117-739: James Clayton Barr CB (1855 – 29 March 1937) was a Senior Commodore of the Cunard line . Born in Burnley , Barr first went to sea in 1877 and served mainly in the South American trade. In the Second Boer War he commanded Catalonia , requisitioned by the Admiralty and used as a prison ship for captured Boers . He was Master of RMS Carmania from 1905 to 1914. In October 1913, while eastbound, Barr responded to
234-637: A test case , the Wensleydale 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 for law lords , who would introduce appellate legal expertise into the chamber without conferring rights on future generations, which might not have legal experts. Subsequently, under the Life Peerages Act 1958 , life peerages became
351-662: A wireless distress signal from the Volturno . Carmania was larger and less manoeuvreable than the other ships that arrived, so she stood off, deployed her searchlight, and directed rescue operations. 521 survivors were rescued. A few weeks later the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society awarded Barr its Gold Marine Medal for his part in the Volturno rescue. The Society awarded its Silver Marine Medal to Carmania ' s officers, and its Bronze Marine Medal and
468-534: A Commonwealth realm). There is no law in the UK preventing foreigners from holding a peerage (e.g., Newburgh ), though only Commonwealth 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. In Canada , where the House of Commons of Canada (but not
585-488: A departing prime minister is allowed to nominate Prime Minister's Resignation Honours , to reward political and personal service. In recent history, only Tony Blair , Gordon Brown and Rishi Sunak have not taken up this privilege (although Brown did issue the 2010 Dissolution Honours and Sunak issued the 2024 Dissolution Honours to similar effect). As part of the British honours system, Special Honours are issued at
702-609: A life peerage with the title Lord Menuhin. Sir Tony O'Reilly , who holds both British and Irish nationality , uses the style "Sir", but has also gained approval from the Irish Government to accept the award as is necessary under the Irish Constitution . Elisabeth Schwarzkopf , the German soprano, became entitled to be known as "Dame Elisabeth" when she took British nationality. Irish-born Sir Terry Wogan
819-624: 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. In 1975, New Zealand also instituted its first indigenous honour, the Queen's Service Order , followed by the Order of New Zealand in 1987. In 1996, it replaced imperial honours with
936-487: A recent holder of the office of Garter King of Arms, wrote of Anstis's motivations: It was Martin Leake's opinion that the trouble and opposition Anstis met with in establishing himself as Garter so embittered him against the heralds that when at last in 1718 he succeeded, he made it his prime object to aggrandise himself and his office at their expense. It is clear at least that he set out to make himself indispensable to
1053-573: A recipient is subsequently convicted of a serious criminal offence . The Honours Forfeiture Committee is an ad hoc committee convened under the chairmanship of the Head of the Home Civil Service , 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
1170-513: A red ring bearing the motto of the Order in gold letters. The circle is flanked by two laurel branches , and is above a scroll bearing the words Ich dien (older German for 'I serve') in gold letters. Stylised versions of this are known as Bath stars , and are used as epaulette pips to indicate British Army officer ranks and for police ranks . The star for civil Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of an eight-pointed silver star, without
1287-456: A scroll bearing the words Ich dien in gold letters. The civil badge is a plain gold oval, bearing three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side; both emblems are surrounded by a ring bearing the motto of the Order. On certain ' collar days ' designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear
SECTION 10
#17328012827551404-585: 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 their head of state sometimes have honours conferred upon them, in which case
1521-810: A sum of money to her boat crews. On 7 August 1914 Carmania was commissioned into the Royal Navy as an armed merchant cruiser under the command of Captain Noel Grant, RN. Captain Barr was retained as navigator and advisor, with the acting rank of Commander , Royal Naval Reserve . On 14 September 1914, while at sea in the South Atlantic, Carmania encountered and sank the German auxiliary cruiser SMS Cap Trafalgar , an Imperial German Navy auxiliary cruiser commanded by Korvettenkapitän Julius Wirth. For his part in that successful action, Barr
1638-560: A symbol of purification ) was an element. While not all knights went through such an elaborate ceremony, knights so created were known as "knights of the Bath". George I constituted the Knights of the Bath as a regular military order . He did not revive the order, which did not previously exist, in the sense of a body of knights governed by a set of statutes and whose numbers were replenished when vacancies occurred. The Order consists of
1755-416: 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 a baronetcy (i.e., hereditary knighthood), was granted to her husband Denis following her resignation (explained below). Hereditary peerages are not "honours under
