The Honours thread

[Duke-of-Earl]

There’s a whiff of failure at the heart of our honours system - Telegraph

The monarch is the fount of all honour, and the Queen has always shown a profound understanding of the meaning of public service. None of the honours in her own gift (such as the Order of Merit, or the Royal Victorian Order, which acknowledges personal service to the sovereign) has ever, to my knowledge, been contaminated. The degradation has always come through the usual run of honours which are awarded by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. All too often these have been very smelly indeed.

[NGalitzine]

New Year Honours Lists 2013 | Cabinet Office

The New Years Honours List is out and as expected Olympians and Paralympians scored a few gongs. Lord Coe is made a Companion of Honour and Bradley Wiggins in knighted.

[Duke-of-Earl]

New Year Honours 2013: full list of recipients - Telegraph

New Year Honours 2013: Medallists lose out to Mandarins - Telegraph

While those who won gold have been honoured, more than 120 British Olympic and Paralympic silver and bronze medal winners have missed out on honours despite their success in the summer

Bradley Wiggins and Ben Ainslie are both knighted, as is David Brailsford, the architect of cycling’s phenomenal success as performance director of British Cycling and Team Sky. Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a Dame after winning four gold medals in London, taking her Paralympic total to 11, which equals the British record held by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson

[Duke-of-Earl]

Nice to see Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order

[Tiggersk8]

So happy to see Andy Murray's name on there. What a capper for one heck of a year for Andy. Congratulations to him!!

[Lumutqueen]

Proud to say I know two people who are receiving honours this year! Lovely to see Professor Higgs on the list.

[VictoriaB]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

Proud to say I know two people who are receiving honours this year! Lovely to see Professor Higgs on the list.

Agree. Professor Higgs' honour is very well deserved.

Also good to see several people involved with education on the list.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

New Year Honours Lists 2013 | Cabinet Office

The New Years Honours List is out and as expected Olympians and Paralympians scored a few gongs. Lord Coe is made a Companion of Honour and Bradley Wiggins in knighted.

Just listening to the names on BBC,many of them are very well deserved honours!

[Duke-of-Earl]

New Year Honours List 2013 in pictures - Telegraph

The faces to go with the names.

[Molly2101]

It would appear Edward and Sophie's deputy private secretary is being made an LVO. Does the Queen choose this or would the Wessex's have voiced the idea?

[Duke-of-Earl]

Originally Posted by Molly2101

It would appear Edward and Sophie's deputy private secretary is being made an LVO. Does the Queen choose this or would the Wessex's have voiced the idea?

Its in the personal gift of the Queen and I don't think anyone other than her private Secretary have input, at least that's my opinion. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton was made a LVO also

[HRHThePrince]

Is it possible that Kate's father, Michael Middleton will receive a peerage when Charles or William becomes king?

[VictoriaB]

Originally Posted by HRHThePrince

Is it possible that Kate's father, Michael Middleton will receive a peerage when Charles or William becomes king?

He is a successful businessman but there are lots of successful businessmen who have not been knighted never mind been elevated to the peerage. There is no other reason why he would be made a peer.

[Dman]

I do think it's possible the Mr & Mrs Middleton could be given an Honour for their hard work in business.

[Lumutqueen]

Could someone tell me what exactly they've done that somebody would even consider them for an honour? What's so special about their business that it differs from the thousands of others in the UK?

Michael won't get a peerage, and probably won't get any kind of honour until nearer the end of his life because then it doesn't look like favouritism on Charles/Williams part. Unless they do something extraordinary that deserves a mention.

[Iluvbertie]

They will be the grandparents of a monarch - that is the reason why they may get a title at some point in the future - so the monarch's maternal family will be ennobled and his aunt and uncle will also have titles.

Other than that they have done nothing to deserve a title, in my opinion.

[VictoriaB]

Originally Posted by Iluvbertie

They will be the grandparents of a monarch - that is the reason why they may get a title at some point in the future - so the monarch's maternal family will be ennobled and his aunt and uncle will also have titles.

Sorry, but I don't think that is any reason for anyone to get a title.

[Lumutqueen]

Originally Posted by VictoriaB

Sorry, but I don't think that is any reason for anyone to get a title.

I agree, and Iluvbertie says that's the only reason why they might get one.

[AnnEliza]

Originally Posted by Lumutqueen

I agree, and Iluvbertie says that's the only reason why they might get one.

I would think if that were going to happen, it would have done so at the time of the wedding.

[Iluvbertie]

I think that would have been too obvious. I suspect it is more likely to happen in a couple of years time - after the heir and spare are safely born.