Knight Grand Cross

The term Knight Grand Cross (German Grand Cross Knight ) designates in English usage the highest class of a three- or five-level state order of merit , provided that a man is awarded it. For citizens of a Commonwealth Realm , this is associated with the elevation to personal nobility . In this case the predicate " Sir " is placed in front of the name. For women, the corresponding level is called Dame Grand Cross . The abbreviation that is also added to the name ( post-nominal ) is e.g. B. GBE for Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. The order class of the Knight Grand Cross exists in the following orders of knights in the United Kingdom :

• Order of the British Empire , GBE
• Order of the Bath , GCB
• Order of St. Michael and St. George , GCMG
• Royal Victorian Order , GCVO

A special feature is the highest order class in the two British orders of knights, which referred to the then British India , namely the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) and the Order of the Star of India (GCSI). Here the highest order class is called Knight Grand Commander . By avoiding the symbolism of the Christian cross , the acceptance of the order among non-Christian Indians should be improved. Both orders still exist formally, but have not been awarded since the independence of India and Pakistan from the British Empire in 1947. Another special feature of these orders is that female knights are not referred to as "lady" but, like the men, as "knight".

literature

• William Arthur Shaw: The Knights of England. Volume 1, Sherratt and Hughes, London 1906.