1872-628: A year to discuss the candidates and make recommendations for appropriate honours to be awarded by the King. A list of approximately 1,350 names are published twice a year, at the New Year and on the date of the Sovereign's (official) birthday . Since decisions are inevitably subjective, the twice-yearly honours lists often provoke criticism from those who feel strongly about particular cases. Candidates are identified by public or private bodies, by government departments, or are nominated by members of
1989-455: Is a gold Maltese Cross of eight points, enamelled in white. Each point of the cross is decorated by a small gold ball; each angle has a small figure of a lion. The centre of the cross bears three crowns on the obverse side, and a rose, a thistle and a shamrock , emanating from a sceptre on the reverse side. Both emblems are surrounded by a red circular ring bearing the motto of the Order, which are in turn flanked by two laurel branches, above
2106-466: Is in turn larger than the Companion's badge; however, these are all suspended on a crimson ribbon. Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear the badge on a riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Companions wear the badge from a ribbon worn around the neck. Dames Commander and female Companions wear the badge from a bow on the left side: The military badge
2223-437: Is made of black velvet ; it includes an upright plume of feathers . The collar , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of gold and weighs 30 troy ounces (933 g) . It consists of depictions of nine imperial crowns and eight sets of flowers ( roses for England, thistles for Scotland, and shamrocks for Ireland), connected by seventeen silver knots. On lesser occasions, simpler insignia are used: The star
2340-466: Is not entirely clear. The 'three joined in one' may be a reference to the kingdoms of England , Scotland , and either France or Ireland , which were held (or claimed in the case of France ) by English and, later, British monarchs. This would correspond to the three crowns in the badge. Another explanation of the motto is that it refers to the Holy Trinity . Nicolas quotes a source (although he
2457-452: Is sceptical of it) who claims that prior to James I the motto was Tria numina juncta in uno (three powers/gods joined in one), but from the reign of James I, the word numina was dropped, and the motto understood to mean Tria [regna] juncta in uno (three kingdoms joined in one). The prime mover in the establishment of the Order of the Bath was John Anstis , Garter King of Arms , England's highest heraldic officer. Sir Anthony Wagner ,
SECTION 20
#17328012827552574-607: Is the Great Master, of which there have been ten: Originally a Prince of the Blood Royal, as the Principal Knight Companion, ranked next after the sovereign. This position was joined to that of the Great Master in the statutes of 1847. The Great Master and Principal Knight is now either a descendant of George I or 'some other exalted personage'; the holder of the office has custody of the seal of
2691-485: Is the lowest hereditary title in the United Kingdom. It carries the title sir . In order of precedence, a Baronetcy is below a Barony but above most knighthoods. 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
2808-426: Is used only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander. Its style varies by rank and division; it is worn pinned to the left breast: The star for military Knights and Dames Grand Cross consists of a Maltese Cross on top of an eight-pointed silver star; the star for military Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. Each bears in the centre three crowns surrounded by
2925-544: The Bahamas 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. 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
3042-641: The British 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 British civil servants working in India. Women were not eligible to receive the award. The junior order, the Order of
3159-693: The Commander-in-Chief in India . Upon Indian independence in 1947, appointments to all these orders ceased. HH Maharaja Tej Singh Prabhakar Bahadur of Alwar , who was a KCSI and the last surviving member of the Order of the Star of India , died in February 2009, aged 97. The last surviving member of the Order of the Indian Empire , HH Maharaja Meghrajji III of Dhrangadhra-Halvad , a KCIE died in August 2010, aged 87. Queen Elizabeth II
3276-566: The Earl Marshal , which was not hard, their political principles being congruous and their friendship already established, but also to Sir Robert Walpole and the Whig ministry, which can by no means have been easy, considering his known attachment to the Pretender and the circumstances under which he came into office. ... The main object of Anstis's next move, the revival or institution of
3393-673: The Gulf War . A more controversial member of the Order was Robert Mugabe , whose honour was stripped by the Queen, on the advice of the Foreign Secretary , David Miliband , on 25 June 2008 "as a mark of revulsion at the abuse of human rights and abject disregard for the democratic process in Zimbabwe over which President Mugabe has presided." Honorary members do not count towards the numerical limits in each class. In addition,
