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Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)

A senior rank within the Order of the British Empire, conferring the title Dame.

DBE
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) ribbon
Insignia of the Order of the British Empire
Insignia · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Awarded over time

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) appointments by year, split by honours list.

Honoriahonoria.co.uk

Honours rounds

The rounds behind the chart - open one to see the recipients.

  1. 2026New Year (14) · Birthday (17)
  2. 2025New Year (13) · Birthday (16)
  3. 2024New Year (15) · Birthday (18)
  4. 2023New Year (13) · Birthday (10)
  5. 2022New Year (15) · Birthday (14)
  6. 2021New Year (11) · Birthday (14)
  7. 2020New Year (16) · Birthday (12)
  8. 2019New Year (10) · Birthday (8)
  9. 2018New Year (13) · Birthday (11)
  10. 2017New Year (11) · Birthday (14)
  11. 2016New Year (14) · Birthday (13)
  12. 2015New Year (15) · Birthday (6)
  13. 2014New Year (18) · Birthday (9)
  14. 2013New Year (11) · Birthday (9)
  15. 2012New Year (5) · Birthday (7)
  16. 2011New Year (8) · Birthday (7)
  17. 2010New Year (6) · Birthday (11)
  18. 2009New Year (5) · Birthday (8)
  19. 2008New Year (6) · Birthday (8)
  20. 2007New Year (8) · Birthday (7)
  21. 2006New Year (7) · Birthday (5)
  22. 2005New Year (7) · Birthday (3)
  23. 2004New Year (11) · Birthday (10)
  24. 2003New Year (4) · Birthday (8)
  25. 2002New Year (3) · Birthday (3)
  26. 2001New Year (6) · Birthday (8)
  27. 2000New Year (10) · Birthday (8)
  28. 1999New Year (5)
  29. 1998New Year (4) · Birthday (7)
  30. 1996New Year (4)
  31. 1995New Year (2) · Birthday (5)
  32. 1994New Year (2)
  33. 1993New Year (5) · Birthday (1)
  34. 1992New Year (3) · Birthday (3)
  35. 1991New Year (5) · Birthday (2)
  36. 1990New Year (1)
  37. 1989New Year (5) · Birthday (1)
  38. 1988New Year (3)
  39. 1987New Year (4) · Birthday (2)
  40. 1986New Year (3)
  41. 1984Birthday (1)
  42. 1983New Year (1) · Birthday (1)
  43. 1981New Year (4) · Birthday (3)
  44. 1979New Year (2) · Birthday (3)
  45. 1978New Year (1) · Birthday (97)
  46. 1977New Year (2) · Birthday (6)
  47. 1976New Year (2) · Birthday (6)
  48. 1975New Year (1) · Birthday (6)
  49. 1974New Year (2) · Birthday (2)
  50. 1973New Year (1) · Birthday (1)
  51. 1972New Year (2)
  52. 1971New Year (2)
  53. 1970New Year (2) · Birthday (2)
  54. 1969New Year (4) · Birthday (3)
  55. 1968New Year (3)
  56. 1967New Year (1) · Birthday (6)
  57. 1966New Year (2) · Birthday (3)
  58. 1965Birthday (4)
  59. 1964New Year (1)
  60. 1963Birthday (2)
  61. 1962New Year (3)
  62. 1960Birthday (1)
  63. 1959New Year (2)
  64. 1958Birthday (3)
  65. 1956New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  66. 1955New Year (1)
  67. 1954Birthday (2)
  68. 1953Birthday (4)
  69. 1952New Year (2)
  70. 1951New Year (3)
  71. 1950New Year (2)
  72. 1949New Year (8) · Birthday (3)
  73. 1948New Year (1)
  74. 1947New Year (2) · Birthday (4)
  75. 1946New Year (1)
  76. 1945New Year (1) · Birthday (2)
  77. 1944Birthday (2)
  78. 1941New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  79. 1939New Year (2)
  80. 1938New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  81. 1937New Year (2)

Topics

All topics

The topics most recognised among Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) recipients, sized by number of people. Click a tile to explore.

Education61Education — 61Charity27Charity — 27Science and Technology26Science and Technology — 26Higher Education23Higher Education — 23Drama20Drama — 20Business20Business — 20Nursing18Nursing — 18Arts18Arts — 18Music17Music — 17NHS17NHS — 17Literature16Literature — 16Engineering12Engineering — 12Medicine11Medicine — 11Public Service11Public Service — 11Art9Art — 9Women9Women — 9Diversity9Diversity — 9Financial …9Financial Services — 9Sport9Sport — 9Healthcare8Healthcare — 8Fashion8Fashion — 8Young Pe…8Young People — 8Philanth…8Philanthropy — 8Politica…8Political Service — 8Public …Public Health — 7EqualityEquality — 7Entertainment7Entertainment — 7Community7Community — 7Further Educa…6Further Education — 6Local Governm…6Local Government — 6Children6Children — 6Broadca…Broadcasting — 6Charitable Service — 5Export — 5Dance — 5Economics — 5Midwifery — 5Health4Health — 4Journalism4Journalism — 4Economy4Economy — 4Heritage4Heritage — 4Technology4Technology — 4Sustainab…3Sustainability — 3Mental He…3Mental Health — 3Medical R…3Medical Research — 3Theatre3Theatre — 3Medical Science — 3Culture — 3Ballet — 3Mathematics — 3Consume…Consumer Affairs — 3Environ…Environment — 3HistoryHistory — 3Equal Opportunities — 2Leadership — 2Retail — 2Advertising — 2Classical Music — 2Museums — 2Families — 2

Topics by number of recipients

A ranked list of every topic recognised among Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) recipients is available below - show it to browse and filter the full set.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with the order, but are not members of it.

Background from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

About this honour

The Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) recognises major national achievement or service. It was established in 1917 by King George V, and is conferred by the British Crown.

It is awarded to individuals with significant national impact, recognising impact at national level, in areas such as leadership, public service and major achievement.

Candidates are put forward through public nominations, assessed by the honours committee and approved by the Sovereign. Appointments are announced in the New Year Honours and the King's Birthday Honours. Recipients are invested at a royal ceremony.

Recipients take the formal title “Dame”. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters DBE. Recipients wear the badge, star, sash. In the order of precedence it sits above commander (CBE) and below Dame Grand Cross (GBE).

It signifies major national achievement, representing excellence, leadership and service.

Recipients

845 people in the record. Filter by name, citation, year, region or theme.

845 people

Linked data

The second grade of the Order of the British Empire for women, conferring a damehood; recipients are styled Dame and use the post-nominal DBE. Men receive the equivalent grade of Knight Commander (KBE).

Canonical URI
honoria.co.uk/id/honours/dame-commander-order-of-the-british-empire
Post-nominal
DBE
Part of
The Order of the British Empire
Wikidata
Q12201434
The Gazette ontology
gaz:DameCommanderOrderOfTheBritishEmpire

From the Honoria honours vocabulary (SKOS). exactMatch = Wikidata; closeMatch = The Gazette honours ontology (official but a 2008–2015 beta).

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