The New Zealand Royal Honours System
The Governor-General, on behalf of The Queen, holds investitures for
the people named in the New Year and Queen’s Birthday Honours Lists.
Our highest honour is the Order of New Zealand, with a maximum ordinary
membership of 20. Then follows the New Zealand Order of Merit which was
instituted in 1996 to replace many of the traditional awards (such as
the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) that are also conferred
in the United Kingdom. A third New Zealand-only honour is the Queen’s
Service Order and the associated Queen’s Service Medal.
The Governor-General, as Chancellor of the New Zealand Order of Merit
and Principal Companion of the Queen’s Service Order, holds investiture
ceremonies at Government House, Wellington, twice a year.
Except for those honours that are in The Queen’s personal gift,
all awards are made on the advice of Ministers.
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