THE QUEEN'S ORDERS

The following is a list of orders of chivalry awarded in the Queen's realms. Those non-UK realms marked with an asterisk (*) also continue to award some British honours. The Royal Victorian Order, as a personal honour from the sovereign, continues to be awarded in realms which otherwise don't award British honours.

UNITED KINGDOM

(For precedence see Precedence of Orders in the United Kingdom)

The Most Noble Order of the Garter (1348)
Awarded in the single class of Knight or Lady Companion (KG / LG).
There is a limit of 24 knights and ladies, but members of the royal family are additional, as “royal knights and ladies”, and foreigners are additional as “extra knights and ladies”.

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (1687)
Awarded in the single class of Knight (KT) or Lady (LT).
There is a limit of 16 knights and ladies, but members of the royal family are additional, as “royal knights and ladies”, and foreigners are additional as “extra knights and ladies”.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (1725)
There are two divisions, civil and military, each awarded in three classes : Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCB), Knight or Dame Commander (KCB / DCB), Companion (CB).
The Order is awarded primarily for military achievement or service to the Crown within the UK.

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael & St. George (1818)
Awarded in three classes : Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight or Dame Commander (KCMG / DCMG), Companion (CMG).
The Order is awarded primarily for diplomatic and foreign service, or service to the Crown in some Commonwealth realms and colonies.

The Royal Victorian Order (1896)
Awarded in five classes : Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO / DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO), Member (MVO). Until 19?? The bottom two classes were Member 4th class and Member 5th class (both MVO).
This is the awarded personally by the sovereign for services to her, the Royal Family or as a mark of respect.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1917)
There are two divisions, civil and military, each awarded in five classes : Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE / DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), Member (MBE).
This is the most commonly awarded order, given for service and achievement in almost any sphere of activity.

The Order of Merit (1902)
Awarded in the single class of Member (OM), and limited to 24 recipients (excluding honorary members). There are civilian and military divisions, but military awards are rare. For the most part, awards are for achievement in the sciences, arts and humanitarian activities.

The Order of the Companions of Honour (1917)
Awarded in the single class of Member (CH), and limited to 65 members (excluding honorary members).

The Distinguished Service Order (1886)
This is exclusively a military honour.

The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St.John of Jerusalem is not part of the British honours system as such, but provides care for the sick. It was founded in the early 19th century, and received a Royal Charter in 1888, since when the monarch has been its Sovereign Head. Membership of the order confers no title or precedence, and it is in following classes: Bailiff / Dame Grand Cross (GCStJ), Knight / Dame of Justice / Grace (KStJ / DStJ), Chaplain (ChStJ), Commander (CStJ), Officer (OStJ), Serving Brother / Sister (SBStJ / SSStJ), Esquire (EsqStJ).

ORDERS NO LONGER AWARDED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick (1783)
Founded 1783. Awarded in the single class of Knight (KP). Last awarded 1934.

The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India (1861)
Three classes : Knight Grand Commander (GCSI), Knight Commander (KCSI), Companion (CSI). Last awarded 1947.

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire (1877)
Three classes : Knight Grand Commander (GCIE), Knight Commander (KCIE), Companion (CIE). Last awarded 1947.

The Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (1862)
For women. Not awarded since the death of Queen Victoria. Awarded in First, Second, Third and Fourth Class (all initialled VA).

The Imperial Order of the Crown of India (1878)
For women. Last award 1947. One class, initialled CI.

The Imperial Service Order (1902)
Not awarded in the UK since 1993, but awards continue in some other realms . One class, initialled ISO.

The Indian Order of Merit (1837 ; Crown order from 1859)
Not awarded since 1947. Two classes (1st and 2nd), both IOM. Originally created by the East India Company.

The Order of British India (1837 ; Crown order from 1859)
Not awarded since 1947.. Two classes (1st and 2nd), both OBI. Originally created by the East India Company.

The Order of Burma (1940)
Not awarded since 1948. One class – OB.

The Royal Guelphic Order was created by the Prince Regent in 1815 and had many British recipients, although it was officially an order of the Kingdom of Hanover, and remained in the gift of the kings of Hanover after the two crowns separated in 1837. There were three classes - Knight Grand Cross (GCH), Knight Commander (KCH) and Knight (KH).

