What are the different types of honours?
Here are the ranks in descending order.
Special honours are given to people who make outstanding contributions to their community and the country, with the New Year Honours acknowledging more than 1,200 people in the UK this year.
They range from politicians, musicians and actors to senior diplomats and elite sports stars.
Here are the ranks in descending order and some of the people being honoured:
– Companions of Honour (CH)
The Order of the Companions of Honour was founded on June 4 1917 by George V and is limited to 65 members at any one time. Appointments go to those who have made a long-standing contribution to arts, science, medicine or government.
One has been named in the latest list – author and screenwriter Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, honoured for services to literature.
A Dame or Knight Grand Cross is the highest rank in many of the Orders.
Bestselling author Dame Jacqueline Wilson is on the latest list, made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for services to literature, along with Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, former chair of Cancer Research UK, who is made a Knight Grand Cross of the same order (GBE) for services to cancer research, clinical research, medicine and charities.
– Order of the Bath (GCB/KCB/DCB/CB)
This recognises the work of senior military officials and civil servants.
MI5 Director General Ken McCallum becomes Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in the New Year Honours and Tamara Finkelstein, permanent secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) becomes Dame Commander (DCB).
Vice Admiral Martin Connell and General Gwyn Jenkins become Knight Commanders (KCB) along with Lieutenant Tom Copinger-Symes, while another eight military figures are made Companions (CB), as are seven civilians.
– Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG/KCMG/DCMG/CMG)
This recognises service in a foreign country or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, such as the work of diplomats overseas.
In the latest list, Simon Walters, the UK’s ambassador to Israel, is appointed a Companion of the Order (CMG).
– Knights and Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE/DBE)
These are usually bestowed on people who have made a major contribution at national level, who can use the titles dame and sir.
On this year’s main list there are 13 damehoods including artist Barbara Rae and Labour politicians Patricia Hewitt and Emily Thornberry.
– Knights Bachelor
According to the Cabinet Office, The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor does not constitute a royal order. Rather it is an appointment, for men only, which originates from the medieval period. Recipients can use the title Sir but do not have post nominal letters as in other orders. There is also no direct equivalent appointment for women.
Actor Stephen Fry and former England football team manager Gareth Southgate are among the 22 men knighted.
People are recognised with this honour if they have a prominent but lesser role at national level or a leading role at regional level.
It also goes to those who make a distinguished, innovative contribution to any area, and there are 95 this time.
Actors Carey Mulligan, Anne Reid and Sarah Lancashire and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh were all made CBEs.
– Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
People are made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire if they have a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally.
Among the 244 honoured in this way in the latest list are Post Office campaigners Lee Castleton, Jo Hamilton, Christopher Head and Seema Misra, and journalist Rebecca Thomson, who wrote about the scandal in Computer Weekly.
– Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
This rank recognises outstanding achievements or service to the community with a significant long-term impact.
Those made Members of the Order of the British Empire in the latest list include sporting figures Dina Asher-Smith, Keely Hodgkinson and Katarina Johnson-Thompson among 500.
The BEM was reintroduced in 2012 by then-prime minister David Cameron as part of his bid to make the honours system “classless”, saying too few people making a difference in their areas were made MBEs.
The medal goes to 317 people in the King’s Birthday Honours.