3510-606: The Monarch 's pleasure at any given time. The Special Honours refer to the awards made within royal prerogative, operational honours, political honours and other honours awarded outside the New Years Honours and Birthday Honours . The current system is made up of six orders of chivalry and four orders of merit. The statutes of each order specify matters such as the size of the order, the use of post-nominal letters and insignia design and display. These are ordered by
3627-542: The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (founded 1888) may wear the Order's insignia, but the ranks within the Order of St John do not confer official rank in the order of precedence. Likewise, the abbreviations or post-nominal initials associated with the various grades of membership in the Order of St John do not indicate precedence among the other orders. Thus, someone knighted in
James Clayton Barr - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-728: The New 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 the National Honours and Awards Act. Saint Lucia followed in 1980; the Solomon Islands in 1981; Belize in 1991; Antigua and Barbuda in 1998; Papua New Guinea in 2004; and Grenada in 2007. The government of
3861-718: The Order of the Garter ). Foreign generals are also often given honorary appointments to the Order, for example: Marshal Ferdinand Foch and Marshal Joseph Joffre during the First World War ; Marshal Georgy Zhukov , King Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia , General Dwight D. Eisenhower , General George C. Marshall , General Douglas MacArthur , and General George S. Patton Jr. during the Second World War ; and General Norman Schwarzkopf and General Colin Powell after
3978-672: The Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle , the Royal Victorian Order , and the Order of Merit . The honours' insignia are then presented by the Sovereign or his representative at investitures held at Buckingham Palace , Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse ; Prince Charles , Prince William and Princess Anne deputised for Queen Elizabeth II with William and Anne continuing to do so for King Charles III since his September 2022 accession. By convention,
4095-606: The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh (during Holyrood Week ), and some happen at Windsor Castle . There are approximately 120 recipients at each Investiture. In recent years the King , the Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal have all held investitures. During the ceremony, the monarch enters the ballroom of Buckingham Palace attended by two Gurkha orderly officers, a tradition begun in 1876 by Queen Victoria . On duty on
4212-618: The Senate of Canada ) has opposed the granting of titular honours with its (non-binding) Nickle Resolution , then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien advised the Queen not to grant Conrad Black a titular honour while he remained a Canadian citizen (see Black v Chrétien ). Each year, around 2,600 people receive their awards personally from the monarch or another member of the Royal Family . The majority of investitures take place at Buckingham Palace , but an annual ceremony also takes place at
4329-646: The Sovereign of the United Kingdom (currently King Charles III ), the Great Master (currently William, Prince of Wales ), and three Classes of members: Members belong to either the Civil Division or the Military Division. Knight Companion (KB), the order's only class prior to 1815, is no longer an option. Commonwealth citizens who are not subjects of the British monarch and foreign nationals may be made honorary members. The Order of
4446-698: The United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories , personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours. The honours system consists of three types of award: Appointments to the various orders and awards of other honours are usually published in The London Gazette . Although the Anglo-Saxon monarchs are known to have rewarded their loyal subjects with rings and other symbols of favour, it
4563-534: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . After the Irish 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 was Prince 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 the British Raj or
4680-404: The coronation of Henry IV in 1399, the full ceremonies were restricted to major royal occasions, such as coronations, investitures of the Prince of Wales or royal dukes , and royal weddings, and the knights so created became known as Knights of the Bath . Knights Bachelor continued to be created with the simpler form of ceremony. The last occasion on which Knights of the Bath were created
4797-416: The national 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 their equerry as they approach to receive their decorations. Men who are to be knighted kneel on an investiture stool to receive the accolade , which
James Clayton Barr - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-484: The orders of chivalry and in a class known as Knights Bachelor . Regular recipients include High Court judges and, to a lesser extent, Chief Constables of larger police forces. Knighthood carries the title Sir ; the female equivalent Dame 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. Members of
5031-434: The 1859 revision. Women were admitted to the Order in 1971. In the 1971 New Year Honours , Jean Nunn became the first woman admitted to the order. In 1975, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester , an aunt of Elizabeth II , became the first woman to reach the highest rank, Dame Grand Cross. Princess Alice (née Douglas-Montagu-Scott) was a direct descendant of the Order's first Great Master, and her husband, who had died
