Which performer is a Knight Commander of the British Empire. Order of the British Empire (UK). Some modern awards

In the Russian service of the BBC, the number of order bearers has doubled. Three years ago, the legendary radio host Seva Novgorodtsev received the Order of the British Empire from the hands of Queen Elizabeth II, and it has just been announced that Konstantin Eggert, editor-in-chief of the Moscow Bureau of the BBC's Russian Service, has just been awarded the Order of the British Empire.

The Order of the British Empire (OBE) was established in June 1917 by King George V, thus filling a gap in the British award system. Prior to that, high military and civilian ranks could receive the Highest Order of the Bath; diplomats - the Honorable Order of St Michael and St George, and for people personally serving the royal family, there was the Royal Victorian Order.

George V wanted to be able to reward thousands and thousands of people who gave their debt to the country during the First World War, but who served not at the front, but in the rear. Among these people there were many women who, until that time, had not been awarded orders in Britain.

Knightly titles

The Highest Order of the British Empire is an award of one of the British orders of chivalry, the slogan of which is "For God and the Empire". The Chapel of the Order is located in London's St Paul's Cathedral.

The order has military and civilian divisions and five degrees:

  • Knight or Dame Grand Cross
  • Knight Commander or Dame Commander
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire
  • an officer
  • A member of the Order Today, the Order of the British Empire is often referred to as a symbol of British democracy, and it is indeed more democratic than the exclusive Order of the Bath or the Order of St Michael and St George. At the beginning of its existence, the award was not considered very honorable, but over time, the attitude towards it changed.

    The Sovereign of the Order is the British monarch who appoints all other members of the order, that is, awards the award. But it does not do it on its own, but on the recommendation of the governments of the United Kingdom and some states that are part of the Commonwealth.

    For the highest degrees of the order - the Knight of the Grand Cross, the Knight-Commander and the Commander - there are restrictions on the number, and for the fourth and fifth categories there are no limits on the number of awards. Nevertheless, within one year, their number cannot increase by more than 858 and 1464, respectively.

    Sir or not sir?

    Most of the members of the Order are citizens of the United Kingdom or those countries and territories of the Commonwealth in which the British monarch is the head of state, albeit nominally. However, citizens of other states may also be nominated for the award as "honorary members".

    But, even being presented to one of the three highest degrees of the order, they receive the right to use the address "sir" or "lady of honor" in their name only if they become citizens of the United Kingdom or other territories subordinate to the monarch.

    For example, American Bill Gates, who became Knight Commander, cannot call himself "Sir William" or "Sir William Gates III", but - "William Henry Gates III, KBE". On the other hand, the Irish TV presenter Terry Vaughan received the same order as Bill Gates in 1997, and received a British passport in 2005, as a result of which he can now use the name "Sir Terry".

    Knights of the order of all degrees are given clearly defined positions in the order of seniority of the United Kingdom, headed by the monarch and members of the royal family.

    Over the years, heads of state and musicians, military men, actors, artists, journalists, and public figures have become laureates of the Order of the British Empire of various degrees.

    The Military Order of the British Empire was awarded to many Soviet officers and soldiers who participated in the naval battles of World War II. Among the Russian cavaliers in recent years are the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, the ballerina Sulamith Messerer, the rector of the Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences Theodor Shanin and the founder of the Moscow School of Political Studies Elena Nemirovskaya, from whom the award was stolen in 2004. It was believed that this was the only Order of the British Empire located at that time on the territory of Russia.

    How to get rid of the order

    However, a cavalier can lose the award not only by coincidence, but also by the decision of the British monarch. Over the 90-year history of the Order of the British Empire, there are 115 such exceptional cases. Among the reasons leading to the revocation were illegal land grabbing and collaboration with the Nazis during World War II, theft, tax evasion, electoral fraud and even dangerous driving.

    But perhaps the most interesting case for us occurred in 1965, when the rank of Officer of the Order of the British Empire was stripped of the famous British spy Kim Philby, who, as it turned out, was a double agent and worked not so much for London as for Moscow.

