King Charles III conceived of the idea of the awards in 2011, and the format of the awards was agreed by the agencies.[1] The awards are intended to reward people who could never make public their work due to its secret nature.[2] Prince Charles become the inaugural patron of the three intelligence agencies in 2012, at their request.[2][1] In a 2019 speech given to members of staff at the GCHQ headquarters in Cheltenham Charles said that he had " ... sought to champion and celebrate the remarkable work that you do and the essential role you play on behalf of this country".[2]
The awards are typically held at a lunchtime ceremony in the state apartments of St James's Palace or Clarence House on an annual basis.[1][3] The awards are typically attended by 200 guests including friends and family members of the recipients.[1] Awards and citations are given to teams within the agencies as well as individuals.[1]