5148-563: The Bath is the fourth most senior of the British orders of chivalry , after the Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle , and the (dormant) Order of St Patrick . In the Middle Ages , a knighthood was often conferred with elaborate ceremonies. These usually involved the knight-to-be taking a bath (possibly symbolic of spiritual purification ), during which he was instructed in the duties of knighthood by more senior knights. He
5265-701: The British monarch and foreigners may be made honorary members. Queen Elizabeth II established the custom of appointing visiting (republican) heads of state honorary GCBs, for example Gustav Heinemann and Josip Broz Tito (in 1972), Ronald Reagan (in 1989), Lech Wałęsa (in 1991), Censu Tabone (in 1992), Fernando Henrique Cardoso , George H. W. Bush (in 1993), Nicolas Sarkozy (in 2008), and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (in 2012), as well as Turkish President Abdullah Gül , Slovenian President Danilo Türk , Mexican President Felipe Calderón , and South African President Jacob Zuma (royal heads of state are instead usually made Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion of
5382-461: The Canadian government officially ended all awards of imperial honours to Canadians. In 1967, Canada established its own honours system with the Order 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 imperial Victoria Cross until 1993, when a Canadian version
5499-519: 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 of Lord 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. A baronetcy
5616-648: The Garter equivalent (the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod ) perform any duties in the House of Lords . There were originally seven officers, each of whom was to receive fees from the Knights Companion both on appointment, and annually thereafter. The office of Messenger was abolished in 1859. The office of Genealogist was abolished at the same time, but revived in 1913. The offices of Registrar and Secretary were formally merged in 1859, although
5733-466: The Genealogist, Brunswick Herald of Arms to the Gentleman Usher, and Bath King of Arms was also made Gloucester King of Arms with heraldic jurisdiction over Wales. This was the result of a move by Anstis to give the holders of these sinecures greater security; the offices of the Order of the Bath were held at the pleasure of the Great Master, while appointments to the heraldic offices were made by
5850-599: The Hanoverian Guelphic Order, was an honour founded by George, Prince Regent in the name of his father King George III in 1815. In the United Kingdom, it was used only briefly, until the death of William IV in 1837. That is when the personal union with the Kingdom of Hanover ended due to the Hanover throne succession, which followed Salic Law , unlike the United Kingdom, where women could inherit
5967-725: 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 the Lord Chancellor . Anyone succeeding to a baronetcy must exhibit proofs of succession to the Lord Chancellor. 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
SECTION 50
#17328012827556084-425: The House of Lords, viewed as "the best club in London". All life peers hold the rank of baron 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 same courtesy titles as those of hereditary peers. Some life peerages are created as an honour for achievement, some for
6201-420: 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; the Viceroy or Governor-General ; the Governors of Bombay , Madras and Bengal ; the Principal Secretary of State for India ; and
6318-403: The King bestows. Elizabeth II used the sword used by her father, George VI as Duke of York and Colonel of the Scots 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
6435-521: The King under the Great Seal and were for life. Members of the Order wear elaborate uniforms on important occasions (such as its quadrennial installation ceremonies and coronations ), which vary by rank: The mantle , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross, is made of crimson satin lined with white taffeta . On the left side is a representation of the star (see below). The mantle is bound with two large tassels. The hat , worn only by Knights and Dames Grand Cross and Knights and Dames Commander,
6552-410: The Knights of the Bath, as well as the colour of the riband and mantle , and the ceremony for creating a knight. The rest of the statutes were mostly based on those of the Order of the Garter, of which he was an officer (as Garter King of Arms). The Order was founded by letters patent under the Great Seal dated 18 May 1725 ; 299 years ago ( 1725-05-18 ) , and the statutes issued
6669-429: The Maltese cross; the star for civil Knights and Dames Commander is an eight-pointed silver cross pattée. The design of each is the same as the design of the military stars, except that the laurel branches and the words Ich dien are excluded. The badge varies in design, size, and manner of wearing by rank and division. The Knight and Dame Grand Cross' badge is larger than the Knight and Dame Commander's badge, which
6786-399: The Military Division, to Commissariat and Medical officers serving with the Army and Navy , including those serving with the East India Company . In 1859, a further edition of the Statutes was issued; the changes related mainly to the costs associated with the Order. Prior to this date, it had been the policy that the insignia (which were provided by the Crown) were to be returned on
