Skip to main content

Story: Royal honours system

Investiture: Queen Elizabeth II conducts investitures in 1954

Video file

The reigning monarch formally approves New Zealand honours appointments, on the advice of the prime minister. Investiture ceremonies, at which those honoured receive their insignia, are usually undertaken by the governor-general on the queen’s behalf. However, the queen may choose to conduct them if visiting New Zealand, as she did on her first visit to the country. In this film clip she is shown at Wellington Town Hall in 1954 dubbing two knights, agricultural scientist Bruce Levy and military leader and chief justice Harold Barrowclough.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 19. National Film Unit, 1954

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Mandy Wong, Royal honours system – Bestowing honours, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/35659/investiture-queen-elizabeth-ii-conducts-investitures-in-1954 (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Mandy Wong, published 15 May 2012.