List of titles and honours of Elizabeth II facts for kids

The Queen wearing her royal family orders and insignia of the Order of the Garter

The Queen wearing the insignia of the Sovereign of the Order of New Zealand, the New Zealand Order of Merit, and the Queen's Service Order

The Queen wearing the insignia of the Sovereign of the Order of Australia

The Queen wearing the Grand Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest Mexican order awarded to foreign heads of state

The Queen wearing the insignia of the Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

The Queen wearing the star and collar of the Order of the Southern Cross, the highest Brazilian order awarded to foreign heads of state

Queen Elizabeth II wearing orders and decorations of different countries

Elizabeth II (born 21 April 1926, died 8 September 2022) had many different titles and special honours throughout her life. She received some of these before she became Queen. Others were given to her during her long reign as monarch of her Commonwealth realms. This article explains some of her most important titles and honours.

Royal Titles and How She Was Called
- Why "Elizabeth II" Caused a Stir in Scotland
Other Ways She Was Known
Military Ranks and Positions
Special Memberships and Degrees
- Memberships and Fellowships
- Degrees Received
Other Special Honours
Images for kids

Royal Titles and How She Was Called

Quick facts for kids Styles of Queen Elizabeth II

Reference style	Her Majesty
Spoken style	Your Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II had several official ways she was addressed, depending on her age and role:

21 April 1926 – 11 December 1936: Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York
11 December 1936 – 20 November 1947: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth
20 November 1947 – 6 February 1952: Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022: Her Majesty The Queen

When Elizabeth became Queen, she was asked what her official name would be. She simply said, "My own, of course—what else?"

Her official title used to be "by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith". This was used when she was first announced as Queen in places like Canada and South Africa.

Later, in 1952, leaders from the Commonwealth countries decided that the Queen should have different titles in each of her realms. This showed that she was the monarch of that specific country, not just the UK. For example, Canada wanted her title to be "Queen of Canada."

After this decision, special laws were passed in each of the Commonwealth realms. This gave Queen Elizabeth a unique, but similar, title in each country. When she was crowned in 1953, she held seven different titles.

Over time, the Commonwealth changed. By the time she passed away, Queen Elizabeth held 15 different official titles. Each title was for one of the current Commonwealth realms. In most of these countries, the part mentioning the United Kingdom was removed from her title.

Why "Elizabeth II" Caused a Stir in Scotland

In Scotland, the title Elizabeth II caused some debate. This was because there had never been a Queen Elizabeth I in Scotland. The first Queen Elizabeth was only Queen of England.

Some people in Scotland were unhappy about this. New Royal Mail post boxes in Scotland, which had the Queen's symbol EIIR, were sometimes damaged. To stop this, post boxes and Royal Mail vehicles in Scotland started to only show the Crown of Scotland.

A legal case was even brought to court to challenge the Queen's right to use the title Elizabeth II in Scotland. However, the case was lost. The court said that the numbering of monarchs was a royal power, not something controlled by the Act of Union.

Interestingly, Winston Churchill suggested that future British monarchs should be numbered based on whichever number was higher, either their English or Scottish predecessors.

Even though Scotland had never had an "Elizabeth I," other countries that Queen Elizabeth II ruled also had never had an "Elizabeth I." They still adopted the style "Queen Elizabeth II" without any problems.

Other Ways She Was Known

Queen Elizabeth II was known by many different names and nicknames around the world. Here are a few examples:

In British Columbia, Canada, she was called Mother of All People.
In Hong Kong, she was known as 事頭婆 (Cantonese: "Boss Lady").
In Jamaican Patois, people called her Missis Queen or The Queen Lady.
In Māori, New Zealand, she was known as Te Kotuku Rerengatahi (meaning: Rare White Heron of Single Flight).
In Tok Pisin, Papua New Guinea, she was called Missis Kwin or Mama belong big family.
In South Africa, she was given the name Motlalepula, which means "The Rain Queen" or "the one who brings the rain."
In the United Kingdom, some called her Princess Auto Mechanic because she trained as a mechanic during World War II. She was also sometimes called The World's Sweetheart or Elizabeth the Great.

Military Ranks and Positions

Queen Elizabeth II held many honorary military and police positions across the Commonwealth. These roles recognized her as the head of state and her connection to the armed forces.

In the United Kingdom, she held ranks in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. After becoming Queen, she was:

Colonel of the Grenadier Guards (1952 – 2022)
Captain-General of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (1952 – 2022)
Colonel-in-Chief of many regiments, including the Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards.
Master of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets (1952 – 2022)
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom (1964 – 2011)
Air-Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (1953 – 2022)

She also held similar honorary positions in other Commonwealth countries, like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. These roles showed her special connection to their military forces.

Special Memberships and Degrees

Queen Elizabeth II was also a member of many important organizations and received several academic degrees:

Memberships and Fellowships

She was a Fellow of the Royal Society (1947 – 1952).
She was an Honorary member and patron of the Institution of Civil Engineers (1947 – 2022).
She was an Honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1951 – 2022).

Degrees Received

Queen Elizabeth II received several honorary degrees from universities:

In 1946, she received a Bachelor of Music from the University of London.
In 1948, she received a Doctor of Civil Law from the University of Oxford.
In 1949, she received a Doctor of Music from the University of Wales.
In 1951, she received a Doctor of Laws from the University of Edinburgh and the University of London.

