Honours have been awarded on New Year’s Day since 1890 when Queen Victoria’s awards were first published in the London Gazette. But knighthoods were first introduced in feudal times during the reign of Edward III as a way of creating camaraderie between himself and his greatest subjects.
The honours system has changed considerably over the years with many member of the public now being able to nominate a person for an honours. Ultimately a special committee decides on who gets awarded with an honours which is then overseen by the Prime Minister and the Head of State, now King Charles III.
Special honours like OBE, MBE and BEM recognise people who have made achievements in public life usually by making life better for others or being outstanding at what they do. Not everyone who is awarded an honour accepts the award, hundreds have turned them down over the years, including David Bowie and Roald Dahl .
