Crown Honours Lists are lists of honours being conferred upon citizens of the Commonwealth. The awards are presented by or in the name of the reigning monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II or her vice-regal representative.
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New Year Honours
Honours have been awarded at New Year since at least 1890, in which year a list of Queen Victoria's awards was published by the London Gazette on 2 January. There was no honours list at New Year 1902, as a list had been published on the new King´s birthday the previous November, but in January 1903 a list was again published, though including only Indian orders until 1909 (while the other orders were announced on the King´s birthday in November).
Australia has discontinued New Year Honours, as it now announces its honours on Australia Day, 26 January, and the Queen's Official Birthday holiday, in early June.
Australia Day Honours
The Australia Day honours were established in 1975 to replace the New Year honours in Australia. The list is issued on 26 January every year.
Birthday Honours
Birthday Honours are part of the celebration of the reigning monarch's official birthday in each realm. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II, or her deputy.
Known as Queen's Birthday Honours (and King's Birthday Honours in times of a male monarch), all royal honours are published in the London Gazette, Canada Gazette, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette and New Zealand Gazette. The lists are also published in the daily newspapers of each realm.
Honours have been awarded on the monarch's birthday since at least 9 November 1901, the birthday of King Edward VII (r. 1901–1910). After 1908 the monarch's official birthday was moved to the first, second or third Saturday in June (for the UK). Other Commonwealth realms celebrate the official birthday on different dates (generally late May or early June), and release their honours lists accordingly.
Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
The Prime Minister's Resignation Honours in the United Kingdom are honours granted at the behest of an outgoing Prime Minister following his or her resignation. In such a list, a Prime Minister may ask the monarch to bestow peerages, or other lesser honours, on any number of people of his or her choosing. At times, the appointments created controversy, for example the 1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours that are also known as "the Lavender List", which BBC Four turned into a docudrama.
An earlier scandal by David Lloyd George over his 1922 Dissolution Honours list resulted in the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. Tony Blair did not issue a list, apparently because of the "Cash for Honours" scandal. Gordon Brown did not publish a resignation honours list either, but a dissolution list was issued on his advice (to similar effect). David Cameron revived the practice in his 2016 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours published on 4 August following his July resignation.
Coronation Honours
Coronation honours, are awarded by the sovereign to mark their coronation. The honours are usually those within the sovereign personal gift.
Dissolution Honours
The Dissolution Honours List, lists those individuals receiving Honours from the Monarch at a time following the Dissolution of the United Kingdom Parliament. It is one of several types of Honours List marking various occasions (see below). Typically, the list will include retiring MPs who are customarily made Life Peers. The list may also include knighthoods for others who have served in the Parliament, including those who may not want peerages. Appointments to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom are also made.
Bravery Council Honours
Bravery council honours lists recipients of Australian bravery honours. The lists are issued twice a year in March and August respectively.
Special Honours
Special honours, are lists issued at random points throughout the year. Australia and the United Kingdom both issue Special honours.