King's Birthday Honours: How does the UK honours system work?
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Actor Imelda Staunton, Post Office campaigner Alan Bates and artist Tracey Emin were amongst those recognised in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours.
The awards typically celebrate the contribution of well-known personalities, government employees and ordinary people who have served their community.
When are honours awarded?
Most honours are awarded at new year and on the monarch's official birthday, in June.
The King's Birthday Honours list in 2024 included:
a knighthood for Alan Bates, the former sub-postmaster who successfully campaigned to highlight the Post Office Horizon scandal
damehoods for actress Imelda Staunton, designer Anya Hindmarch and artist Tracey Emin
MBEs (Member of the British Empire) for Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Amy Dowden and EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis
The 2024 New Year Honours list included:
a damehood for bestselling writer Jilly Cooper
knighthoods for Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis and pub chain JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin
CBEs (Commander of the British Empire) for ex-rugby league players Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield for raising awareness of motor neurone disease
an OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for England women's football interim captain Millie Bright and singer Leona Lewis
MBEs for actress Emilia Clarke and England goalkeeper Mary Earps
In May 2024, nine people also received bravery awards, external as part of the King's first civilian gallantry list.
What other types of honours are given?
When Parliament ends before a general election, dissolution honours are typically given to politicians.
In July 2024, outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced knighthoods for several of his allies and peerages for:
his predecessor, Theresa May
former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling
former chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady
Labour also sent its former deputy leader Harriet Harman, former Foreign Secretary Dame Margaret Beckett and Dame Margaret Hodge to the House of Lords.
Prime ministers who leave office in the absence of a general election can issue resignation honours.
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss both left office in 2022.
Boris Johnson's resignation honours recognised close allies, including former Home Secretary Priti Patel
Mr Johnson's controversial list, released in June 2023, initially contained eight names rejected by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, external.
Ms Truss was widely criticised for submitting an honours list after only 49 days in the job. Her 11 nominations largely consisted of political supporters and former aides.
After the death of a senior member of the Royal Family, Royal Victorian Order honours are awarded to people who have served the family.
How are people chosen for honours?
The New Year and birthday honours are awarded by the King following recommendations by the prime minister or senior government ministers.
Members of the public can also recommend people for an award., external These nominations typically make up about a quarter of all recommendations.
Honours' lists include awards for people who:
have made significant achievements in public life
committed themselves to serving and helping Britain
Resignation or dissolution honours are decided by the prime minister and do not go through the same process.
The Foreign Office has responsibility for the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List. Honorary awards for foreign nationals are recommended by the foreign secretary.
Honours are traditionally kept confidential until the official announcement, with lists provided to media outlets under embargo.
But a number of 2024 New Year honours' recipients issued their own embargoed press releases weeks in advance.
How and when do people get their honours?
Honours are typically awarded by the King, Prince of Wales or Princess Royal, at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Recipients can select their investiture's date and location but not which member of the Royal Family will preside over the ceremony.
The King awarded a damehood to writer Jilly Cooper, at Windsor Castle, in May 2024
British Empire Medals are presented locally by lord-lieutenants, who represent the King. Recipients are also invited to attend a royal garden party.
How are nominees vetted?
People in line for an honour are checked by the Honours and Appointments Secretariat,, external which is part of the Cabinet Office government department.
The Cabinet Office has agreements with other government departments to let it access confidential information about nominees.
For example, HMRC provides a low, medium or high-risk rating, external on a nominee's tax affairs.
Peerages are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. , external
A Parliamentary and Political Services Committee considers honours for politicians and for political service.
In recent years, political donations made by some nominees, external have received scrutiny.
Can you turn down an honour?
When somebody is approved for an honour, they are sent a letter asking if they will accept it.
A list of 277 people who turned down honours between 1951 and 1999 - and subsequently died - was made public following a BBC Freedom of Information request., external
It included authors Roald Dahl, JG Ballard and Aldous Huxley, and painters Francis Bacon, Lucien Freud and LS Lowry.
