Knight Commander

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Knight Commander (or Dame Commander) is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant (and one of them continues as a German house order). The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the recipient to use the title 'Sir' (male) or 'Dame' (female) before his or her name. In the British system of precedence, Knights (and Dames) Commander rank after the Order of the Companions of Honour (although Companions of Honour obtain no knighthood or other status) and before Knights Bachelor.

The Orders that award the rank of Knight Commander, and related post-nominal letters, are (dormant orders in italics):

Knights (and Dames) Commander rank behind the most senior rank in each order, that of Knights Grand Cross. The third most senior rank in each order is a Companion (CB, CSI, CMG, CIE), Knight (KH) or Commander (CVO, CBE). Insignia include a breast star, a badge, and a ribbon.

It is also a grade in the orders of other countries, such as the Order of St. Gregory the Great. The Italian equivalent is Commendatore.

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In 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:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the British Empire</span> British order of chivalry established in 1917

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Sir is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part of "Monsieur", with the equivalent "My Lord" in English.

The order of precedence in the United Kingdom is the sequential hierarchy for Peers of the Realm, officers of state, senior members of the clergy, holders of the various Orders of Chivalry, and is mostly determined, but not limited to, birth order, place in the line of succession, or distance from the reigning monarch. The order of precedence can also be applied to other persons in the three legal jurisdictions within the United Kingdom:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Bath</span> British order of chivalry established in 1725

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of St Michael and St George</span> British order of chivalry established in 1818

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Victorian Order</span> British order of chivalry established in 1896

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knight Bachelor</span> Title indicating a knight not part of an order of chivalry

The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are the most ancient sort of British knight, but Knights Bachelor rank below knights of chivalric orders. A man who is knighted is formally addressed as "Sir [First Name] [Surname]" or "Sir [First Name]" and his wife as "Lady [Surname]".

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of chivalry</span> Order, confraternity or society of knights

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dame</span> Title in British Commonwealth honours systems

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collar (order)</span>

A collar, also known as collar of an order, is an ornate chain, often made of gold and enamel, and set with precious stones, which is worn about the neck as a symbol of membership in various chivalric orders. It is a particular form of the livery collar, the grandest form of the widespread phenomenon of livery in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. Orders which have several grades often reserve the collar for the highest grade. The links of the chain are usually composed of symbols of the order, and the badge of the order normally hangs down in front. Sometimes the badge is referred to by what is depicted on it; for instance, the badge that hangs from the chain of the Order of the Garter is referred to as "the George".

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