British honours system

The honours system of the United Kingdom is a means of rewarding personal bravery, achievement or service to the country. The system is made up of three types of award: honours, decorations and medals.

Current orders of chivalry

:see also: chivalric order

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The current system is made up of ten orders of chivalry:

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• The Most Noble Order of the Garter (founded 1348)
• The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (1687)
• The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (1725)
• The Order of Merit (1902)
• The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (1818)
• The Distinguished Service Order (1886)
• The Royal Victorian Order (1896)
• The Imperial Service Order (1903)
• The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1917)
• The Order of the Companions of Honour (1917)

Each order has different grades and some of them have associated medals. The composition of each order is explained in the related pages. The statutes of each order set down the rules covering matters like the size of the order, post nominal letters and the design and wearing of the insignia. All of the awards in the above orders except the medal of the Imperial Service Order carry post nominal letters.

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