Order of the British Empire
Overview
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions. In descending order of seniority, these are:
- Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE) or Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE)
- Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) or Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE)
- Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Only the highest two ranks automatically cause an individual to become a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
or dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
, an honour allowing the recipient to use the title "Sir" (male) or "Dame" (female) before their first name (though men can be knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
separately from this and other Orders of Chivalry).
Unanswered Questions
Discussions