Poet Benjamin Zephaniah said it would be "hypocritical" to accept an honour including the world "Empire"
The late Benjamin Zephaniah rejected an OBE in 2003 because of the association with the British Empire and its history of slavery.
Others reported to have turned down an honour include David Bowie, Nigella Lawson, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
Can an honour be removed?
Some people have had their honours withdrawn by the Honours Forfeiture Committee.
They include Rolf Harris, who went to prison for indecent assault, and Anthony Blunt, the former art adviser to the Queen who was revealed to be a Soviet spy.
PM Rishi Sunak said he would support calls for the Honours Forfeiture Committee to consider withdrawing Ms Vennells' CBE
In January 2024, former Post Office boss Paula Vennells said she would hand back her CBE after facing mounting pressure over the Horizon IT scandal.
Twelve months earlier, actor and TV presenter Alan Cumming returned his OBE over what he called the "toxicity" of the British Empire.
What are the different types of honours?
Knights and Dames
The honour of knighthood comes from the days of medieval chivalry, as does the method used to confer the knighthood - the accolade, or the touch of a sword, by the sovereign.
A knight is styled "Sir" and their wife "Lady".
Women receiving the honour are styled "Dame" but do not receive the accolade.
The honour is given for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity.
The rank of Knight Commander (KBE) or Dame Commander (DBE), Order of the British Empire, appears on the Diplomatic Service and Overseas list.
The Order of the Bath
The Order of the Bath is an order of chivalry and was founded in 1725 for service of the highest calibre.
It has a civil and military division and is awarded in the following ranks: Knight Grand Cross (GCB), Knight Commander (KCB) and Companion (CB).
The Order takes its name from the symbolic bathing which, in former times, was often part of the preparation of a candidate for knighthood.
Order of St Michael and St George
This Order was founded by King George III in 1818 and is awarded to British subjects who have rendered extraordinary and important services abroad or in the Commonwealth.
Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight or Dame Commander (KCMG or DCMG) and Companion (CMG).
Order of the Companions of Honour
This is awarded for service of conspicuous national importance and is limited to 65 people. Recipients are entitled to put the initials CH after their name.
Orders of the British Empire
King George V created these honours during World War One to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and service personnel in support positions.
The ranks are Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE).
They are now awarded for prominent national or regional roles, and to those making distinguished or notable contributions in their own specific areas of activity.
British Empire Medal (BEM)
The medal was founded in 1917 and was awarded for "meritorious" actions by civilians or military personnel, although the recipients did not attend a royal investiture.
Scrapped in 1993 by Conservative Prime Minister John Major, the BEM was revived in 2012.
Royal Victorian Order
By 1896, prime ministers and governments had increased their influence over the distribution of awards and had gained almost total control of the system.
In response, Queen Victoria instituted The Royal Victorian Order as a personal award for services performed on behalf of the Royal Family.
The ranks are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO) and Member (MVO).
Royal Victorian Medal
Associated with the Royal Victorian Order is the Royal Victorian Medal which has three grades: gold, silver and bronze. The circular medal is attached to the ribbon of the Order.
Royal Red Cross
Founded in 1883 by Queen Victoria, the award is confined to the nursing services. Those awarded the First Class are designated "Members" (RRC): those awarded the Second Class are designated "Associates" (ARRC).
King's Police Medal
Awarded for distinguished service in the police force.
King's Fire Service Medal
Given to firefighters who have displayed conspicuous devotion to duty.
King's Ambulance Service Medal
Awarded for distinguished service in the ambulance service.
King's Gallantry Medal
Awarded to civilians, for acts of exemplary bravery.
King's Commendation for Bravery
Awarded to civilians and all ranks of the British armed forces, for actions not in the presence of an enemy.
King's Commendation for Bravery in the Air
Awarded to civilians and all ranks of the British armed forces, for acts of bravery in the air not in the presence of an enemy.