Order of the British Empire

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Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire
CBE AEAColl.jpg
CBE neck decoration (in civil division)
Awarded by the monarch of the United Kingdom
Type Order of chivalry
Established1917
MottoFor God and the Empire
Eligibility British nationals, citizens of the Commonwealth realms, or anyone who has made a significant achievement for the United Kingdom
Awarded forProminent national or regional achievements [1]
StatusCurrently constituted
Sovereign Charles III
Grand MasterVacant
Grades
  • Knight/Dame Grand Cross (GBE)
  • Knight/Dame Commander (KBE/DBE)
  • Commander (CBE)
  • Officer (OBE)
  • Member (MBE)
Former grades
Precedence
Next (higher) Royal Victorian Order
Next (lower)Varies, depending on rank
Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.svg
Military ribbon
Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.svg
Civil ribbon

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations, and public service outside the civil service. [2] It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V and comprises five classes across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or dame if female. [3] There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order.

Contents

Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire (later Commonwealth) and the Viceroy of India. Nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most Commonwealth countries ceased recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire when they created their own honours. [lower-alpha 1]

Current classes

The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade:

  1. Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE) [lower-alpha 2]
  2. Knight Commander or Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE or DBE)
  3. Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
  4. Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
  5. Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Styles and honorary knighthoods

The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross, and Knight or Dame Commander, entitle their members to use the title of Sir for men and Dame for women before their forename. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards.

Honorary knighthoods are granted to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state, and may permit use of post-nominal letters but not the title of Sir or Dame. Occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame. Honorary appointees who later become a citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. An example is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan, who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship, was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan. [4] [5]

History

MBE (civil division) as awarded in 1918 MBE-Cobh-Heritage-Centre-2012.JPG
MBE (civil division) as awarded in 1918
Grand Cross Star of the Order of the British Empire Ster Orde van het Britse Rijk.jpg
Grand Cross Star of the Order of the British Empire
Close-up of an MBE from 1945 showing the "For God and the Empire" Mbe Cpt Masterman 05-02-2010.jpg
Close-up of an MBE from 1945 showing the "For God and the Empire"

King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system:

In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War. When first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was formally divided into Military and Civil Divisions.[ further explanation needed ] [6] The Order's motto is For God and the Empire. [2]

At the foundation of the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal (BEM). It stopped being awarded by the United Kingdom as part of the 1993 reforms to the honours system, but was again awarded beginning in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. [7] In addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of the country's population". [8] In 2004, a House of Commons Select Committee recommended changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion; as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring". [9] [10]

Composition

The British sovereign is the supreme head of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms). The second senior-most officer is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three: Edward, Prince of Wales (1917–1936); Queen Mary (1936–1953); and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1953–2021).

The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with over 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. [2]

Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry (Knight Bachelor), women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood (above Knights Bachelor). Because of this, an appointment as Dame Commander is made in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor. For example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor.

From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters.

Officers

In addition to the Sovereign and the Grand Master, the order has six further officers: [11]

The King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. The Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords.

Gallantry

OBE silver oak-leaf emblem for gallantry Order of the British Empire for gallantry, oak leaves ribbon emblem.jpg
OBE silver oak-leaf emblem for gallantry

Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach the standard of the George Medal, but, as an order, were listed before it on the Order of Wear. Awards for meritorious service usually appear without a citation but there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. [13] From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry. [14]

Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. [14] It could not be awarded posthumously, and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves. [15] However, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade.

Vestments and accoutrements

Members of the order wear elaborate vestments on important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations), which vary by rank (the designs underwent major changes in 1937):

On certain "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, 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. Collars are returned upon the death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained.

On less important occasions, simpler insignia are used:

Order of the British Empire ribbon bars
CivilMilitary
1917–1935
UK OBE 1917 civil BAR.svg
UK OBE 1917 military BAR.svg
Since 1936
Order of the British Empire (Civil) Ribbon.svg
Order of the British Empire (Military) Ribbon.svg

Chapel

Chapel of the Order in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral (photographed in 2013). The banners are those of the Sovereign (right) and of the Grand Master (left) of the Order as they were then in office. St-Pauls-Cathedral London Crypta Chapel-Order-Of-The-British-Empire-01.jpg
Chapel of the Order in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral (photographed in 2013). The banners are those of the Sovereign (right) and of the Grand Master (left) of the Order as they were then in office.

