2023 Special Honours Explained

As part of the British honours system, Special Honours are issued at the Monarch's pleasure at any given time. The Special Honours refer to the awards made within royal prerogative, operational honours, political honours and other honours awarded outside the New Years Honours and Birthday Honours.

Royal peerages

Life peerage

See main article: Life peerage.

Lord Lieutenant

See main article: Lord-lieutenant.

Privy Counsellor

See main article: Privy Council (United Kingdom).

Lord-in-waiting

See main article: Lord-in-waiting.

Permanent Lord-in-waiting

Equerry

See main article: Equerry.

Extra Equerry to the King

Most Noble Order of the Garter

Knight/Lady Companion (KG/LG)

Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle

See main article: Order of the Thistle.

Extra Lady of the Order of the Thistle (LT)

Most Honourable Order of the Bath

See main article: Order of the Bath.

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

Honorary

Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath (KCB)

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George

See main article: Order of St Michael and St George.

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

Royal Victorian Order

See main article: Royal Victorian Order.

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)

Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO)

Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

See main article: Order of the British Empire.

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

Civil division
Honorary

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Civil division
Military division
Honorary

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Military division
Honorary

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Military division
Honorary

Knight Bachelor

See main article: Knight Bachelor.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Honorary

Royal Red Cross

See main article: Royal Red Cross.

Associate Royal Red Cross (ARRC)

Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM)

See main article: King's Gallantry Medal. These are the last recipients to be awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal; all future recipients will receive the King's Gallantry Medal (KGM).[45]

For intervening in an armed attack on 5th May 2020.[46]
For their actions during the terrorist attack at the Learning Together event in Fishmongers' Hall, London on 29th November 2019.[46]

Imperial Service Medal (ISM)

See main article: Imperial Service Medal.

King's / Queen's Commendation for Bravery

See main article: King's Commendation for Bravery.

Queen's Commendation for Bravery

These are the last recipients to be awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery; all subsequent recipients receive the King's Commendation for Bravery.[45]

For his actions during the terrorist attack at the Learning Together event in Fishmongers' Hall, London on 29th November 2019.[46]
For rescuing the occupants of a vehicle that crashed and caught fire on the A38 on 21st June 2021.[46]
For rescuing her neighbour from a house fire on 28th January 2020.[46]
For rescuing a distressed man from the River Irwell on 17th February 2018.[46]
For rescuing a woman from a fatal house fire on 1st January 2019.[46]
For rescuing a motorist from their vehicle following a head on collision on 11th May 2019.[46]

King's Commendation for Bravery

For attempting to save the life of a fellow soldier, who was critically injured by a herd of charging elephants, in Malawi on 5th May 2019.
For assisting in saving the lives of five sailors aboard a stricken yacht which was taking on water in very difficult conditions in the Central English Channel on 10th November 2022.
For demonstrating extraordinary boat handling in order to assist in saving the lives of five sailors aboard a stricken yacht which was taking on water in very difficult conditions in the Central English Channel on 10th November 2022.

King's Commendation for Valuable Service

See main article: King's Commendation for Valuable Service.

Order of St John

See main article: Order of Saint John (chartered 1888).

Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St John (GCStJ)

Dame of Justice of the Order of St John (DStJ)

Commander of the Order of St John (CStJ)

Officer of the Order of St John (OStJ)

Member of the Order of St John (MStJ)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Crown Office. The London Gazette. 24 February 2023. 25 February 2023.
  2. Web site: King confers The Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward . . 10 March 2023 . 9 March 2023 . 10 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230310120219/https://www.royal.uk/dukedom-edinburgh . dead .
  3. Web site: Crown Office. The London Gazette. 14 March 2023. 15 March 2023.
  4. Web site: Lord Young of Old Windsor . 13 June 2023.
  5. Web site: Lord Mott . 19 June 2023.
  6. Web site: Baroness Swinburne . 20 June 2023.
  7. Web site: Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill . 7 November 2023.
  8. Web site: Crown Office. The London Gazette. 21 November 2023. 22 November 2023.
  9. Web site: Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton . 17 November 2023.
  10. Web site: Ministerial appointments: November-December 2023. GOV.UK.
  11. Web site: Lord Douglas-Miller . 15 December 2023.
  12. Web site: Appointment of the Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Londonderry: 12 January 2023. GOV.UK.
  13. Web site: Appointment of the Lord-Lieutenant of the County Borough of Berkshire: 1 August 2023. GOV.UK.
  14. Web site: Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire: 4 April 2023. GOV.UK.
  15. Web site: Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Cumbria: 11 April 2023. GOV.UK.
  16. Web site: Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire: 6 December 2023. GOV.UK.
  17. Web site: Privy Council appointments: 22 February 2022 . GOV.UK . 24 February 2023 . 22 February 2023.
  18. Web site: Orders for 8 March 2023. Privy Council Office. 9 March 2023.
  19. Web site: Orders for 26 April 2023. Privy Council Office. 27 April 2023.
  20. Web site: Orders for 17 May 2023. Privy Council Office. 18 May 2023.
  21. Web site: Orders for 15 September 2023. Privy Council Office. 18 September 2023.
  22. Web site: Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council, held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 15th November 2023 . 16 November 2023 . 15 November 2023.
  23. Web site: Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council, held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 15th November 2023 . 16 November 2023 . 15 November 2023.
  24. Web site: Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council, held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 15th November 2023 . 16 November 2023 . 15 November 2023.
  25. Web site: Orders Approved and Business Transacted at the Privy Council, held by the King at Buckingham Palace on 15th November 2023 . 16 November 2023 . 15 November 2023.
  26. Web site: Orders for 13 December 2023 . Privy Council Office . 20 December 2023.
  27. Web site: Appendix To Court Circular 17 March 2023 . Privy Council Office . 28 March 2023 . 17 March 2023.
  28. Web site: Announcement of peerage. GOV.UK.
  29. Web site: New appointments to the Order of the Garter . . 23 April 2023 . 23 April 2023.
  30. The Royal Family . RoyalFamily . 1669693005085786115 . The King has been graciously pleased to appoint The Queen to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle..
  31. Web site: King Charles and the Queen Consort in Germany attend their first state banquet in reign . 29 March 2023 .
  32. Web site: Queen Camilla, King Charles, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee pose for pictures during a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace . 2023-11-21 . X (formerly Twitter) . en.
  33. Web site: Notice 4435625. London Gazette. 8 September 2023.
  34. Web site: Germany state visit honours . London Gazette . 16 November 2023.
  35. Web site: French state visit honours . London Gazette . 18 November 2023.
  36. Web site: Kenya state visit honours . London Gazette . 1 December 2023.
  37. Court Circular, 19 December 2023
  38. Court Circular, 15 December 2023
  39. Web site: Operational Honours and Awards List October 2023 . 27 October 2023 . Gov.UK .
  40. Web site: Honorary awards to foreign nationals in 2023 . 2023 . Gov.UK .
  41. Web site: London Gazette . 24 November 2023 . Gov.UK .
  42. News: 2023-11-22 . King presents MBEs to K-pop stars Blackpink . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-11-22.
  43. Web site: Political Honours conferred: June 2023 . . 18 June 2023 . 16 June 2023.
  44. Web site: Political Honours conferred: December 2023 . . 30 December 2023 . 29 December 2023.
  45. Web site: Heroes who put themselves in danger for others recognised in Civilian Gallantry List. Gov.uk . 21 March 2023.
  46. Web site: Civilian Gallantry List: March 2023. Gov.uk . 20 March 2023.