    However, orders are not only deprived; they also refuse it, and for various reasons. Last year, for example, this was done by British designer Joseph Corr, co-founder of lingerie firm Agent Provocateur, on the grounds that then-Prime Minister Tony Blair was, in his words, "morally corrupt."

    But more often the reasons for refusal are not personal, but general political. The order is most criticized for its link to Britain's imperial past. The most famous of those who returned the already accepted award were, perhaps, John Lennon and Rabindranath Tagore.

    And five years ago, poet Benjamin Zefania publicly renounced the OBE title, saying that it reminds him "of thousands of years of cruelty; reminds of how my foremothers were raped and how animals were treated by my forefathers."

    In the same year, as if listening to the poet's words, one of the committees of the House of Commons of the British Parliament recommended changing the name to Order of British Excellence, and changing the Commander degree to Companion, since the current meaning has a militaristic sound.



  • Motto For God and the Empire (English For God and the Empire) Country United Kingdom Type of Knightly order Status awarded Statistics Establishment date June 4, 1917 Order Senior award Royal Victorian Order Junior award varies by class Media files at Wikimedia Commons

    Most Excellent Order of the British Empire(eng. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) is a knightly order established by King George V of Britain on June 4, 1917.

    The order's motto is “For God and the Empire”. It is the youngest order in the British awards system and has the largest number of members.

    Most of the members of the order are nationals of Great Britain or other Commonwealth states. Citizens of other countries can be admitted to the order as "honorary members" (and can become full members if they accept British citizenship).

    History

    Badges of the order (above - the badge of the order, covered with blue enamel, common to the commander, knight-commander and the knight of the large cross, worn on a neck ribbon; below - the star of the knight of the large cross; in the center - the star of the knight-commander; bottom left - the silver badge of the cavalier , worn on a ribbon on the chest; at the bottom right - a golden officer's badge, worn similarly to the cavalry)

    The Order was founded by George V to fill a gap in the British award system: the Order of the Bath was given only to senior military officers and civil servants, the Order of St Michael and St George to diplomats, and the Royal Victorian Order to those who personally served the royal family. In particular, George V considered it necessary to reward several thousand who served in non-combat units during the First World War. The Order of the British Empire has a more democratic character than the Order of the Bath or the Order of Saints Michael and George, and at first was not highly valued, but over time the situation has changed.

    Initially, the order included only one division, but soon after its founding, in 1918, it was divided into military and civilian divisions.

    Organization

    Degrees

    The order consists of five classes of civil and military units (in descending order of seniority):

    • Knight Grand Cross, GBE (English Knight Grand Cross) or Lady of the Grand Cross, GBE (English Dame Grand Cross)
    • Knight Commander, KBE (English Knight Commander) or Lady Commander, DBE (English Dame Commander)
    • Commander, CBE (English Commander)
    • an officer, OBE (English Officer)
    • Cavalier (member), MBE (English Member)

    Holders of only the first two titles are eligible for knighthood.

    Civil and military medals of the order

    When the Order was founded, the "Medal of the Order of the British Empire" was introduced (in 1922 it was renamed the "Medal of the British Empire"). The medal holders are not members of the order (but are subordinate to it) and are also divided into civilian and military units. Only junior government and military officials are awarded the medal; senior officials are immediately accepted into the order. The UK government has discouraged the award of the medal since 1992, but some Commonwealth states continue to do so.

    The charter

    The charter of the order provides for a limit of 100 Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Ladies-Commanders, and 8960 Commanders. There is no limit on the total number of fourth and fifth grade members, but more than 858 officers and 1,464 members cannot be awarded per year. In practice, in the 21st century, the highest two degrees are rarely awarded. For example, since 1964, only three women have become Dames of the Grand Cross. Men with the highest degree are awarded more often - 31 people have become Knight Grand Cross since 1990. According to custom, upon their appointment, female judges of the High Court of England and Wales become Dame Commanders, and male judges become Knights Bachelors.