The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is located in St Paul's Cathedral. It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of the British Empire. Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George. Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services.

Precedence and privileges

Knights, Dames and Commanders of the Order may display its circlet around (and suspend its Badge below) their coat of arms. Order of the British Empire - Non Arms.svg
Knights, Dames and Commanders of the Order may display its circlet around (and suspend its Badge below) their coat of arms.

Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir, and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame, to their forenames. [lower-alpha 3] Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters: dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use the title Dame.

Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM.

Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence. Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of the Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges.

Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters. They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. [18]

Current knights and dames grand cross

Knights and dames grand cross

Military ranks listed denotes the awarded being in the military division.

NamePost-nominalsYear appointed
Sir Christopher Leaver GBE KStJ JP 1981
Sir Anthony Jolliffe GBE DL 1982
Air Chief Marshal Sir David Harcourt-Smith GBE KCB DFC 1989
Sir Alexander Graham GBE 1990
Air Chief Marshal Sir Patrick Hine GCB GBE 1991
Sir Brian Jenkins GBE 1991
Air Chief Marshal Sir Bill Wratten GBE CB AFC 1998
Sir Stephen Brown GBE 1999
Air Chief Marshal Sir Anthony Bagnall GBE KCB 2002
Sir Michael Sydney Perry GBE 2002
Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE QPM 2002
The Baroness Butler-Sloss GBE PC 2005
General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman GBE KCB 2011
The Lord King of Lothbury KG GBE FBA 2011
Sir John Parker GBE 2012
The Baroness Hayman GBE PC 2012
Sir Keith Mills GBE DL 2013
Sir John Bell GBE CH FRS 2015
Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach GBE KCB ADC DL 2016
Sir Ian Wood KT GBE 2016
Sir Cyril Chantler GBE 2017
Sir Keith Peters GBE 2018
Sir Craig Reedie GBE 2018
Sir Christopher Greenwood GBE CMG KC 2018
The Lady Higgins GBE KC 2019
Sir Michael Burton GBE KC 2019
The Earl Howe GBE PC 2021
Dame Sue Ion GBE FRS 2022
Sir Partha Dasgupta GBE FRS 2023
Dame Hermione Lee GBE FBA 2023
Dame Margaret Beckett GBE MP 2024
Dame Carol Black GBE FRCP 2024
Sir William Beaumont GBE DL 2024
Sir James McDonald GBE FRSE FREng FInstP FIET 2024
Sir Ridley Scott GBE 2024

Honorary

Recommendations by Commonwealth countries

Countries making recommendations to the Order of the British Empire (2020) Countries awarding the Order of the British Empire (2020).svg
Countries making recommendations to the Order of the British Empire (2020)

Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals.

Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire continue to be made by some Commonwealth realms. In 2019, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu, as well as the New Zealand associated state of the Cook Islands all included Order of the British Empire awards in their New Year's or Queen's Birthday honours lists. [19]

Canada seldom made recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire except for the Second World War and Korea but continued to recommend gallantry awards for both military and civilians until the creation of the Order of Canada. [20] Australian recommendations for the Order of the British Empire continued to be submitted for 15 years after the creation of the Order of Australia. The last Australian Federal recommendations were for the 1983 New Year honours and the last Australian state recommendations were for the 1989 Queen's Birthday honours. [21] The New Zealand Government ceased to recommend the Order in 1996, upon the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit, but the Government of the Cook Islands continues to do so. [22]

People who declined Order of the British Empire honours

In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie, John Cleese, Nigella Lawson, Elgar Howarth, L. S. Lowry, George Melly, and J. G. Ballard. [23] In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to the honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". [23]

The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire. [24] Benjamin Zephaniah, a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". [25]

The author C. S. Lewis (1898–1963), was named on the last list of honours by George VI in December 1951. Despite being a monarchist, he declined so as to avoid association with any political issues. [26] [27]

