Inside the investitures: Idris Elba and Torvill and Dean receive their honours at Windsor

For most people honoured by the Crown, the announcement in an honours list is only the first stage. The moment that truly marks recognition is the investiture, the formal ceremony at which recipients are presented with their insignia in person, usually by the King or another senior member of the Royal Family.

Recent investitures at Windsor Castle have brought together a familiar mix of public figures and lesser-known recipients, all gathering in the state rooms to receive the medals, crosses and accolades conferred in their names.

Among those recognised at Windsor were the actor Idris Elba and the celebrated ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, whose honours reflected long and distinguished careers in entertainment and sport.

How an investiture unfolds

Investitures follow a carefully ordered routine. Recipients arrive at the castle with their guests, are briefed on the protocol and then wait in an anteroom before being called forward in turn. Knighthoods are conferred with the touch of a sword on each shoulder, a gesture that has changed little over the centuries.

For other honours, the insignia are pinned or presented by the member of the Royal Family conducting the ceremony, who exchanges a few private words with each recipient. The brief, individual nature of the encounter is part of what makes the day memorable for those who attend.

A military band typically plays throughout, and recipients are permitted to bring a small number of guests to witness the moment from the body of the room.

Careers recognised

The honours marked at Windsor reflected the breadth of the wider honours list. Idris Elba's knighthood recognised his charitable work with young people, set against a career spanning acclaimed television, film and music.

For Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, recognition came decades after they first captivated the nation with their ice dancing, a partnership that became one of the most celebrated in British sporting history. Their honours sat alongside a list rich in figures from sport and the arts.

• Investitures present honours in person, often months after the list is published
• Knighthoods are conferred with the touch of a sword on the shoulders
• Recipients may bring a small number of guests to watch
• A military band performs throughout the ceremony
• Idris Elba and Torvill and Dean were among those recognised at Windsor

A shared royal duty

Investitures are conducted not only by the King but by other senior royals, sharing a workload that runs to dozens of ceremonies and hundreds of recipients each year. The duty is one of the most consistent and personal aspects of the working royals' calendar.

Each ceremony brings the monarchy into direct, individual contact with citizens from every walk of life, a function that supporters argue is among the institution's most valued roles.

The setting itself reinforces the sense of occasion. Windsor Castle and the state rooms of Buckingham Palace provide a backdrop of historic grandeur that few other ceremonies can match, and for many recipients the chance to step inside those rooms is part of what makes the day so significant.

Over the course of a year, the ceremonies collectively honour thousands of people, the overwhelming majority of whom are not public figures but community volunteers, health workers, teachers and others nominated for sustained service. The famous faces draw the cameras, but the bulk of each ceremony is given over to recipients whose contributions have been local and largely unsung.

“For many recipients, the few moments of conversation during the ceremony are the most memorable part of the entire day.”

Background

The honours system recognises achievement and service twice a year, but the presentation of the insignia takes place at investitures held throughout the year at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and occasionally elsewhere. The ceremonies date back in their modern form well over a century.

The practice of conferring a knighthood by the touch of a sword is among the oldest surviving elements of the system, a direct link to the chivalric traditions from which the modern honours descend.

“The investiture brings the monarchy into direct, individual contact with citizens from every walk of life.”

What happens next: further investitures will be held through the year as the remainder of those named in the 2026 King's Birthday Honours are invited to receive their awards in person.