    Seniority and privileges

    All members of the order have their place in the order of seniority. Seniority is also established for the wives of members of the order of all classes, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of the Knights Grand Cross and Knight-Commanders. For relatives of wives of members of the order, there is no order of precedence.

    The Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders bear the title Sir, and the Ladies Grand Cross and Ladies Commanders bear the title Dame in front of their personal names. Knights' wives can add "Lady" to their surname, for husbands of titled ladies there is no such rule. These titles are not used by members of the order if they are also peers or princes, other than writing their names in their fullest form.

    Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross and Knights and Ladies-Commanders who are not subjects of the Queen are the so-called. Honorary members and may not wear the prefix "sir" or "lady," but may place abbreviations after names. For example, awarded the title of Knight Commander of the British Empire, Bill Gates did not receive the title "Sir William" or "Sir William Gates III", but may be written "William Henry Gates III, KBE". Honorary members and clerics are not knighted.

    The Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross are eligible for the inclusion of heraldic holders. They also have the right to surround their coats of arms with a circle with a motto and the right to a collar. Knights and Ladies Commanders, as well as Commanders, are only eligible for a circle.

    Robes and distinctions

    At important events (such as coronations and service of the order), members of the order wear costumes depending on rank (the appearance underwent significant changes in 1937). The badge of the order is worn on the left side of the chest.

    For some "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the chain of the order on military uniform or evening dress. When the chain is put on, the badge of the order is worn on the chain. After the death of the owner, the chain is returned, but other insignia remain.

    Chapel

    The chapel of the order is at the far east end of the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, but large services are held in the main section of the cathedral. Religious services for the entire order are held every four years; in this service new Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross are announced. The chapel was allocated in 1960.

    Criticism

    The Order drew some criticism for the idea of

    The youngest of the orders in the award system of Great Britain - the Order of the British Empire was established on June 4, 1917 by King George V, to award persons who have committed socially useful acts in the name of the British Crown.

    Description of the Order of the British Empire

    Materials Gold, silver.
    Who is awarded Military and civilians of Great Britain and other countries.
    Grounds for awarding For taking action in the name of the British Crown.

    Cavaliers of the Order of the British Empire

    During the Second World War, 164 soldiers of the Red Army were awarded the Order of the British Empire, among them Marshals Vasilevsky and Sokolovsky, the highest degree of Knight Grand Cross, Marshals Bogdanov, Moskalenko, Sudets, Generals Getman, Kravchenko, Malinin, Shumilov, the degree of Knight Commander.

    Description of other awards: The Distinguished Flight Merit Cross is one of the highest honors for the British Air Force and the 1939-45 Star is an award for all who contributed to the great victory over the aggressors.

    History of the Order of the British Empire

    The award was established in 1917, during the First World War, since actions worthy of significant encouragement were carried out in large quantities, and the award system in Great Britain did not provide for the awarding of lower military ranks with existing orders. King George V established this Knightly Order consisting of five ranks: Knight Grand Cross, Knight Commander, Commander, Officer, Cavalier.

    The holders of the two highest ranks become knights and receive the prefix Sir to their name, this rule does not apply to citizens of other states. In 1918, amendments were made to the order's charter, which divided it into two divisions - military and civil. The motto of the order is FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE.

    Together with the establishment of the Order, the British Empire Medal was also instituted. Those awarded the medal do not become members of the order and are divided into military and civilian divisions. The British Empire Medal was established for junior military and government officials, senior officials were immediately awarded the order.

    The Order of the British Empire was founded back in 1917 by order of King George V. Since then, not only famous personalities within the state, but also outside it have become the holders of this organization. For foreigners, a special title of "honorary members" was created, which was awarded to many people from other countries. Several famous holders of the order will be discussed in the article.

