time to time. In the last century notable changes to the system have included a Royal Commission in 1925 following the scandal in which Prime MinisterDavid Lloyd George was found to be selling honours. The sale of British Honours, including titles, is now prohibited by theHonours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.
Asignificant set of reforms were enacted in 1993 under the Conservative Prime MinisterJohn Major, with the intention of providing a more merits-based system for honouring service and achievement.[53] Among other outcomes, this removed the rank distinctions that were explicitly linked to certain military awards, and ended (with the exception of High Court Judges) the awarding ofex officio honours. The reforms also provided for people to be nominated for an honour by members of the public, as well as placing more emphasis within the system on recognising and rewarding voluntary service in particular.[54]
In July 2004, thePublic Administration Select Committee (PASC) of theHouse of Commons and, concurrently, SirHayden Phillips,Permanent Secretary at theDepartment of Constitutional Affairs, both concluded reviews of the system. The PASC recommended some radical changes; Sir Hayden concentrated on issues of procedure and transparency. In February 2005, the Government responded to both reviews by issuing aCommand paper detailing which of the proposed changes it had accepted. These included diversifying and opening up the system ofhonours selection committees for the Prime Minister's list and also the introduction of a miniature badge. Furthermore, the 2004 review suggested a regular report on the transparency and operation of the system at a suggested frequency of every 3 years. These reviews have taken place in2008,2011,2014,2018 and2023. The most recent review covers the period 2019 to 2023 and shows a notable shift towards community and voluntary recognition, and a continued emphasis on ensuring that the Honours System reflects British societal diversity.[55]
As of 2012, same-sexcivil partners of individual recipients of British honours are not themselves granted honours by way of their partnered relation. In July 2012, Conservative MPOliver Colvile introduced aprivate member's bill, titled "Honours (Equality of Titles for Partners) Bill", to amend the honours system to both allow husbands of those madedames and for civil partners of recipients to receive honours by their relationship statuses.[56]
In May 2020, a special COVID nomination process was introduced to provide a more streamlined consideration process and accessible route for the public to nominate those in society who had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared with the existing public nomination form, it required substantially less information in order to be accepted and processed. This process was ended in May 2022.[57]
A scandal in the 1920s was the sale byMaundy Gregory of honours and peerages to raise political funds forDavid Lloyd George.
In 1976, theHarold Wilson era was mired by controversy over the1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, which became known as the "Lavender List".
In 2006,The Sunday Times newspaper revealed that every donor who had given £1,000,000 or more to the Labour Party since 1997 was given a Knighthood or a Peerage (seeCash-for-Honours scandal). Moreover, the government had given honours to 12 of the 14 individuals who have donated more than £200,000 to Labour and of the 22 who donated more than £100,000, 17 received honours. An investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service did not lead to any charges being made.
The Times published an analysis of the recipients of honours in December 2015 which showed that 46% of those getting knighthoods and above in 2015 had been to fee-payingpublic schools. In 1955 it was 50%. Only 6.55% of the population attends such schools. 27% had been to Oxford or Cambridge universities (18% in 1955).[58]
When a foreign national receives an honorary knighthood of an order of chivalry, he is not entitled to the prefix Sir, but he may place the appropriate letters after his name. ... An honorary knight of an order of chivalry uses the appropriate letters after his name, but without the prefix Sir because he is not eligible to receive the accolade.
When a foreign national receives an honorary knighthood ... Should he subsequently become a naturalised British subject he will be entitled to receive the accolade. Having become a full knight of the appropriate order he will then use Sir before his name.
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