The New Year Honours is a part of the
British honours system
In the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories, personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours. The honours system consists of three types of award:
*Honours are used to recognise merit in terms of achievement a ...
, with New Year's Day, 1 January, being marked by naming new members of
orders of chivalry and recipients of other official honours. A number of other
Commonwealth realms also mark this day in this way.
The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently
King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to a ...
or his vice-regal representative. British honours are published in supplements to the ''
London Gazette''.
Honours have been awarded at New Year since at least 1890, in which year a list of
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
's awards was published by the ''London Gazette'' on 2 January. There was no honours list at New Year 1902, as a list had been published on the new
King's birthday
The King's Official Birthday (alternatively the Queen's Official Birthday when the monarch is female) is the selected day in the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those ...
the previous November,
but in January 1903 a list was again published, though including only Indian orders until 1909 (while the other orders were announced on the King's birthday in November). There were also no honours issued in 1940, due to the outbreak of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
in September 1939.
discontinued its New Year Honours in 1989, and now announces its honours on
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port ...
, 26 January, and the
King's Official Birthday
The King's Official Birthday (alternatively the Queen's Official Birthday when the monarch is female) is the selected day in the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those ...
holiday, in early June.
See also
*
Honours Committee
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of Australia
The Australian honours and awards system refers to all Order (distinction), orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarchy of Australia, Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister a ...
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom
References
External links
Honours lists– List and links of New Year honours lists as published in the
London Gazette (since 1940)
Honours lists– List and links of New Year honours lists as published in the
London Gazette (1890–1939)
{{Honours Lists
1890 establishments in the United Kingdom
Awards established in 1890