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA *

The Most Exalted Order of the National Hero (1998)
One class : Knight (KNH) or Dame (DNH)

The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation (1998)
Six classes : Knight or Dame Grand Collar (KGN / DGN), Knight or Dame Grand Cross (KGCN / DCGN), Knight or Dame Commander (KCN / DCN), Commander (CN), Officer (ON), Member (MN)

The Most Illustrious Order of Merit (1998)
Five classes : Grand Cross (GCM), Grand Officer (GOM), Commander (CM), Officer (OM), Member (MM)

The Most Precious Order of Princely Heritage (1998)
Five classes : Grand Cross (GCH), Grand Officer (GOH), Commander (CH), Officer (OH), Member (MH)

AUSTRALIA

(For precedence see Precedence of Orders in Australia)

The Order of Australia (1975)
Awarded in three classes : Companion (AC), Officer (AO), Member (AM). The former first class of Knight (AK) or Dame (AD) was discontinued in 1986.

BARBADOS *

The Order of Barbados (1980)
Awarded in four classes, two of which have two grades : Knight or Dame of St.Andrew (KA / DA), Companion of Honour of Barbados (CHB), Gold Crown of Merit (GCM), Silver Crown of Merit (SCM), Barbados Service Star (BSS), Barbados Service Medal (BSM).

BELIZE

The Order of National Hero (1991)
One class.

The Order of Belize (1991)

The Order of Distinction (1991)

CANADA

(For precedence see Precedence of Orders in Canada)

The Order of Canada (1967)
Three classes : Companion (CC), Officer (OC), Member (CM).

The Order of Military Merit (1972)
Three classes : Companion (CMM), Officer (OMM), Member (MMM).

The Order of Merit of the Police Forces (2000)
Three classes : Companion (COM), Officer (OOM), Member (MOM).

Most Canadian provinces also have their own orders, which were created by acts of the provincial legislatures rather than the Royal prerogative. All, except that of Quebec, are single-class orders :

Ordre Nationale du Québec (1984) - Grand Officer (GOQ.), Officer (OQ), Chevalier (CQ)
Saskatchewan Order of Merit - SOM
Order of Ontario (1986) - OOnt.
Order of British Columbia (1989) - OBC
Alberta Order of Excellence (1979) - AOE
Order of Prince Edward Island (1996) - OPEI
Order of Manitoba (1999) - OM
Order of New Brunswick (2000) - ONB
Order of Nova Scotia (2001) - ONS

JAMAICA

The Order of National Hero (1968)

The Order of the Nation (1973)

The Order of Merit (1968)

The Order of Jamaica (1968)

The Order of Distinction (1968)
Two classes : Commander, Officer

NEW ZEALAND

(For precedence see Precedence of Orders in New Zealand)

The Order of New Zealand (1987)
One class : Member (ONZ). This is the New Zealand equivalent of the British Order of Merit.

The New Zealand Order of Merit (1996)
Five classes : Principal Companion (PCNZM), Distinguished Companion (DCNZM), Companion (CNZM), Officer (ONZM), Member (MNZM).
Until 2000 the first two classes were Knight or Dame Grand Companion (GNZM) and Knight or Dame Companion (KNZM / DNZM).

The Queen's Service Order of New Zealand (1975)
One class : Companion (QSO)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The Order of Valour (2005)
One class – Cross of Valour (CV)

The Order of Logohu (2005)
Four classes - Grand Companion (GCL), Officer (OL), Member (ML), National Logohu Medal (LM)

The Order of the Star of Melanesia (2005)
One class - Companion (CSM)

ST.CHRISTOPHER & NEVIS

The Order of National Hero (1997)
One class – Knight Grand Commander (KGNH)

ST.LUCIA *

The Order of St.Lucia (1980)
Grand Cross (GCSL), St.Lucia Cross (SLC), Medal of Honour (SLMH), Medal of Merit (SLMM), Les Pitons Cross (SLMP), National Service Cross (NSC)

SOLOMON ISLANDS *

The Order of the Star (1982)

 

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