Order of the Companions of Honour

The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order (decoration). It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry and religion.

The order consists of the Sovereign, plus no more than 65 Companions of Honour, with a quota of 45 members for the United Kingdom, 7 for Australia, 2 for New Zealand and 11 for other countries. Additional foreigners may be added as "honorary members". The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this one-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "CH".

The insignia of the Order consists of an oval medallion with an oak tree, a shield with the royal arms hanging from one branch, and on the left a mounted knight in armour. The badge's clear blue border bears the motto IN ACTION FAITHFUL AND IN HONOUR CLEAR in gold letters, and the oval is surmounted by an imperial crown. Men wear the badge on a ribbon (red with golden border threads) around their necks, and women on a bow at the left shoulder.

See also the list of people who have declined a British honour.

Current Members

• Sovereign: HM The Queen
• Members:
  • The Rt Hon. Michael Fraser AC CH (1976)
  • The Rt Hon. Sir Michael Somare GCMG CH (1978)
  • Frederick Sanger OM CH CBE FRS (1981)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC DL (1983)
  • Sydney Brenner CH FRS (1987)
  • Stephen Hawking CH CBE FRS (1989)
  • The Rt Hon. David Lange CH ONZ (1990)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Baker of Dorking CH PC (1992)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville CH PC (1992)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord King of Bridgwater CH PC (1992)
  • Dame Janet Baker CH DBE (1993)
  • Lucian Freud OM CH CBE (1993)
  • Sir John Smith CH CBE (1993)
  • Reginald V. Jones CH CB CBE FRS (1994)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Owen CH PC (1994)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Hurd of Westwell CH PC (1995)
  • Sir David Attenborough CH CVO CBE FRS (1996)
  • Sir Richard Doll CH OBE FRS (1996)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Heseltine CH PC (1997)
  • David Hockney CH (1997)
  • The Rt Hon. John Major CH (1998)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Patten of Barnes CH PC (1998)
  • Bridget Riley CH CBE (1998)
  • General John de Chastelain OC CMM CH OStJ CD (1999)
  • Doris Lessing CH OBE (2000)
  • Chad Varah CH CBE (2000)
  • Sir Harrison Birtwistle CH (2001)
  • Sir Colin Davis CH CBE (2001)
  • Paul Scofield CH CBE (2001)
  • Sir Michael Howard CH CBE MC (2002)
  • Harold Pinter CH CBE (2002)
  • The Rt Hon. The Lord Hannay of Chiswick GCMG CH (2003)
  • Sir Howard Hodgkin CH CBE (2003)
  • James Lovelock CH CBE FRS (2003)
  • Sir Charles Mackerras CH AC CBE (2003)
  • Sir Denis Mahon CH CBE (2003)
  • Dan McKenzie CH FRS (2003)