Other Special Honours

In 1975, she received the Golden Pheasant Award, the highest honour from the Scout Association of Japan.
In 2013, she was given an honorary BAFTA award for her support of the British film and television industry.
In 2022, she received the Canterbury Cross for her strong support of the Church of England.
She also received the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to horse sports.
In 2023, after her passing, she won a BAFTA 'Most Memorable Moment Award' for her appearance with Paddington Bear during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Images for kids

Ribbon of the Royal Family Order of King George V
Ribbon of the Royal Family Order of King George VI
Ribbon of the Order of the Garter
Ribbon of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India
Ribbon of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
Ribbon of the Royal Victorian Order
Ribbon of the Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Order of the Companions of Honour
Ribbon of the Order of the Thistle
Ribbon of the Order of St Patrick
Ribbon of the Order of the Bath
Ribbon of the Order of St Michael and St George
Ribbon of the Order of the British Empire
Ribbon of the Distinguished Service Order
Ribbon of the Imperial Service Order
Ribbon of the Order of the Indian Empire
Ribbon of the Order of British India
Ribbon of the Indian Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Order of Burma
Ribbon of the Order of Canada
Ribbon of the Order of Military Merit
Ribbon of the Order of Australia
Ribbon of the Queen's Service Order
Ribbon of the Order of Barbados
Ribbon of the Order of St Lucia
Ribbon of the Order of the Solomon Islands
Ribbon of the Order of New Zealand
Ribbon of the Order of Belize
Ribbon of the Order of Distinction
Ribbon of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Order of Merit of The Bahamas
Ribbon of the Order of the National Hero (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Ribbon of the Order of the National Hero (Antigua and Barbuda)
Ribbon of the Order of the Nation (Antigua and Barbuda)
Ribbon of the Order of Merit of Antigua and Barbuda
Ribbon of the Order of Princely Heritage
Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces
Ribbon of the Order of Logohu
Ribbon of the Order of the Star of Melanesia
Ribbon of the Order of St Christopher and Nevis
Ribbon of the Prestige Order of the National Hero (Grenada)
Ribbon of the Most Distinguished Order of the Nation (Grenada)
Ribbon of the Order of Grenada
Ribbon of the Tuvalu Order of Merit
Ribbon of the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
Ribbon of the King George VI Coronation Medal
Ribbon of the Defence Medal
Ribbon of the War Medal 1939–1945
Ribbon of the Canadian Forces' Decoration
Ribbon of the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Ribbon of the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Ribbon of the RAF Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Ribbon of the ULS Extension of the Service Medal of the Order of St John
Ribbon of the Most Illustrious Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III
Ribbon of the Nishan-e-Pakistan
Ribbon of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger
Ribbon of the Order of Temasek
Ribbon of the Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara
Ribbon of the Distinguished Order of Ghaazi
Ribbon of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei
Ribbon of the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya
Ribbon of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia
Ribbon of the Member First Class of the Order of the Lion (Malawi)
Ribbon of the Presidential Order of Botswana
Ribbon of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic
Ribbon of the Honorary Companion of Honour of the National Order of Merit (Malta)
Ribbon of the Grand Cross in Gold of the Order of Good Hope
Ribbon of the Honorary Member of the Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika
Ribbon of the Honorary Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana
Ribbon of the Companion in Gold of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo
Ribbon of the Dominica Award of Honour
Ribbon of the Trinity Cross Medal in Gold
Ribbon of the Sultan of Brunei Silver Jubilee Medal
Ribbon of the Order of the Elephant
Ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the Order of El Kemal
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour
Ribbon of the Order of the Benevolent Ruler
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Ribbon of the Member with Collar of the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali
Ribbon of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
Ribbon of the Gold Collar of the Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of Idris I
Ribbon of the Chain and Collar of the Order of the Seal of Solomon
Ribbon of the Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
Ribbon of the Sash of the Three Orders
Ribbon of the Member with Chain of the Grand Order of the Hashemites
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Republic
Ribbon of the Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Ribbon of the Grand Cross in Diamonds of the Order of the Sun
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of the Liberator General San Martin
Ribbon of the Dame of the Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of Independence
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of the White Rose
Ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the National Order of Mali
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Band of the Order of the Pioneers of Liberia
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Band of the Order of the Star of Africa
Ribbon of the Collar and Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the Ordre de la Valeur Camerounaise
Ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
Ribbon of the Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross
Ribbon of the Member First Class of the Order of Al-Nahayyan
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Equatorial Star
Ribbon of the Order of the Supreme Sun
Ribbon of the Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
Ribbon of the Yugoslav Great Star
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
Ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Leopard
Ribbon of the Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 1st Class
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of the Nile
Ribbon of the Golden Medal of Merit of Japanese Red Cross
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of Saint James of the Sword
Ribbon of the Member First Class of the Order of the Star of the Socialist Republic of Romania
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of al-Khalifa
Ribbon of the Member First Class of the Order of Oman
Ribbon of the Collar of the King Abdulaziz Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic
Ribbon of the Member of the Order of Al Said
Ribbon of the Dame of the Collar of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III
Ribbon of the Member of the Grand Order of Mungunghwa
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Ribbon of the Grand Ribbon of the Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit
Ribbon of the Grand Collar of the Order of Boyaca
Ribbon of the Member Special Class of the Order of Kuwait
Ribbon of the Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
Ribbon of the Member First Class with Collar of the Order of the White Lion
Ribbon of the Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three Stars
Ribbon of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
Ribbon of the Member with Sash of the Order of the Star of Romania
Ribbon of the Member of the Order of the Golden Eagle
Ribbon of the Member with Sash and Grand Star of the Grand Order of King Tomislav
Ribbon of the Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great
Ribbon of the Collar of the Cross of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Ribbon of the Member First Class of Order of the State of Republic of Turkey
Ribbon of the Order for Exceptional Merits
Ribbon of the Member First Class of the Order of the White Double Cross
Ribbon of the Collar of the Order of Zayed
Ribbon of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of San Marino
Ribbon of the Chain of Honour
Ribbon of the Collar of the Independence
Ribbon of the Collar of the Federation

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List of titles and honours of Elizabeth II Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.