was introduced in 1917 with the introduction of the Order of the British Empire, and was subsequently extended to the Royal Victorian Order in 1936, the Order of St Michael and St George, and finally the Order of the Bath in 1971.

The youngest person to be appointed a Dame was golfer Lydia Ko at the age of 27. The oldest had been actress Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies at the age of 100, until Olivia de Havilland