Queen Elizabeth awards Britain’s highest civilian honour to NHS

Queen Elizabeth on Monday awarded Britain’s highest civilian honour the ‘George Cross’ to UK's state-run National Health Service (NHS) in recognition of health workers' services during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Buckingham Palace announced it on its official Twitter handle. This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present.

The Royal Family tweeted Queen’s message which reads: "It is with great pleasure on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom.”

The GC has been given as a collective award on just two previous occasions:

In 1942, it was awarded to the island of Malta for the “heroism and devotion of its people” during the Siege of Malta in WWII.

The Cross was added to the Maltese flag in 1943 and remains there today.

And in 1999, the ‘George Cross’ was awarded to The Royal Ulster Constabulary, now the @PoliceServiceNI, for their action against terrorism and protection of Northern Irish communities during The Troubles.

The Queen presented the award at Hillsborough Castle in 2000.

The George Cross was instituted in 1940 by King George VI for “acts of the greatest heroism or of the most courage in circumstances of extreme danger”.

It is the UK's highest award for non-military courage.