The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood

The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood administers UK State Honours, this includes the organisation of Investitures, acting as the custodian of State Insignia and overseeing the day to day administration of the Orders of Chivalry. The majority of Honours are awarded on the advice of the Cabinet Office, including MBEs, OBEs and CBEs. 

The Honours system celebrates the rich diversity that makes up the United Kingdom. Anyone can be nominated for an award which can be submitted via the Cabinet Office website. 

The Central Chancery was established in 1904 by King Edward VII in response to changes to the administration of the Honours system. Previously, Orders of Chivalry had been administered separately and King Edward VII recognised the need to bring this administration into one central location. 

The Office is overseen by the Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, currently Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave.

An Investiture is the ceremony at which individuals who have been awarded an honour receive their Award from The King or a Member of the Royal Family.  Approximately 30 to 40 Investitures take place each year at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.  

More information can be found here.

Anyone can be nominated for an honour.  For more information on how to nominate, please visit www.gov.uk/honours

The Central Chancery oversees the day to day administration of the following Orders of Chivalry:

• The Most Honourable Order of the Bath 
• The Order of Merit 
• The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George 
• The Royal Victorian Order
• The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire 
• The Order of the Companions of Honour 
• The Distinguished Service Order
• The Imperial Service Order

The Most Noble Order of the Garter and the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle  are the two oldest Orders and are administered by The College of Arms and the Chancery of the Order of the Thistle with the Court of Lord Lyon.

Although not an Order of Chivalry, Knights Bachelor are administered by The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.