The wife of the late Sir Robert Chambers says it is comforting he knew of the honour before his sudden death last month.
Sir Robert received his knighthood, for services to the judiciary, posthumously because the Queen had approved it before he died in his sleep on May 21.
His wife Lady Deborah said: "It is of some comfort that Robert knew of his pending knighthood before his tragic unexpected death. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Governor-General for arranging for Rob's honour to be backdated to May 20."
That allowed Sir Robert to be farewelled with the honour.
"It was lovely to be able to recognise the knighthood at his funeral," she said.
Sir Robert took up office as a judge of the Supreme Court in 2012 after a legal career that began with work as a barrister in 1981 and included stints in the High Court and Court of Appeal. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1992.
He was president of the Auckland District Law Society from 1997 to 1998.
