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State & Ceremonial

Dame Emma Thompson, Sir Kenny Dalglish and Tom Hardy CBE – The Queen’s Birthday Honours revealed

Actress Emma Thompson, former footballer Kenny Dalglish and actor Tom Hardy are among the high-profile names who have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Emma Thompson is being bestowed a Damehood for services to drama, and former footballer and manager Kenny Dalglish receives a Knighthood for services to football, charity and the City of Liverpool.

Also becoming Dames in the 2018 Birthday Honours List is Professor Mary Beard for services to the Study of Classical Civilisation, Eleanor Laing, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons for political and public service, and Moya Greene, the Chief Executive of Royal Mail.

In addition to Kenny Dalglish, also being knighted is historian and broadcaster Professor Simon Schama for services to history, author and Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro for services to literature, and Clerk of the House of Commons, David Natzler, for parliamentary service.

Also being knighted are MPs Louise Ellman and Bernard Jenkin for parliamentary and political service.

Mark Rowley QPM, the former Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, has also been knighted for services to policing.

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THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Most public honours are to the Order of the British Empire. The grades are, from highest to lowest…

GBE – Knight/Dame Grand Cross
(knighthood/damehood)
KBE/DBE – Knight/Dame Commander
(knighthood/damehood)
CBE – Commander
OBE – Officer
MBE – Member
Also associated with the Order is the British Empire Medal, which allows the holder to add “BEM” to their name

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The Queen’s Birthday Honours, which is one of the two annual honours lists released (the other at New Year’s) in which individuals who have made a contribution to public life, in one way or another, are honoured for their service.

Honours can range from knighthoods to the recently-reintroduced British Empire Medal, given for contributions on a more local level such as for services to charity or fundraising.

Plenty of CBEs have also been awarded in the 2018 list. Those recipients include journalist and radio presenter Kate Adie for services to the media, broadcaster and author Bamber Gascoigne for services to the arts, and actor Tom Hardy has been awarded a CBE for services to drama.

The first ever female Black Rod, Sarah Clarke, has been awarded an OBE. This honour is in relation to her previous job of Championships Director at Wimbledon. Miss Clarke has been awarded the OBE for services to sports administration.

Footballer Jermain Defoe has been made an OBE for services to the Jermain Defoe Foundation, boxer Anthony Joshua receives the same honour for services to sport.

Winter Olympic Gold Medalist Lizzy Yarnold also receives an OBE for services to Winter Olympic Sport.

Another famous face to receive the honour is Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley for services to drama and charity.

Sir Craig Reedie CBE, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, receives the prestigious honour of becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

The Order of the Companion of Honour also has two new members. Dr Richard Henderson, Molecular Biologist and Biophysicist, has been made a Companion of Honour for services to Electron Microscopy of Biological Molecules.

Soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has been made a Companion for services to music.

103-year-old Rosemary Powell is the oldest recipient in the 2018 Birthday Honours list receiving an MBE for her charitable service, having spent over 97 years volunteering for the Royal British Legion.

The youngest recipient is 20-year-old Menna Fitzpatrick. Menna, Team GB’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, receives an MBE for her services to Paralympic Winter Sport alongside her guide, Jennifer Kehoe.

In total 1,057 people have received an honour with 71% of awards going to people who have undertaken outstanding work in or for their local community.

920 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 392 at MBE and 210 at OBE.

519 women are recognised in the list, representing 49% of the total; with 10% of those honoured coming from a BAME background; and 5.7% considering themselves to have a disability.