6903-406: The Order for members who had been appointed for the services in the recent war. The fees were abolished, and replaced with a salary of approximately the same average value. The offices of Genealogist and Messenger were abolished, and those of Registrar and Secretary combined. In 1910, after his accession to the throne, George V ordered the revival of the Installation ceremony, perhaps prompted by
7020-423: The Order of Merit or the lower grades of the Royal Victorian Order. In 1917 and 1919, the Canadian House of Commons passed the Nickle 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
7137-445: The Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior military officers or senior civil servants , and the monarch awards it on the advice of His Majesty's Government. The name derives from an elaborate medieval ceremony for preparing a candidate to receive his knighthood , of which ritual bathing (as
SECTION 60
#17328012827557254-485: The Order of the Bath was probably that which it in fact secured, of ingratiating him with the all-powerful Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole. The use of honours in the early eighteenth century differed considerably from the modern honours system , in which hundreds, if not thousands, of people each year receive honours on the basis of deserving accomplishments. The only honours available at that time were hereditary (not life) peerages and baronetcies , knighthoods , and
7371-399: The Order of the Garter (or the Order of the Thistle for Scots), none of which were awarded in large numbers (the Garter and the Thistle are limited to twenty-four and sixteen living members respectively). The political environment was also significantly different from today: The Sovereign still exercised a power to be reckoned with in the eighteenth century. The Court remained the centre of
7488-420: The Order were increasingly made for naval , military , or diplomatic achievements. This is partly due to the conflicts Britain was engaged in over this period. The Peninsular War resulted in so many deserving candidates for the Bath, that a statute was issued allowing the appointment of Extra Knights in time of war, who were to be additional to the numerical limits imposed by the statutes, and whose number
7605-470: The Order's collar over their military uniform or evening wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations), the badge is suspended from the collar. The collars and badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross are returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood upon the decease of their owners. All other insignia may be retained by their owners. British honours system#Current orders of chivalry In
7722-589: The Queen's grandson Prince Harry , made the Duke of Sussex on the morning before his marriage to Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018. No hereditary peerages were granted to commoners after the Labour Party came to power in 1964, until Margaret Thatcher tentatively reintroduced them by two grants to men with no sons in 1983: Speaker of the House of Commons George Thomas and former deputy prime minister William Whitelaw . Both titles died with their holders. She followed this with an earldom in 1984 for former prime minister Harold Macmillan not long before his death, reviving
7839-450: The UK in 1993, as was the companion level award of the Imperial Service Order (although its medal is still used). The British Empire Medal was revived, however, in 2012 with 293 BEMs awarded for the 2012 Birthday Honours , and has continued to be awarded in some other Commonwealth nations. The Order of St Patrick was founded in 1783 by George III for the Kingdom of Ireland , and after the Acts of Union 1800 continued for Irish peers in
7956-501: 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 the Independence of India in 1947. There are five ranks of hereditary peerage : duke , marquess , earl , viscount , and baron . Until the mid-20th century, peerages were usually hereditary . Until the end of the 20th century, English, Scottish, British, and UK peerages (except, until very recent times, those for
8073-472: 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 the accolade . Examples of foreigners with honorary knighthoods are Billy Graham , Bill Gates , Bob Geldof , Bono and Rudolph Giuliani , while Arsène Wenger and Gérard Houllier are honorary OBEs. Honorary knighthoods are of Orders of Chivalry rather than as Knights Bachelor as
8190-405: 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 under Peerage Act 1963 within a year of inheriting the title. Modern life peerages were introduced under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 , following
8307-406: The dais are five members of the King's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard , which was created in 1485 by Henry VII ; they are the oldest, but not most senior, military corps in the United Kingdom. Three Lady or Gentleman Ushers are on duty to help look after the recipients and their guests. The King or his representative is escorted by either the Lord Chamberlain or the Lord Steward . After
