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Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

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

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

Awarded over time

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

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Honours rounds

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

  1. 2026New Year (1) · Birthday (3)
  2. 2025Birthday (3)
  3. 2024Birthday (1)
  4. 2023New Year (1)
  5. 2022New Year (3)
  6. 2021New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  7. 2020New Year (1)
  8. 2019New Year (1) · Birthday (1)
  9. 2018Birthday (2)
  10. 2017New Year (3) · Birthday (1)
  11. 2016New Year (1) · Birthday (2)
  12. 2015New Year (2)
  13. 2014New Year (1) · Birthday (1)
  14. 2013New Year (1) · Birthday (3)
  15. 2012New Year (2) · Birthday (4)
  16. 2011New Year (1) · Birthday (2)
  17. 2010Birthday (2)
  18. 2009New Year (1)
  19. 2008New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  20. 2007New Year (2)
  21. 2006New Year (1)
  22. 2005Birthday (4)
  23. 2004New Year (2) · Birthday (3)
  24. 2003New Year (2) · Birthday (2)
  25. 2002New Year (3) · Birthday (2)
  26. 2001New Year (1) · Birthday (5)
  27. 2000New Year (5) · Birthday (3)
  28. 1999New Year (3) · Birthday (2)
  29. 1998New Year (2) · Birthday (1)
  30. 1997New Year (3)
  31. 1996New Year (1)
  32. 1995New Year (4)
  33. 1994New Year (1)
  34. 1993New Year (2) · Birthday (2)
  35. 1992New Year (4) · Birthday (3)
  36. 1991New Year (4)
  37. 1990New Year (2)
  38. 1989New Year (5) · Birthday (3)
  39. 1988New Year (2) · Birthday (3)
  40. 1987New Year (6) · Birthday (3)
  41. 1986Birthday (9)
  42. 1985New Year (2) · Birthday (44)
  43. 1984New Year (6) · Birthday (2)
  44. 1983New Year (1) · Birthday (11)
  45. 1982New Year (1)
  46. 1981Birthday (6)
  47. 1980New Year (4) · Birthday (5)
  48. 1979New Year (3)
  49. 1978New Year (4) · Birthday (3)
  50. 1977New Year (4) · Birthday (5)
  51. 1976New Year (4) · Birthday (4)
  52. 1975New Year (7) · Birthday (6)
  53. 1974New Year (4) · Birthday (4)
  54. 1973New Year (3) · Birthday (4)
  55. 1972New Year (5) · Birthday (17)
  56. 1971New Year (4) · Birthday (4)
  57. 1970New Year (1) · Birthday (1)
  58. 1969New Year (59) · Birthday (2)
  59. 1968New Year (1) · Birthday (5)
  60. 1967New Year (12) · Birthday (6)
  61. 1966New Year (5) · Birthday (8)
  62. 1965New Year (4) · Birthday (9)
  63. 1964New Year (6) · Birthday (6)
  64. 1963Birthday (6)
  65. 1962New Year (7)
  66. 1961New Year (3)
  67. 1960New Year (11) · Birthday (6)
  68. 1959New Year (11) · Birthday (9)
  69. 1958New Year (8) · Birthday (7)
  70. 1957New Year (2) · Birthday (8)
  71. 1956New Year (8) · Birthday (15)
  72. 1955New Year (7) · Birthday (13)
  73. 1954New Year (1) · Birthday (10)
  74. 1953New Year (18) · Birthday (173)
  75. 1952New Year (10)
  76. 1951New Year (17)
  77. 1950New Year (8)
  78. 1949New Year (13) · Birthday (5)
  79. 1948New Year (14)
  80. 1947New Year (12) · Birthday (11)
  81. 1946New Year (37)
  82. 1945New Year (10) · Birthday (61)
  83. 1944Birthday (12)
  84. 1941New Year (26) · Birthday (7)
  85. 1940Birthday (2)
  86. 1939New Year (20) · Birthday (13)
  87. 1938New Year (9) · Birthday (10)
  88. 1937New Year (10)

Topics

All topics

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

Public Service12Public Service — 12Community9Community — 9Local Government5Local Government — 5Education4Education — 4Political Service4Political Service — 4Arts4Arts — 4british-community-abroad4british-community-abroad — 4british-commercial-inter…3british-commercial-interests — 3british-interest…3british-interests-overseas — 3Export2Export — 2Medicine2Medicine — 2Charitable…2Charitable Service — 2Health Care — 1Aviation Industry — 1Economic Development — 1Chamber Music — 1Power1Power — 1Public Heal…1Public Health — 1Journalism1Journalism — 1Radiology1Radiology — 1sugar-indus…1sugar-industry — 1Timber Indu…1Timber Industry — 1Architecture1Architecture — 1Veterans1Veterans — 1Commerce1Commerce — 1Town Planni…1Town Planning — 1Agriculture1Agriculture — 1Archaeology1Archaeology — 1british-avi…1british-aviation-interests — 1Music1Music — 1Heritage — 1Peace — 1Human Rights — 1International Law — 1Industry — 1Medical Research — 1Science and Technology — 1Financial Se…1Financial Services — 1Internationa…1International Trade — 1Broadcasting1Broadcasting — 1Chemistry1Chemistry — 1Physics1Physics — 1Internationa…1International Development — 1british-business-interests — 1Busine…Business — 1charitable-activities — 1SportSport — 1Design — 1Enterprise1Enterprise — 1Art1Art — 1Olympics1Olympics — 1Paralympic …1Paralympic Sport — 1Humanit…Humanitarian Affairs — 1Bereave…Bereavement Support — 1JusticeJustice — 1National Secur…1National Security — 1Civil Liberties1Civil Liberties — 1Healthcare1Healthcare — 1Cycling1Cycling — 1Charity W…1Charity Work — 1

Topics by number of recipients

A ranked list of every topic recognised among Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) 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 Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) 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 “Sir”. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters KBE. Recipients wear the badge, star, sash. In the order of precedence it sits above commander (CBE) and below knight Grand Cross (GBE).

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

Recipients

1,072 people in the record. Filter by name, citation, year, region or theme.

1,072 people

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Linked data

The second grade of the Order of the British Empire for men, conferring a knighthood; recipients are styled Sir and use the post-nominal KBE. Women receive the equivalent grade of Dame Commander (DBE).

Canonical URI
honoria.co.uk/id/honours/knight-commander-order-of-the-british-empire
Post-nominal
KBE
Part of
The Order of the British Empire
Wikidata
Q12201445
The Gazette ontology
gaz:KnightCommanderOrderOfTheBritishEmpire

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

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