Order of the Companions of Honour

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The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry, or religion.

The order consists of the Sovereign, plus no more than 65 Companions of Honour, with a quota of 45 members for the United Kingdom, 7 for Australia, 2 for New Zealand and 11 for other countries^{[citation needed]}. Additionally, foreigners may be added as "honorary members". The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this one-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "CH".

The insignia of the Order consists of an oval medallion with an oak tree, a shield with the royal arms hanging from one branch, and on the left a mounted knight in armour. The badge's clear blue border bears the motto IN ACTION FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR in gold letters, and the oval is surmounted by an imperial crown. Men wear the badge on a ribbon (red with golden border threads) around their necks, and women on a bow at the left shoulder.

[edit] Current members

• Sovereign: HM The Queen
• Members:
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Ashley of Stoke CH PC (1975)
  • The Rt Hon. Malcolm Fraser AC CH (1976)
  • The Rt Hon. Sir Michael Somare GCL GCMG CH (1978)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Healey CH MBE PC (1979)
  • The Rt Hon. Sir Brian Talboys AC CH KCB (1981)
  • The Rt Hon. Douglas Anthony AC CH (1981)
  • Dr Frederick Sanger OM CH CBE FRS (1981)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC DL (1983)
  • Lucian Freud OM CH CBE (1983)
  • Dr Sydney Brenner CH FRS (1987)
  • Prof Stephen Hawking CH CBE FRS (1989)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Baker of Dorking CH PC (1992)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville CH PC (1992)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord King of Bridgwater CH PC (1992)
  • Dame Janet Baker CH DBE (1993)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Owen CH PC (1994)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Hurd of Westwell CH PC (1995)
  • Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS (1996)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Heseltine CH PC (1997)
  • David Hockney CH RA (1997)
  • Peter Brook CH CBE (1998)
  • Dr Eric Hobsbawm CH FBA (1998)
  • The Rt Hon. Sir John Major KG CH (1998)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Patten of Barnes CH PC (1998)
  • Bridget Riley CH CBE (1998)
  • General John de Chastelain OC CMM CH CD (1999)
  • Doris Lessing CH OBE (2000)
  • The Rev Chad Varah CH CBE (2000)
  • Sir Harrison Birtwistle CH (2001)
  • Sir Colin Davis CH CBE (2001)
  • Paul Scofield CH CBE (2001)
  • Sir Michael Howard OM CH CBE MC (2002)
  • Harold Pinter CH CBE (2002)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Hannay of Chiswick GCMG CH (2003)
  • Sir Howard Hodgkin CH CBE (2003)
  • Dr James Lovelock CH CBE FRS (2003)
  • Sir Charles Mackerras AC CH CBE (2003)
  • Sir Denis Mahon CH CBE (2003)
  • Prof Dan McKenzie CH FRS (2003)
  • Dame Judi Dench CH DBE (2005)
  • Prof Anthony Pawson OC O.Ont CH FRS FRSC (2006)
• Honorary Members:
  • Lee Kuan Yew (1970)
  • Dr Amartya Sen (2000)
  • Bernard Haitink (2002)

[edit] See also

• List of Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour
• List of honorary British Knights
• List of people who have declined a British honour

British honours system
Current Orders Garter | Thistle | Bath | St Michael and St George | Distinguished Service | Royal Victorian | Merit | Imperial Service | British Empire | Companions of Honour
Old Orders St Patrick | Royal Guelphic | Star of India | Indian Empire | British India | Indian Merit | Crown of India | Victoria and Albert | Burma
Other Honours and Appointments Hereditary peer | Life peer | Privy Counsellor | Baronet | Knight | St John | ADC | Other orders and decorations