8424-465: The death of the holder; the exception had been foreigners who had been awarded honorary membership. In addition, foreigners had usually been provided with stars made of silver and diamonds, whereas ordinary members had only embroidered stars. The decision was made to award silver stars to all members, and only require the return of the Collar . The Crown had also been paying the fees due to the officers of
8541-494: The decoration or medal to the recipient's next-of-kin in private before the public investiture begins. The Elizabeth 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
8658-426: The fact that the Bath was represented as a military Order, only a few military officers were among the initial appointments (see List of knights companion of the Order of the Bath ). They may be broken down into categories as follows (some are classified in more than one category): The majority of the new Knights Companions were knighted by the King, and invested with their ribands and badges on 27 May 1725. Although
8775-481: The first Installation ceremony of the more junior Order of St Michael and St George , held a few years earlier, and the building of a new chapel for the Order of the Thistle in 1911. The Installation ceremony took place on 22 July 1913 in the Henry VII Chapel , and Installations have been held at regular intervals since. Prior to the 1913 Installation, it was necessary to adapt the chapel to accommodate
8892-403: The following week. The Order initially consisted of the Sovereign, a Prince of the blood Royal as Principal Knight, a Great Master, and thirty-five Knights Companion. Seven officers (see below) were attached to the Order. These provided yet another opportunity for political patronage, as they were to be sinecures at the disposal of the Great Master, supported by fees from the knights. Despite
9009-756: 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 the London Gazette . Honours are split into classes ("orders") and are graded to distinguish different degrees of achievement or service, according to various criteria. Nominations are reviewed by honours committees made up of government officials and private citizens from different fields, who meet twice
9126-618: The honour. The baronetcy can be revived at any time on provision of acceptable proofs of succession. As of 2017, 208 baronetcies are listed as presumedly not extinct but awaiting proofs of succession. 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 of Margaret Thatcher , Sir Denis Thatcher , later inherited by their son Mark Thatcher . Descended from medieval chivalry , knights exist both within
9243-559: The larger number of members. An appeal was made to the members of the Order, and following the Installation a surplus remained. A Committee was formed from the Officers to administer the 'Bath Chapel Fund', and over time this committee has come to consider other matters than purely financial ones. Another revision of the statutes of the Order was undertaken in 1925, to consolidate the 41 additional statutes which had been issued since
9360-613: 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. Examples of this are Marjorie Scardino , American CEO of Pearson PLC , and Yehudi 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
9477-404: The marks of distinction which they have so nobly earned. The Order was now to consist of three classes: Knights Grand Cross, Knights Commander, and Companions. At the same time, the large and small Naval Gold Medals were suspended, while the bearers became Knights Commander and Companions, respectively. The existing Knights Companion (of which there were 60) became Knight Grand Cross; this class
9594-515: 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. The Royal Guelphic Order , also known as
9711-467: The neck (with either a hand or a sword ), thus making him a knight. It was this accolade which was the essential act in creating a knight, and a simpler ceremony developed, conferring knighthood merely by striking or touching the knight-to-be on the shoulder with a sword, or 'dubbing' him, as is still done today. In the early medieval period, the difference seems to have been that the full ceremonies were used for men from more prominent families. From
9828-400: The new Order for Walpole was that it would provide a source of such favours to strengthen his political position. He made sure that most of the 36 new honorees were peers and MPs who would provide him with useful connections. George I having agreed to Walpole's proposal, Anstis was commissioned to draft statutes for the Order of the Bath. As noted above, he adopted the motto and badge used by
9945-521: 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
10062-480: The opportunity also taken to regularise the 1815 expansion of the Order. The 1847 statutes also abolished all the medieval ritual, but they did introduce a formal Investiture ceremony, conducted by the Sovereign wearing the Mantle and insignia of the Order, attended by the Officers and as many GCBs as possible, in their Mantles. In 1850, a special statute authorised appointments of Knight Commander and Companion, in
10179-458: The order and is responsible for enforcing the statutes. The statutes also provide for the following: Regular membership is limited to citizens of the United Kingdom and of other Commonwealth countries of which the British monarch is Sovereign. Appointees are usually officers of the armed forces or senior civil servants, such as permanent secretaries . Members appointed to the Civil Division must "by their personal services to [the] crown or by
