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Order Rank

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.

Honoriahonoria.co.uk

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.

Education83Education — 83Science and Technology45Science and Technology — 45Charity42Charity — 42Politics31Politics — 31NHS30NHS — 30Public Service27Public Service — 27Health27Health — 27Research26Research — 26Business25Business — 25Medicine24Medicine — 24Higher Education24Higher Education — 24Industry22Industry — 22Healthcare22Healthcare — 22Arts18Arts — 18Women18Women — 18Nursing17Nursing — 17Engineering17Engineering — 17Literature16Literature — 16Children16Children — 16Drama15Drama — 15Secondary Edu…14Secondary Education — 14Care13Care — 13Finance13Finance — 13Financial Ser…11Financial Services — 11Economics10Economics — 10Political Ser…10Political Service — 10MusicMusic — 10Diversi…Diversity — 10Government — 9Young People — 9Volunteering — 9Technology — 9Community8Community — 8Equality8Equality — 8Art8Art — 8Fashion8Fashion — 8Economy8Economy — 8Policy7Policy — 7Philanthropy — 7Public Health — 7Leadership — 7Sport — 7Covid-19 — 7Further Ed…6Further Education — 6Human Righ…6Human Rights — 6Culture6Culture — 6Entertainm…6Entertainment — 6Broadcasti…6Broadcasting — 6Local Government — 6Voluntary Service — 5Clinical Medicine — 5Employment — 5Chemist…Chemistry — 5Sustain…Sustainability — 5Charita…Charitable Services — 5Reading — 5Heritage — 5Dance5Dance — 5Scholarsh…5Scholarship — 5Police — 4

Topics by number of recipients

Every topic recognised among Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) recipients, by number of people. Scroll for the full list.

Honours rounds

Rounds that included this award - open one to see the recipients.

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).

At a glance

Established
1917 by King George V
Awarding body
The British Crown
Rank
Dame Commander (DBE)
Formal title
Dame

Overview

Recognises major national achievement or service

Eligibility

Individuals with significant national impact

  • Leadership
  • Public service
  • Major achievement

National

Rank & Precedence

Dame Commander (DBE) - Above CBE, below GBE

  1. Above: Commander (CBE)
  2. Below: Dame Grand Cross (GBE)

Entitlements

Post-nominal letters
DBE
Formal title
Dame
Insignia
Badge, star, sash

Award Process

  • Public nominations
  • Honours committee
  • Approved by the Sovereign

Announced: New Year Honours and King's Birthday Honours

Royal ceremony

Significance

Major national achievement

  • Excellence
  • Leadership
  • Service

Sources & further reading

Honoria is an independent reference. Awards are described from public sources; it is not an official or royal body.

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).

Post-nominal
DBE
Wikidata
Q12201434

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

Related honours

See all orders of chivalry

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