The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations at the start of January and were officially announced in The London Gazette on 30 December 2017. Australia, an independent Realm, has a separate honours system and its first honours of the year, the 2018 Australia Day Honours, coincide with Australia Day on 26 January. New Zealand, also an independent Realm, has its own system of honours. The 2018 honours list includes knighthoods for music legends Ringo Starr—which was reported by the press a week before the list was made public—and Barry Gibb. Veteran actor Hugh Laurie, who was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2007, was advanced to a Commander of the Order (CBE). Former ballerina Darcey Bussell was created a Dame Commander of the Order (DBE) and Lady Antonia Fraser, author and historian, received the Order of the Companions of Honour. The highest chivalric honour was awarded to Richard Scott, Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle, filling the vacancy since the death of Lady Marion Fraser on 25 December 2016. The ancient order is reserved for Scots and is limited to 16 ordinary members. The recipients of honours are displayed as they were styled before their new honour and arranged by the country (in order of precedence) whose ministers advised The Queen on the appointments, then by honour with grades i.e. Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Commander etc. and then divisions i.e. Civil, Diplomatic and Military as appropriate. United Kingdom Below are the individuals appointed by Elizabeth II in her right as Queen of the United Kingdom with honours within her own gift and with the advice of the Government for other honours. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle (KT) His Grace Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, The Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry Knight Bachelor Professor Timothy John Besley, , London School of Economics and Political Science. For services to Economics and Public Policy. Graham Stuart Brady, , Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West. For political and public service. Christopher Robert Chope, , Member