10296-403: The order does not take precedence over the knights of other British orders, nor should they be addressed as "Sir" or "Dame". Other British and Commonwealth orders, decorations, and medals exist that do not carry titles but entitle the holder to place post-nominal letters after his or her name, as do a small number of Royal Family Orders. Until the mid-20th century, the British honours system
10413-535: The order of wear. Orders were created for particular reasons at particular times. In some cases these reasons have ceased to have any validity and orders have fallen into abeyance , primarily due to the decline of the British 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
10530-677: The performance of public duties have merited ... royal favour." Appointments to the Military Division are restricted by the minimum rank of the individual. GCBs hold the rank of admiral in the Royal Navy, general in the British Army or Royal Marines , or air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force . KCBs must at least hold the rank of vice admiral , lieutenant general in the Army or Marines, or air marshal . CBs tend be of
10647-511: The permissibility of its conferment varies from government to government. The British honours system comprises both dynastic 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 honours, such as
10764-499: 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: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (in abeyance) On 1 July 2009, BBC News reported that the Queen had approved a new posthumous award, the Elizabeth Cross , honouring members of
10881-475: The political world. The King was limited in that he had to choose Ministers who could command a majority in Parliament , but the choice remained his. The leader of an administration still had to command the King's personal confidence and approval. A strong following in Parliament depended on being able to supply places, pensions, and other marks of Royal favour to the government's supporters. The attraction of
10998-492: 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 a Freedom of Information request, that the number of people refusing an honour had more than doubled in the previous nine years. Honours are sometimes revoked (forfeited), for example if
11115-455: The prestige of the Order. In 1847, Queen Victoria issued new statutes eliminating all references to an exclusively military Order. As well as removing the word 'Military' from the full name of the Order, this opened up the grades of Knight Commander and Companion to civil appointments, and the Military and Civil Divisions of the Order were established. New numerical limits were imposed, and
11232-462: The previous year, had also held that office. The second Dame Grand Cross, Sally Davies , was appointed in the 2020 New Year Honours . The British Sovereign is the Sovereign of the Order of the Bath. As with all honours, except those in the Sovereign's personal gift, the Sovereign makes all appointments to the Order on the advice of the Government . The next-most senior member of the Order
11349-467: The public. Depending on their roles, those people selected by the honours committee are submitted either to the Prime Minister , Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs , or Secretary 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
11466-565: The rank of rear admiral , major general in the Army, Royal Navy or Royal Marines, or air vice marshal in the Royal Air Force, and in addition must have been Mentioned in Despatches for distinction in a command position in a combat situation, although the latter is no longer a requirement. Non-line officers (e.g. engineers , medics) may be appointed only for meritorious service in wartime. Commonwealth citizens not subjects of
11583-493: The specific purpose of introducing legislators from the various political parties (known as working 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
11700-648: The statutes allow the Sovereign to exceed the limits in time of war or other exceptional circumstances. The office of Dean is held by the Dean of Westminster . The King of Arms, responsible for heraldry , is known as Bath King of Arms; he is not, however, a member of the College of Arms , like many heralds. The Order's Usher is known as the Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod ; he does not, unlike his Order of
11817-405: The statutes set out the full medieval ceremony which was to be used for creating knights, this was not performed, and indeed, was possibly never intended to be, as the original statutes contained a provision allowing the Great Master to dispense Knights Companion from these requirements. The original knights were dispensed from all the medieval ceremonies with the exception of the Installation, which
11934-454: The throne. The order continued for some time as a national order of Hanover, until the Kingdom of Hanover’s defeat against Prussia and forced dissolution in 1866. Since then, it has been a house order to be awarded by the House of Hanover . The order's current head is Ernst August Prinz von Hanover , head of the House of Hanover. The Order includes two Divisions, Civil and Military. During
12051-488: The time being held by women) carried the right to a seat in the House of Lords . Hereditary peerages are now normally given only to Royal 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 grandson Prince William , made the Duke of Cambridge on the morning before his marriage to Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011; and
