The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

This Order, instituted by HM King George V in June 1917, extended Dec 1918, and altered March 1919, December 1922, June 1929, November 1933, March 1937, and October 1939, is conferred for important services rendered to the Crown, and is awarded to both men and women. It consists of the Sovereign and five classes:-

(I) Knights Grand Cross and Dames Grand Cross,

(II) Knights Commander and Dames Commander,

(III) Commanders,

(IV) Officers,

(V) Members. Foreign persons upon whom the Order is conferred are “Honorary”.

Further alterations to the Statutes of the Order were made in September 1959, May 1962, July 1964, September 1969, March 1986 and January 1995, limiting the numbers to be admitted to the Order in future, specifying the numbers of each of these Classes that may be appointed in a given period, as follows:-

• Knights and Dames Grand Cross (not to exceed Military 27, Civil 73),
• Knights and Dames Commanders (not to exceed Military 215, Civil 630),
• Commanders (not to exceed Military 1,660, Civil 7,300),
• Officers (Military not more than 113 in any year, Civil not more than 745 in any year);
• Members (Military not more than 228 in any year, Civil not more than 1,236 in any year).

The above-mentioned limitation does not affect those already admitted to the Order prior to 29 December 1922, who are not to be included within the foregoing numbers allotted to each Class of the Order, nor additional appointments made by special statute in commemoration of special occasions.

Appointments are made on the recommendation of the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and the appropriate Minister of State for Commonwealth Countries other than the United Kingdom, as regards the Military Division, and the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as regards the Civil Division.

This Order ranks next to and immediately after the Royal Victorian Order; Knights Grand Cross have place and precedency next to and immediately after the Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order; Dames Grand Cross next to and immediately after the Dames Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, and may use the appellation and style of Dame before their Christian or first names; the Knights Commander have place and precedency next to and immediately after the Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order; Dames Commander next to and immediately after the Dames Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and may use the appellation and style of Dame before their Christian or first names; men who are Commanders have place and precedency next to and immediately after the Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order and women who are commanders next to and immediately after women who are Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order; Men who are Officers have place and precedency next to and immediately after Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order and women who are Officers next to and immediately after women who are Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order; Men who are Members have place and precedency next to and immediately after men who are Members of the Royal Victorian Order, and women who are Members next to and immediately after women who are Members of the Royal Victorian Order.

There are both Military and Civil Divisions of this Order; the Insignia for both is the same, but the Ribbon of the Military Division is distinguished by the narrow vertical pearl grey (formerly red) stripe in the centre which varies in width according to Class.

The COLLAR for Knights Grand Cross and Dames Grand Cross is of silver gilt composed of six medallions of the Royal Arms and six medallions of the Royal and Imperial Cypher of King George V alternately linked together with cables thereon the Imperial Crown between two sea-lions, from which hangs the Badge of the First Class of the Order. These Collars are returnable at death or upon receipt of a Collar of an Order of higher rank. The Mantle is of rose pink satin with pearl grey silk (originally purple satin lined with white silk) having the Grand Cross Star embroidered on the left side.

The Badge of the First Class of the Order consists of a cross patonce, enamelled pearl, fimbriated or, surmounted by a gold medallion bearing the crowned effigies of King George V, and Queen Mary combined with a circle gules inscribed with the motto, “For God and the Empire”, in letters of gold ensigned with the Imperial Crown or, and on the reverse an engraving of the Royal and Imperial Cypher of King George V, the whole suspended from a rose pink riband edged with a pearl grey stripe (originally a purple riband) of the breadth of four inches for Knights Grand Cross, (with the addition, for Military Knights Grand Cross, of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre of a width of about one quarter of an inch), and two inches and one quarter for Dames Grand Cross, passing from the right shoulder to the left side, and on the left side of their coats or outer garments a Star (that for Dames being somewhat smaller than that worn by Knights), composed of chipped silver rays of eight points and charged with a medallion as above.

Knights Commander wear around their necks a riband of miniature width of the same colour and pattern as that of Knights Grand Cross (the pearl grey stripe of Military Knights Commander being about one sixteenth of an inch in width) and pendent therefrom the badge of the Knights Commander of the Order, which shall be of a similar form and pattern to that appointed for Knights Grand Cross, but of smaller size, and also wear on the left side of their coats or outer garments a chipped silver Star composed of four greater and four lesser points, charged with a medallion as before, while Dames Commander wear a badge of similar form and pattern as that appointed for Knights Commander, attached to a riband, also similar to that worn by Knights Commander, but tied in a bow and worn on the left shoulder, and they wear a like Star.

Commanders in the same manner wear the like riband and badge as that appointed for Knights or Dames Commander, but are not entitled to wear the Star.

Officers wear a badge of similar form and pattern as that appointed for Commanders, but of a smaller size and of silver gilt, attached to a riband of the same colour and pattern of the breadth of one inch and a half (the vertical pearl grey stripe in the case of the Military Officers to be one sixteenth of an inch in width), attached to the left breast of their coats or outer garments by men, and tied in a bow on the left shoulder by women.

Members wear in like manner the same riband and badge as that appointed to Officers except that it is in silver.

The Insignia of all classes are, on promotion from a lower to a higher class in the same division, to be returned to the Registrar, but not at death except by Officials of the Order. There is a Military and Civil medal in connection with the Order which may be awarded to persons not Members of, or eligible for, any of its five classes, who render meritorious service. It is known as the BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL, and entitles the recipients to place the letters “BEM” after their names. The British Empire Medal ceased being awarded in the United Kingdom in 1992, but is still awarded by some Commonwealth Countries.

In 1957 it was decreed that appointments to and promotions in the Order of the British Empire and awards of the British Empire Medal, when granted for gallantry, should be distinguished by the wearing of an Emblem on the riband in crossed oak leaves, and in the announcement by an additional description “for gallantry”. Gallantry awards in the Order continued until 19 June 1974, when The Queen’s Gallantry Medal (QGM) was instituted.