    Development in the field of genetics

    Alec Jeffries was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1994 for his outstanding achievements in the field of genetics. It was he who developed a special technology for DNA fingerprinting. To this day, it is actively used in all countries when conducting forensic examinations. The invention greatly facilitated the process of proving guilt when committing a crime. Alec Jeffries is now a professor at the University of Leicester. It is worth noting that in his entire life he received more than fifteen different awards. In 2015, a small series was shot about the man, which told about the invention of DNA fingerprinting, the first application and future success of the technology.

    The first son of the current Queen Elizabeth

    Prince Charles also received the Order of the British Empire for his activities. He was born in 1948 and became the first grandson of King George. In his honor, the bells of Westminster Abbey rang five thousand times, forty-one artillery shots were fired, and sailors all over the country received a double portion of their favorite alcoholic beverage. In 1953, he attended the coronation of his mother Elizabeth. From the age of five to eight, he was homeschooled, and is a graduate of the prestigious University of Cambridge. He was married to Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 car accident. From this marriage, two sons were born - William and Harry. In 2005, he married his mistress Camilla Bowles again, with whom he had a long-standing relationship even during his marriage to Diana. The man is actively involved in charity work, has his own foundation and patronizes a huge number of various organizations. Prince Charles has written many books in the fields of architecture, painting, gardening, is interested in playing polo and hunting foxes.

    Famous athlete

    Famous yachtsman Rodney Stuart Pattison also received the Order of the British Empire for his achievements in this sport category. He was born in 1943 in Scotland, and it is known that he served as a pilot in the army. When he moved to England, he entered Penborn College, which graduated specialists for the Navy. In those years he took an active interest in sailing ship competitions. He met in London with MacDonald-Smith, who worked as a lawyer. Together they participated in the nineteenth Olympic Summer Games in Mexico City. They won gold in the Flying Dutchman competition. After that, Rodney and his crew won gold three more times over the next four years. In 1971 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his achievements in sports. In Munich, he managed to defend the title of Olympic champion, and in 1976 in Montreal he became the standard-bearer of his state. Then in sailing battles he lost together with Julian Brook-Hayton only to a duet from Germany. Until 2008, he was the most titled yachtsman in Great Britain, until his record was broken by Ben Ainsley.

    Advances in sculpture

    John Skelton was also awarded the Order of the British Empire and joined the list of famous personalities. A man was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1923 and had five more siblings. He attended school in the city of Coventry, and also attended classes at the choral institution at Norwich Cathedral. It was here that he began to get involved with art for the first time. Later, his uncle Eric Gill, who was already a famous English sculptor, took him to study. John was a regular assistant until he had to join the army in 1942. While serving in the artillery, he visited many Asian countries. After arriving he graduated from his education. In 1948 he created his own workshop in East Sussex. Many works belong to his hands, including the tombstone of Edward James and the inscriptions in various fonts at Chichester Cathedral. He was one of the craftsmen who worked on the memorial to British generals in World War II.

    Russian actor

    In 2006, Queen Elizabeth herself presented the Order of the British Empire to Lebanon Basil. This Russian actor received a high award for his most popular role as Sherlock Holmes in a number of Soviet films of the same name. The award was presented to him for the fact that he perfectly conveyed the image of the legendary detective on the screens. The Queen admitted that even the masters of English cinema could not create a more subtle image. He himself said that they succeeded for one simple reason - they followed the original source. Holmes emphasized the main qualities, made him a true gentleman and did not try to add something of his own. At the same time, Watson in other paintings based on these works was shown as a man running errands for a brilliant detective. In Soviet films, he was equated with Sherlock, and it turned out to be an excellent duet. Livanov was awarded the Order of the British Empire in Moscow, at the British Embassy.

    The current version of the page has not yet been reviewed by experienced contributors and may differ significantly from the one reviewed on January 15, 2019. checks are required.

    Most Excellent Order of the British Empire(eng. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) is a knightly order established by King George V of Britain on June 4, 1917.

    The order's motto is “For God and the Empire”. It is the youngest order in the British awards system and has the largest number of members.

    Most of the members of the order are nationals of Great Britain or other Commonwealth states. Citizens of other countries can be admitted to the order as "honorary members" (and can become full members if they accept British citizenship).

