Order of the British Empire

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==Order of the British Empire ==

The Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, the most senior of which makes the recipient either a Knight if male or a Dame if female. The order's motto is "For God and the Empire."

History

The Order of the British Empire was created during World War I to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and service personnel in support positions. It was the first order of chivalry to include a substantial number of women.

Classes

The order is divided into five classes, in both civil and military divisions:

• Knight Grand Cross (GBE) or Dame Grand Cross (GBE)
• Knight Commander (KBE) or Dame Commander (DBE)
• Commander (CBE)
• Officer (OBE)
• Member (MBE)

Insignia

The badge of the Order of the British Empire is a cross patonce. The central disc features the profiles of King George V and Queen Mary.

Notable Recipients

Many notable individuals have been honored with the Order of the British Empire, including:

• David Beckham, OBE
• Judi Dench, DBE
• Stephen Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA

Controversies

The order has faced criticism for its association with the British Empire, which some view as a symbol of colonialism and oppression. There have been calls to rename or reform the order to better reflect modern values.

See Also

• British honours system
• Order of the Garter
• Order of the Thistle
• Order of St Michael and St George
• Royal Victorian Order