Twice a year - at new year and in June on the date of the King's official birthday - British honour recipients are announced in The Gazette. Here we look at the Order of the Companions of Honour.

What is the Order of the Companions of Honour?

The Order of the Companions of Honour is an honour given to people in the Commonwealth realms who have made a significant contribution to the arts, science, medicine or the government over a long period of time.

It was founded on 4 June 1917 by George V and the first appointments were published in The London Gazette on 24 August 1917 (Gazette issue 30250), with all recipients decorated “for services in connection with the war".

The Companions of Honour is limited to just 65 people at any one time and those who receive it wear the initials CH after their name. Its motto reads "In action faithful and in honour clear".

Who has been appointed to the Companions of Honour?

The most recent appointment to the Order of the Companions of Honour was made in the 2024 New Years Honours list (Gazette issue 64269) when Dame Shirley Bassey was appointed for services to music.

In the 2023 New Years Honours list (Gazette issue 63918), fashion designer Dame Mary Quant and researcher Sir Michael Marmot author were appointed to the order.

The longest serving member of the Order of the Companions of Honour is politician Norman Tebbit (Gazette issue 51014), who was appointed in 1987, while the youngest member of the order is former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (Gazette issue 61678).

While the 65 members of the Companions of Honour are limited to British citizens and citizens of the Commonwealth reals, foreigners or Commonwealth citizens from outside the Commonwealth realms can also be honorary members of the Order. For example, South African clergyman and human rights activist Desmond Tutu received an honorary membership in 2015.

Notable current members of the Order of the Companions of Honour include:

• Sir David Attenborough (Gazette issue 54255)
• Margaret Atwood (Gazette issue 62507)
• The Lord Coe (Gazette issue 60367)
• Dame Shirley Bassey (Gazette issue 64269)
• Dame Judi Dench (Gazette issue 57665)
• Sir Elton John (Gazette issue 62866)
• Sir Paul McCartney (Gazette issue 61962)
• Sir Ian McKellen (Gazette issue 58557)
• JK Rowling OBE (Gazette issue 61962)
• Delia Smith CBE (Gazette issue 61962)
• Sir Paul Smith (Gazette issue 63135)
• Dame Anna Wintour (Gazette issue 64082)

Notable former members of the Order of the Companions of Honour include:

• Sir Winston Churchill (Gazette issue 32766)
• Stephen Hawking CBE (Gazette issue 51772)
• Sir Alec Guinness (Gazette issue 53696)
• Harold Pinter CBE (Gazette issue 56595)
• Sir Roger Bannister (Gazette issue 61803)

See also

100 years of the Order of the Companions of Honour

What is the difference between a CBE, OBE, MBE and a knighthood?

Everything you need to know about nominating someone for a UK honour

The New Year Honours list 2021

Images

Russell Malloch

Publication updated

2 January 2024