    Badges of the order (above - the badge of the order, covered with blue enamel, common to the commander, knight-commander and the knight of the large cross, worn on a neck ribbon; below - the star of the knight of the large cross; in the center - the star of the knight-commander; bottom left - the silver badge of the cavalier , worn on a ribbon on the chest; at the bottom right - a golden officer's badge, worn similarly to the cavalry)

    The Order was founded by George V to fill a gap in the British award system: the Order of the Bath was given only to senior military officers and civil servants, the Order of St Michael and St George to diplomats, and the Royal Victorian Order to those who personally served the royal family. In particular, George V considered it necessary to reward several thousand who served in non-combat units during the First World War. The Order of the British Empire has a more democratic character than the Order of the Bath or the Order of Saints Michael and George, and at first was not highly valued, but over time the situation has changed.

    Initially, the order included only one division, but soon after its founding, in 1918, it was divided into military and civilian divisions.

    The order consists of five classes of civil and military units (in descending order of seniority):

    When the Order was founded, the "Medal of the Order of the British Empire" was introduced (in 1922 it was renamed the "Medal of the British Empire"). The medal holders are not members of the order (but are subordinate to it) and are also divided into civilian and military units. Only junior government and military officials are awarded the medal; senior officials are immediately accepted into the order. The UK government has discouraged the award of the medal since 1992, but some Commonwealth states continue to do so.

    The charter of the order provides for a limit of 100 Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Ladies-Commanders, and 8960 Commanders. There is no limit on the total number of fourth and fifth grade members, but more than 858 officers and 1,464 members cannot be awarded per year. In practice, in the 21st century, the highest two degrees are rarely awarded. For example, since 1964, only three women have become Dames of the Grand Cross. Men with the highest degree are awarded more often - 31 people have become Knight Grand Cross since 1990. According to custom, upon their appointment, female judges of the High Court of England and Wales become Dame Commanders, and male judges become Knights Bachelors.

    All members of the order have their place in the order of seniority. Seniority is also established for the wives of members of the order of all classes, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of the Knights Grand Cross and Knight-Commanders. For relatives of wives of members of the order, there is no order of precedence.

    The Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders bear the title Sir, and the Ladies Grand Cross and Ladies Commanders bear the title Dame in front of their personal names. Knights' wives can add "Lady" to their surname, for husbands of titled ladies there is no such rule. These titles are not used by members of the order if they are also peers or princes, other than writing their names in their fullest form.

    Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross and Knights and Ladies-Commanders who are not subjects of the Queen are the so-called. Honorary members and may not wear the prefix "sir" or "lady," but may place abbreviations after names. For example, awarded the title of Knight Commander of the British Empire, Bill Gates did not receive the title "Sir William" or "Sir William Gates III", but may be written "William Henry Gates III, KBE". Honorary members and clerics are not knighted.

    The Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross are eligible for the inclusion of heraldic holders. They also have the right to surround their coats of arms with a circle with a motto and the right to a collar. Knights and Ladies Commanders, as well as Commanders, are only eligible for a circle.

    At important events (such as coronations and service of the order), members of the order wear costumes depending on rank (the appearance underwent significant changes in 1937). The badge of the order is worn on the left side of the chest.

    For some "collar days" designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the chain of the order on military uniform or evening dress. When the chain is put on, the badge of the order is worn on the chain. After the death of the owner, the chain is returned, but other insignia remain.

    The chapel of the order is at the far east end of the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral, but large services are held in the main section of the cathedral. Religious services for the entire order are held every four years; in this service new Knights and Ladies of the Grand Cross are announced. The chapel was allocated in 1960.

    The Order has attracted some criticism over the idea of ​​the British Empire. Poet Benjamin Zefanaya publicly rejected OBE in 2003 because, he said, it reminded him of "a thousand years of atrocities." He went on to say: "This reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and how cruelly my forefathers were treated." British artist Lawrence Stephen Lowry twice refused to be awarded the Order of the British Empire (4th and 2nd degree).

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