In 2019, John Oliver turned down an offer of an OBE, which would have been part of the Queen's New Year's Honours list. [28] [29]

The Beatles were appointed Members in 1965: John Lennon justified his investiture by comparing military membership in the Order: "Lots of people who complained about us receiving the MBE [status] received theirs for heroism in the war – for killing people ... We received ours for entertaining other people. I'd say we deserve ours more". Lennon later returned his MBE insignia on 25 November 1969, as part of his ongoing peace protests. [30] Other criticism centres on the view that many recipients of the Order are being rewarded with honours for simply doing their jobs; critics say that the Civil Service and Judiciary receive far more orders and honours than leaders of other professions. [24]

Chin Peng, a veteran guerrilla fighter of the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army, was appointed as an Officer for his role in fighting against the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II, in close co-operation with the British commando Force 136. Several years after WWII, his OBE membership was withdrawn by the British government (and became undesirable to Chin Peng himself) when the Communist leader headed his party's guerrilla insurgency against the British Empire during the Malayan Emergency. [31]

Forfeiture of Order of the British Empire honours

Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning the insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. [32]

See also

Notes

  1. The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of the Order of Canada. The Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992 when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours. The last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours. New Zealand ceased to use the order when it introduced its own honours system.
  2. It is commonly written without "of the Most Excellent Order" and other words not implied by the post-nominals.
  3. Never surnames – thus Sir Antony Sher may be shortened to Sir Antony, but not to Sir Sher.

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 "Order of the British Empire". The Official Website of the British Monarchy. The Royal Household. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  3. "No. 30250". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 24 August 1917. pp. 8791–8999.
  4. "No. 57855". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 31 December 2005. p. 26.
  5. "Radio's Wogan becomes Sir Terry". BBC News . BBC. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  6. "No. 31084". The London Gazette . 27 December 1918. p. 15135.
  7. "Birthday Honours: 'Working class' British Empire Medal revived". BBC News . BBC. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  8. "A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System" (PDF). House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee. Parliament.uk. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
  9. "Select Committee on Public Administration Fifth Report".
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  12. HM Government (7 December 2018). "Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood". The London Gazette. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  13. Abbott, PE; Tamplin, J. M. A. (1981). British Gallantry Awards. London: Nimrod Dix & Co. Chapters 35–38. ISBN   978-0-902633-74-2.
  14. 1 2 "No. 41285". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1958. p. 365.
  15. "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3353.
  16. "Emblem for honours (Archived 4 April 2012)". The National Archives. DirectGov (UK). Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
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  18. Statutes 1995, article 34.
  19. New Year and Birthday Honours [ permanent dead link ]. The Gazette, Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  20. However, there were awards of the related British Empire Medal for Gallantry, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of the Order of the British Empire, after the creation of the Order of Canada. see "No. 44630". The London Gazette . 9 July 1968. p. 7607.
  21. London Gazette 51778, Sat, 17 June 1989, p. 45
  22. New Zealand Royal Honours System: History, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Retrieved on 19 May 2020
  23. 1 2 McGavin, Henry (22 December 2003). "Honoured? No thanks, say elite of arts and TV" . Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  24. 1 2 A reformed Honours system, Select Committee on Public Administration, 7 July 2004, Retrieved 13 May 2012
  25. Mills, Merope (27 November 2003). "Rasta poet publicly rejects his OBE". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
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  27. C.S., Lewis (1994). W. H. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.). Letters of C. S. Lewis. New York: Mariner Books. p. 528. ISBN   978-0-15-650871-1.
  28. Conan O'Brien (21 October 2019). "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend – John Oliver Episode 42". TeamCoco.com (Podcast). Team Coco. Event occurs at 52:35. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  29. Nunn, Christina (21 January 2021). "John Oliver Rejected Queen Elizabeth's Royal Award — 'Why on Earth Would I Want That?'". Showbiz Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  30. Roylance, Brian; Harrison, George; Lennon, John; McCartney, Paul; Starr, Ringo (2000). The Beatles Anthology. Chronicle Books. pp.  183. ISBN   978-0-8118-2684-6.
  31. Dead or Alive (subscription required) Archived 21 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Time , 12 May 1952
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Further reading