British Honours are awarded on merit, for exceptional achievement or service. The Queen chooses the recipients of Honours on the advice of the Prime Minister and other relevant ministers, to whom recommendations are made by their departments or members of the public. Private nominations - those made by individuals or by representatives of organisations to the Prime Minister's Office - account for about a quarter of all recommendations. Honorary awards to foreigners are recommended by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and certain of the orders of chivalry are conferred on the sole personal decision of the Sovereign (the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and the Royal Victorian Order).

In 1993, then Prime Minister John Major ended the automatic practice of conferring awards on the holders of certain posts, opening the Honours system to more individuals, particularly those in the voluntary sector, who qualify on merit.

Life Peers

Life peerages are the only form of peerage regularly created by the Sovereign nowadays. All life peers hold the rank of baron, and sit in the House of Lords on conferment of the peerage. These titles exist only during their own lifetime and are not passed to their heirs. The House of Lords maintains monthly statistics on the current number of life peers.

Baronetcies

Like knights, baronets are styled 'Sir', and their wives 'Lady', but, unlike a knighthood, this is a heritable Honor. The suffix 'Baronet', usually abbreviated to 'Bt', is also added to the name. One of the very few recent creations is Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt, husband of former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher. Further information on baronets can be found on the website of The Standing Council of the Baronetage.

Knighthoods

The Honour of knighthood derives from the usages of medieval chivalry, as does the method normally used to confer the knighthood: the accolade, or the touch of a sword by the Sovereign. Although Knights Bachelor do not comprise an order of chivalry, knighthood is a dignity which has its origin in Britain in Saxon times.

Knighted members of the orders of chivalry (outlined below) place initials after their names denoting the class of the order received. (Note that not all recipients of orders are necessarily Knights or Dames but only those denoted as such, usually the first or second classes of orders.) All knighted men, including Knights Bachelor, are styled 'Sir' (except clergymen, who do not receive the accolade) and their wives 'Lady'. Women receiving the Honor are styled 'Dame' but do not receive the accolade.

More information on knighthoods may be found on the official website of the British Monarchy.

Orders of Chivalry

The principal orders are listed as follows in order of precedence, noting initials to be placed after the name.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter (1348). The Queen is Sovereign of the Order. Five members of the royal family are Ladies of the Order or Royal Knights, and there are 24 Knights and Lady Companions including three ex-Prime Ministers. Six foreign monarchs are at present Extra Knights Companions and Ladies. Initials KG or LG.

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (revived 1687). The Queen is Sovereign of the Order and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Lady of the Thistle. There are two Royal Knights and 16 Knights. Initial KT.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (1725) is awarded in recognition of conspicuous services to the Crown and has two divisions, military and civil. The Order takes its name from the symbolic bathing which in former times often formed part of the preparation of a candidate for knighthood. Ranks in the order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCB), Knight or Dame Commander (KCB or DCB) and Companion (CB).

The Order of Merit (1902) is awarded in recognition of eminent services rendered in the armed forces, or towards the advancement of art, literature and science. Except for honorary members from overseas, the Order is limited to 24 persons. Initials OM.

The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (1818) honours service overseas or in connection with foreign or Commonwealth affairs. Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight or Dame Commander (KCMG or DCMG) and Companion (CMG).

The Royal Victorian Order (1896) is awarded in recognition of services to the royal family. Ranks are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO) and Member (MVO).

The Royal Victorian Chain (1902) has a current membership of 15, in addition to the Queen.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1917) is awarded mainly to civilians and service personnel for public service or other distinctions and has a military and a civil division. Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE).

The Order of the Companions of Honour (1917) is awarded for service of conspicuous national importance. The Order is limited to 65 people. Initals CH.

The Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (1888) is usually known as the Order of St John and recognizes services rendered to the charitable works of the Order. In addition to being an order of chivalry it is the parent body of a charitable organisation. It is not a State Order, and membership does not confer rank or title.

Awards to Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals and citizens of Commonwealth countries of which The Queen is not head of state may be admitted to honorary membership of British orders but do not style themselves 'Sir' because they do not receive the accolade. They may, however, place the appropriate letters after their name.

Recent American recipients of Honours include former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and film director Steven Spielberg (Knights Commanders of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), former Presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan (Knights Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath), Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell (Knights Commanders of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath), Caspar Weinberger (Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), and New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and New York Fire Department Commissioner Thomas Von Essen (Commanders of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

Additional information on the British Honours system can be found on the official web site of the British Monarchy and on the website of the British Honours System.

For notes and statistics on the Honors system from the House of Commons library click here (pdf).