2018 New Year Honours Explained

The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations at the start of January and were officially announced in The London Gazette on 30 December 2017.[1] Australia, an independent Realm, has a separate honours system and its first honours of the year, the 2018 Australia Day Honours, coincide with Australia Day on 26 January. New Zealand, also an independent Realm, has its own system of honours.

The 2018 honours list includes knighthoods for music legends Ringo Starr—which was reported by the press a week before the list was made public[2] —and Barry Gibb. Veteran actor Hugh Laurie, who was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2007, was advanced to a Commander of the Order (CBE).[3] Former ballerina Darcey Bussell was created a Dame Commander of the Order (DBE) and Lady Antonia Fraser, author and historian, received the Order of the Companions of Honour.[4]

The highest chivalric honour was awarded to Richard Scott, Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Thistle, filling the vacancy since the death of Lady Marion Fraser on 25 December 2016. The ancient order is reserved for Scots and is limited to 16 ordinary members.[5]

The recipients of honours are displayed as they were styled before their new honour and arranged by the country (in order of precedence) whose ministers advised The Queen on the appointments, then by honour with grades i.e. Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Commander etc. and then divisions i.e. Civil, Diplomatic and Military as appropriate.

United Kingdom

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of the United Kingdom with honours within her own gift and with the advice of the Government for other honours.

Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT)

Knight Bachelor

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB)

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)

Military Division
Royal Navy
Civil Division

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Military Division
Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force
Civil Division
Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG / DCMG)

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Knight / Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO / DCVO)

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)

Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO)

Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)

To be an Honorary Member:

Royal Victorian Medal (RVM)

Royal Victorian Medal (Gold)
Bar to the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver)
Royal Victorian Medal (Silver)

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Knight / Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)

Civil Division

Knight / Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE / DBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Military Division
Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force
Civil Division

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Military Division
Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force
Civil Division
Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Military Division
Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force
Civil Division
Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Order of the Companions of Honour (CH)

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Civil Division
Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Members of the Royal Red Cross, First Class (RRC)

Military Division
Army

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

Queen's Police Medal For Distinguished Service

England and Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland

Queen's Fire Service Medal (QFSM)

Queen's Fire Service Medal For Distinguished Service

England and Wales
Scotland

Queen's Ambulance Service Medal (QAM)

Queen's Ambulance Service Medal For Distinguished Service

England and Wales
Scotland

Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM)

Royal Navy
Army
Royal Air Force

Overseas Territories Police Medal (OTPM)

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List

Crown Dependencies

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Jersey

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Isle of Man
Guernsey

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Isle of Man
Guernsey
Jersey

Antigua and Barbuda

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, on advice of Her Majesty's Ministers in Antigua and Barbuda.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

The Bahamas

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of The Bahamas, on advice of Her Majesty's Ministers in the Bahamas.

The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

Queen's Police Medal For Distinguished Service

Barbados

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of Barbados, on advice of Her Majesty's Barbados Ministers.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Belize

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of Belize, on advice of Her Majesty's Belize Ministers.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Grenada

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of Grenada, on advice of Her Majesty's Grenada Ministers.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

British Empire Medal (BEM)

New Zealand

See main article: 2018 New Year Honours (New Zealand).

Saint Christopher and Nevis

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of Saint Kitts and Nevis, on advice of Her Majesty's Saint Christopher and Nevis Ministers.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

Queen's Police Medal For Distinguished Service

Solomon Islands

Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of the Solomon Islands, on advice of Her Majesty's Solomon Island Ministers.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The New Year honours 2018. The London Gazette. 30 December 2017.
  2. News: Furness. Hannah. A Hard Day's Knight: Arise Sir Ringo, as Beatle due to be knighted in New Year honours. 25 December 2017. The Telegraph. 24 December 2017.
  3. News: Ringo Starr will be knighted 2 decades after Paul McCartney. 30 December 2017. ABC News. 29 December 2017.
  4. News: New Year Honours: 12 famous faces. 30 December 2017. BBC News. 30 December 2017.
  5. News: Lady Marion Fraser, Lady of the Thistle – obituary. 30 December 2017. The Telegraph. 20 January 2017.
  6. https://vikas.work/
  7. https://swiscot.com/