The United Kingdom recognizes its citizens with honours, including knighthoods and damehoods from the Order of the Garter. The country also awards knighthoods to foreigners to recognise a positive impact on their work. Any UK citizen can nominate someone for a knighthood (or other Honour) in their name. When someone is nominated, they are subject to an evaluation by the Secretary of State and Cabinet Office. Then, following the evaluation process, the Cabinet will decide whether or not to confer the individual with the honour. The process of attaining knighthood in the United Kingdom is long and arduous. Of course, it may be made easier if your strengths meet the current criteria and can help to demonstrate why you deserve a recognition.
However, a few conditions must be met before anyone is awarded a knighthood in the UK.
How To Get a Knighthood Honour
Getting Knighthoods or Damehoods is rarely an option for most people. But if you are nominated because of your charitable work or other contribution, you could be listed on a plaque at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, among the list of “Knights and Dames.” When so honoured by the Queen, you will also take on a new title – “Sir (or Dame) John/Jane Smith-Blank-Blank,” regardless of which piece of that name is used before the honorific (the first name can either be abbreviated or appears in full). The process by which a new honour such as a Knighthood or Damehood is bestowed on citizens of the United Kingdom is lengthy and can involve professional advice and a committee that makes recommendations to the government.
Can I nominate someone for knighthood?
To recommend someone for a Knighthood or Damehood, you must provide the Cabinet Office with relevant details about the nominee’s accomplishments.
You must include at least two letters of support with your nomination, just as you would for an MBE, OBE, or CBE. These must come from people who have witnessed the nominee’s accomplishments firsthand and can speak enthusiastically about their work.
Please keep in mind that you cannot resubmit nominations for Queen’s honours year after year until you get the desired result! Once a nomination has been considered, it will not be reconsidered for at least two years. In addition, the new submission after two years must provide added accomplishments different from the accomplishments listed in the previous submission to be considered again.
Suppose you want to nominate someone for a Knighthood, Damehood, or any other Queen’s Honour. Of course, we can help you with a professionally drafted nomination that details all of the nominee’s achievements in a clear, compelling, and comprehensive manner, supported by evidence and firsthand evaluations of their work.
Here are our five simple steps for applying for a Queen’s Honour nomination:
- create a portfolio of community-based or outstanding contributions over a significant period
- engage the services of an experienced agency with technical expertise in Queens Honours who can support, advise, and guide you through the nomination process
- either using the online portal or the physical form for Knighthood award nominations, list your significant accomplishments – include both the work executed and your outstanding results
- get the nomination form, write your accomplishments in a way that is not only compelling but very clear; again, the service of an experienced agency will further enhance your nomination chances; we are an agency focused exclusively on Queen’s Honours and helping individuals from all walks of life get nominated for a knighthood
- get recommendations, endorsement letters from your associates, business partners, or people you have directly or indirectly worked with; this will add depth and credibility to your nomination
The New Year Honours list recognises the achievements and service of people across the UK, from all walks of life. The 2022 New Year Honours list will be published in The Gazette in December 2021.