Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or appointed office". This order was created after a review of New Zealand's honours system in 1974. The Queen's Service Order replaced the Imperial Service Order in New Zealand.
| Queen's Service Order | |
|---|---|
The badge of a Companion of the Queen's Service Order | |
| Awarded by the Monarch of New Zealand | |
| Established | 13 March 1975 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Founder | Elizabeth II |
| Sovereign Head | Charles III |
| Post-nominals | QSO |
| Statistics | |
| Last induction | 30 December 2023 |
| Total inductees | 219 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | New Zealand Bravery Star |
| Next (lower) | Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit |
| Related | Queen's Service Medal |
Ribbon of the Queen's Service Order | |
The title of the Order recognises the fact that Queen Elizabeth II was the first New Zealand monarch to be officially titled Queen of New Zealand.
Beginning in 2024, following the ascension of Charles III to the throne on the death of Elizabeth II, the order will be replaced and renamed the King's Service Order (KSO). The change in name will not apply retrospectively to previously awarded medals, or affect the associated post-nominals of the recipients.