Special honours are given to people who make outstanding contributions to their community and the country, with the King’s Birthday Honours acknowledging 1,215 people this year.
They range from politicians, musicians and actors to senior diplomats and elite sports stars. Here are the ranks in descending order and some of the people being honoured:
Companions of Honour (CH)
The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and is limited to 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.
Two have been named in the latest list – Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell for services to astronomy, physics and diversity and sculptor Sir Antony Gormley.
Dame and Knights Grand Cross (GBE)
A Dame or Knight Grand Cross is the highest rank in many of the orders.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely, regius professor of psychiatry at King’s College London, is on the latest list for services to mental health.
Order of the Bath (GCB/KCB/DCB/CB)
This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants.
Madeleine Alessandri, who chairs the Joint Intelligence Committee, and Sarah Healey, permanent secretary at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, become Dame Commander.
Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG)
This recognises service in a foreign country or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas.
In this list former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Barton becomes GCMG, Stephen Kavanagh, previously Interpol director, becomes KCMG and there are 13 new CMGs.
Knights and Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE)
These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles dame and sir.
On this year’s main list there are 16 damehoods including author Pat Barker, singer and West End star Elaine Paige and former Conservative Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, while there are four KBEs on the military and diplomatic list.
Knights Bachelor
According to the Cabinet Office, The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor does not constitute a royal order. Rather it is an appointment, for men only, which originates from the medieval period. Recipients can use the title Sir but do not have post nominal letters as in other orders. There is also no direct equivalent appointment for women.
Actor Gary Oldman, The Who singer Roger Daltrey and former England football captain David Beckham are among those knighted this year.
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
People are recognised with this honour if they have a prominent but lesser role at national level or a leading role at regional level.
It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area, and this time they include journalist Martha Kearney, former tennis player Virginia Wade and actress Jane Lapotaire.
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally.
Among the 244 honoured in this way in the latest list are double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee, actress Anita Dobson and Samantha Morton and cricketer Devon Malcolm.
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community with a significant long-term impact.
Those among the 493 made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list include 2022 Euro-winning Lioness Rachel Daly, darts stars Luke Humphries and Luke Littler, Adjoa Andoh, who stars as Lady Danbury in Netflix hit Bridgerton, and Strictly Come Dancing hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
British Empire Medal (BEM)
The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by the then-prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system “classless”, saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs.
The medal goes to 338 people in the King’s Birthday Honours.
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