In March 2024, Charles III made The Princess of Wales a Royal Companion of the Order of Companions of Honour. This made Catherine the first Royal to ever receive the honour.
But what is the Order of Companions of Honour? What is the Order’s history? We’ve taken a look in an in-depth guide…
What is the Order of the Companions of Honour?
The Companion of Honour is a special award granted to people who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government over a long period of time.
History of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded by George V in 1917 to recognise services of national importance. The first of these awards was for war service, coming as the First World War raged on, and these 17 recipients were named in The London Gazette at the time. The Honour is sometimes regarded as a junior class of the Order of Merit, which is a highly prestigious award for ‘exceptionally meritorious service’ to the Crown or advancement of areas like the arts, learning, literature, and science.
It was originally intended to be a limited award, for a those who required a special distinction but were not appropriate for other honours. However, it is now described as an award for people who have majorly contributed to the worlds of science, medicine, politics or art.
Being made a Companion is higher than receiving a CBE, or a Knighthood, but ranks below the Royal Victorian Order, which also dictates precedence at formal events.
The Insignia
The insignia of the order is an oval medallion, surmounted by a royal crown. It has a rectangular panel within, depicting an oak tree, a shield with the Royal Coat of Arms, and a mounted knight in armour.
The insignia for both genders features a badge with a blue border which bears the motto ‘in action faithful and in honour clear’ in gold letters. Men wear the badge on a red neck ribbon with gold border threads, and women wear it on a bow on the left shoulder. Members are also entitled to use the post nominal letters ‘CH’.
Membership
Today there are only 65 spaces for members at any one time. Non-British nationals, including those from the Commonwealth, can be honorary members of the Order, and count as additional to the main 65.
There is now a free space in the order due to the recent death of Norman Tebbit, a British politician and member of the Conservative party, on 7 July this year
Originally the order was capped at 50 people, the quota numbers were altered a couple of times, the last being in 1975. This alteration meant there would be: 47 members from the UK, 7 from Australia, 4 from New Zealand, and 7 from other Commonwealth Realms. Although it still nominates candidates, the Cabinet of Australia has stopped the allocation of the award to its citizens in preference for other Australian Orders. The last Australian member was Doug Anthony, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, who died in 2020.
Some of the present members of the order include: Kenneth Baker (former Home Secretary), who was awarded the honour in 1992, the artist David Hockney, received in 1997, actress Dame Judi Dench received the honour in 2005, Olympic Gold Medallist and Lord Lieutenant of Belfast, Lady Mary Peters, became a member in 2015 and Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics and Chairman of the British Olympic Association, received the honour in 2012 and represented the Order at the Coronation in 2023, Amartya Sen, economist and philosopher became an honorary member of the Order in 2000.
Both the Order of Merit and the Companion of Honour are high honours indeed and it is very rare to give both to one person. However, two people that have received them are Sir Winston Churchill, statesman and former Prime Minister and Sir David Attenborough, broadcaster, biologist and natural historian. Churchill was first awarded the Companion of Honour in 1922, followed by the Order of Merit in 1946. Attenborough received the Order of Merit in 2005 after becoming a member of Companions of Honour in 1996.
In the 2025 New Years Honours list, just one appointment was made: author and screenwriter Sir Kazuo Ishiguro OBE, became a member of the Order. In the King’s 2025 Birthday Honours, two Companions were added: Professor Dame Susan Burnell, for services to physics, astronomy and diversity, and sculptor Sir Anthony Gormley, for services to art. This shows how unique membership of the Companions of Order is compared to those who receive CBE’s and OBE’s.
The home chapel of the Order is the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace and was dedicated in 2019. As of yet there is not a regular service for members as with other orders, though the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh marked the centenary of the Order in 2017 with a service there.
