Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (short Order of the British Empire ) is a British Order of Merit, which was founded in 1917 by King George V.. It comprises five stages Order, the number of members is not limited in number. It is the youngest of the British orders of chivalry and the most frequently awarded. Since many citizens of foreign states be awarded the Order of the British Empire, he is also the British Order of Merit with the vast majority of foreign honorary members.

Order outline

The members of the Order are divided into five stages:

With the top two levels is, if it comes to subjects of the British Crown, ennobled connected; the awardees are collected in the personal, non- hereditary peerage and will carry the title Sir or Dame. The totality of the members of the Order is divided into a civil and a military department (Civil Division and Military Division ), the band of the Military Division has a gray center stripe in all gradations, which is absent in the Civil Division. Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire is the relevant British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II to the so fünfklassigen medal belonged to 1993 affiliated Medal, the British Empire Medal ( BEM). In October 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that in recognition of outstanding achievements in the municipal sector to introduce this medal again. The first of some 300 awards were presented in conjunction with the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. Unlike the regular Order of steps which usually presents the monarch himself, the medals will be handed out by the Lord Lieutenant of the individual counties.

Insignia

The two lower levels of the Order, member ("Member" ) and Officer ( "Officer " ) are mapped as worn on the belt, the religious character of a silver member, the one officer is golden. The Cross of Commander ( " Commander " ) is blue enamel and is worn as a neck order. Women wear these three steps always on the ladies loop.

For the insignia of Knight Commander and Lady Commander ( " Grand Commander " ) the same applies as for the cross of the Commander, but still belongs to a breast star. The Grand Cross ( " Grand Cross " ) is worn as Hüftdekoration on a sash (shoulder strap ), to which also includes a breast star.

Award

Like most other orders and medals of the United Kingdom of the Order of the British Empire is awarded on the basis of a nomination by the Prime Minister, which may make proposals to the government any person today who should be excellent. In the town halls and municipal offices information brochures and forms are available and will advise on the terms of proposals. For the award of foreigners, including foreign diplomats, the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom are responsible to forward the recommendation to the Office of the Prime Minister.

By awarding the top two levels of the Order of the British Empire citizens of the United Kingdom, as well as citizens of the Commonwealth countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state can be ( Commonwealth realms ), raised to the peerage. The Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander to be beaten at the medal ceremony ( investiture ) by the monarch knighted ( Knight) and then perform the title Sir before their name. Although Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander not receive a knighthood, but are also considered knighted and had the title of Dame. As the wives of all British Knights allowed the wives of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire cause the addition Lady before their name; a similar privilege does not apply to the husbands of Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander. The title of a Knight or Dame are not out of royal princes and the peers usually, unless their name is reproduced in full length.

Clergy did not receive a knighthood ( knighthood ), just as the foreign members of the Order. Who is not a citizen of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth, for which there is an honorary membership of the Order ( colloquially often referred to as honorary knighthood ). Foreigners who receive one of the top two levels of the Order of the British Empire and then often " beaten by the Queen Knight" in the press as are referred to, such as Bill Gates, therefore " Sir William Gates III " Do not call, but correctly called " William Gates III, KBE ".

There are six administrative offices within the Order: prelate, dean, secretary, registrar, King of Arms and religious servants ( Gentleman Usher). The respective Bishop of London holds the office of prelate, the dean of St Paul 's Cathedral is an ex-officio the Dean of the Order. The King of Arms of this order is not necessarily a member of the College of Arms. Currently, this function of Admiral Sir Peter Abbott is exercised. The Order servant carries the title of Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod; but, unlike the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod of the Garter, no special role in political life. On July 23, 2013, took Lady Amelia Chilcott Fawcett the office of Usher's and is the first woman to hold this function. She wears according to the name Lady Usher of the Purple Rod.

History

King George V founded the Order on June 4, 1917 to close loopholes in the system of orders and medals of the United Kingdom (British Honours System). Until then, the Order of the Bath was traditionally provided for senior officers and civilian officials, while were awarded the Order of St Michael and St George for services almost exclusively diplomats abroad. The Royal Victorian Order were only those who had served in the personal environment of the royal family (mostly members of the court ).

Since there but also many others were who had acquired significant contributions to the country, George V. wanted to create a new Order of Merit, which could also cover other categories of excellence. Finally, he also wanted those many compatriots honor those who had rendered outstanding service in the First World War.

As a result, the Order of the British Empire became the award conferred by the British Order of Merit. The stages Member ( MBE) and Officer ( OBE) are usually awarded for outstanding achievements in the political, economic, cultural, intellectual or volunteer area and make - with regard to the practice and frequency of ceremonies - in some ways the British equivalent of the German Federal Cross of Merit dar. As the Government of the United Kingdom with the Order of the British Empire not only British citizens and citizens of the Commonwealth distinguished, are found among the members of the Order today numerous people from almost all countries of the world.

Chapel

The Order of the British Empire since 1960 has its own religious chapel. It is located at the eastern end of the crypt of St Paul 's Cathedral in London, which is also home of the Order of St Michael and St George. Due to the high number of members of the Order, the Order of celebrations are now no longer held in this chapel, but in the nave of the cathedral. Services for the whole Order are held every four years instead of -. Most recently in 2012 Unlike in the chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George hanging in the chapel of the Order of the British Empire barely coat of arms, banners, and other badges of Order members. Only the banners of the knights of the royal family are seen.