12168-529: The two positions had been held concurrently for the previous century. An Officer of Arms and a Secretary for the Knights Commander and Companions were established in 1815, but abolished in 1847. The office of Deputy Secretary was created in 1925. Under the Hanoverian kings, certain of the officers also held heraldic office. The office of Blanc Coursier Herald of Arms was attached to that of
12285-596: Was also to appoint eight officers for this body. However, the statute was never invoked. In January 1815, after the end of the Peninsular War , the Prince Regent (later George IV ) expanded the Order of the Bath to the end that those Officers who have had the opportunities of signalising themselves by eminent services during the late war may share in the honours of the said Order, and that their names may be delivered down to remote posterity, accompanied by
12402-546: Was appointed to the Order 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. The Order of Burma was created in May 1940 by King George VI of the United Kingdom to recognise subjects of the British colony of Burma ( Myanmar ) after it became a distinct colony, separate from British India . This order had one class which entitled
12519-515: 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 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
12636-526: 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 the Order of Australia and its own system of bravery decorations. Indigenous police and fire service decorations followed from 1986, with
12753-456: Was limited to 72 members, of which twelve could be appointed for civil or diplomatic services. The military members had to be of the rank of at least major-general or rear admiral . The Knights Commander were limited to 180, exclusive of foreign nationals holding British commissions, up to ten of whom could be appointed as honorary Knights Commander. They had to be of the rank of lieutenant-colonel or post-captain . The number of Companions
12870-481: Was made a Commander of the Order of the Bath and was Mentioned in Despatches . Released from the Navy on health grounds, he rejoined Cunard as a relief captain, and in 1915 and 1916 was master of the troopships RMS Mauretania and RMS Saxonia . By June 1916 he was master of RMS Carpathia . He retired from Cunard later that year, and died on 29 March 1937, at the age of 82. Companion of
12987-525: Was not specified, but they had to have received a medal or been mentioned in despatches since the start of the war in 1803. A list of about 500 names was subsequently published. Two further officers were appointed, an 'Officer of arms attendant on the Knights Commanders and Companions', and a 'Secretary appertaining to the Knights Commanders and Companions'. The large increase in numbers caused some complaints that such an expansion would reduce
13104-427: Was not subject to any restrictions. Another statute, this one issued some 80 years earlier, had also added a military note to the Order. Each knight was required, under certain circumstances, to supply and support four men-at-arms for a period not exceeding 42 days in any year, to serve in any part of Great Britain. This company was to be captained by the Great Master, who had to supply four trumpeters , and
13221-528: Was performed in the Order's Chapel, the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey , on 17 June. This precedent was followed until 1812, after which the Installation was also dispensed with, until its revival in the twentieth century. The ceremonies however remained part of the Statutes until 1847. Although the initial appointments to the Order were largely political, from the 1770s, appointments to
13338-679: Was the Normans who introduced knighthoods as part of their feudal government . The first English order of chivalry , the Order of the Garter , was created in 1348 by Edward III . Since then, the system has evolved to address the changing need to recognise other forms of service to the United Kingdom. As the head of state , the Sovereign is the fount of honour , 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
13455-434: Was the coronation of Charles II in 1661. From at least 1625, and possibly from the reign of James I , Knights of the Bath were using the motto Tria juncta in uno ( Latin for 'Three joined in one'), and wearing as a badge three crowns within a plain gold oval. These were both subsequently adopted by the Order of the Bath; a similar design of badge is still worn by members of the Civil Division. Their symbolism however
13572-483: Was the primary—and generally the sole—honours system utilised across the various dominions and territories of the British Empire , which became the Commonwealth of Nations from 1949. Today, British honours and decorations continue to be awarded to citizens of Commonwealth realms and British Overseas Territories . Within the Commonwealth realms, however, the nature of the British honour or decoration awarded and
13689-424: Was then put to bed to dry. Clothed in a special robe, he was led with music to the chapel where he spent the night in a vigil . At dawn, he made confession and attended Mass , then retired to his bed to sleep until it was fully daylight. He was then brought before the King, who after instructing two senior knights to buckle the spurs to the knight-elect's heels, fastened a belt around his waist, then struck him on
#754245