The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
ed by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised
orders of chivalry; it is a part of the
British honours system.
Knights Bachelor are the most ancient sort of British knight (the rank existed during the 13th-century reign of
King Henry III), but Knights Bachelor rank below knights of chivalric orders. A man who is knighted is formally addressed as "
Sir irst Name urname or "Sir
irst Name and his wife as "Lady
urname.
Criteria
Knighthood is usually conferred for public service; amongst its recipients are all male judges of
His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England
The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...
. It is possible to be a Knight Bachelor and a junior member of an order of chivalry without being a knight of that order; this situation has become rather common, especially among those recognized for achievements in entertainment. For instance, Sir
Michael Gambon, Sir
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as '' Hamlet'', '' Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', '' Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ' ...
, Sir
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
, Sir
Elton John, Sir
Michael Caine, Sir
Barry Gibb and Sir
Ian McKellen are Commanders of the
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBEs); Sir
Patrick Stewart, Sir
Tom Jones
Tom Jones may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer
*Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist
*''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...
and Sir
Van Morrison are Officers of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBEs); while Sir
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
and Sir
Richard Starkey
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...
(Ringo Starr) are Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). None of them would be entitled to use the honorific "Sir" by virtue of their membership of the order alone, but as they are all also Knights Bachelor, they are entitled to preface their names with that title.
Honorifics and post-nominal letters
Knights Bachelor may prefix "
Sir" to their forenames and wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames.
Since recipients are not knights of an
order of chivalry there are no
post-nominal letters associated with the honour.
Insignia
Until 1926 Knights Bachelor had no insignia which they could wear, but in that year
King George V issued a warrant authorising the wearing of a badge on all appropriate occasions by Knights Bachelor; this badge is worn on the left side of the coat or outer garment. Measuring in length and in width, it is described in
heraldic
Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...
terms as follows:
Upon an oval medallion of vermilion, enclosed by a scroll a cross-hilted sword belted and sheathed, pommel upwards, between two spurs, rowels upwards, the whole set about with the sword belt, all gilt.
In 1974,
Queen Elizabeth II issued a further warrant authorising the wearing on appropriate occasions of a neck badge, slightly smaller in size, and in miniature. In 1988 a new certificate of authentication, a knight's only personal documentation, was designed by the
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sover ...
.
Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
The
Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor was formed in 1908 in the United Kingdom and received royal recognition in 1912. Its patron was Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022. It is a registered charity and seeks to uphold and advise on the ...
was founded for the maintenance and consolidation of the Dignity of Knights Bachelor in 1908, and obtained official recognition from the Sovereign in 1912. The Society keeps records of all Knights Bachelor, in their interest.
Equivalence
There is no female counterpart to Knight Bachelor. The lowest knightly honour that can be conferred upon a woman is
Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE), which is one rank higher than Knight Bachelor (being the female equivalent of KBE or
Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which is the next male knightly rank above Knight Bachelor).
Only citizens of
Commonwealth realms can be created Knights Bachelor; people of other nationalities are generally made
honorary KBEs.
See also
*
Knight banneret
*
Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, or simply the Central Chancery, is an office of the Lord Chamberlain’s department within the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for the administration of ...
*
*
List of Knights Bachelor
Notes
References
Insignia of knights bachelor��Website of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor
The UK Honours System��Website UK Government
Debrett's
External links
*
{{Former Australian Honours