British Actress and Actors honored with Knighthood
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A knighthood (or a damehood, its female equivalent) is one of the highest honours an individual in the United Kingdom can achieve.
While in past centuries knighthoods used to be awarded solely for military merit, today they also recognise significant contributions to national life.
Recipients range from actors to scientists, and from school head teachers to industrialists.
A knighthood cannot be bought and it carries no military obligations to the Sovereign.
The Queen (or a member of the Royal Family acting on her behalf) confers knighthoods in Britain, either at a public investiture or privately. The ceremony involves the ceremonial dubbing of the knight by The Queen, and the presentation of insignia.
By tradition, clergy receiving a knighthood are not dubbed, as the use of a sword is thought inappropriate for their calling. They are not able to use the title 'Sir'.
Foreign citizens occasionally receive honorary knighthoods or damehoods through UK orders; they are not dubbed, and they do not use the style 'Sir' or 'Dame'. Such knighthoods are conferred by The Queen, on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on those who have made an important contribution to relations between their country and Britain. Foreign citizens given honorary knighthoods or damehoods over the years include Chancellor Kohl, President Mitterrand, Mayor Giuliani of New York and the actor Angelina Jolie.
Commonwealth knighthoods
UK citizens are very occasionally awarded knighthoods or damehoods by Commonwealth Realms through their own honours systems, including to orders of which The Queen is not Sovereign. Such awards are made by the Realm's Governor-General on the advice of the Realm's Prime Minister.
Customarily, the Governor-General will seek The Queen's permission for a British citizen to receive such an honour with either restricted or unrestricted permission for them to wear its insignia in the UK. British citizens are usually granted unrestricted permission to wear the insignia of such awards and they may also be entitled to use any relevant post-nominal letters.
However, they would not be permitted to use the titles 'Sir' or 'Dame' as, in line with established protocol, the UK Government considers such awards to be honorary.
www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Honours/Knighthoods.aspx
While in past centuries knighthoods used to be awarded solely for military merit, today they also recognise significant contributions to national life.
Recipients range from actors to scientists, and from school head teachers to industrialists.
A knighthood cannot be bought and it carries no military obligations to the Sovereign.
The Queen (or a member of the Royal Family acting on her behalf) confers knighthoods in Britain, either at a public investiture or privately. The ceremony involves the ceremonial dubbing of the knight by The Queen, and the presentation of insignia.
By tradition, clergy receiving a knighthood are not dubbed, as the use of a sword is thought inappropriate for their calling. They are not able to use the title 'Sir'.
Foreign citizens occasionally receive honorary knighthoods or damehoods through UK orders; they are not dubbed, and they do not use the style 'Sir' or 'Dame'. Such knighthoods are conferred by The Queen, on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on those who have made an important contribution to relations between their country and Britain. Foreign citizens given honorary knighthoods or damehoods over the years include Chancellor Kohl, President Mitterrand, Mayor Giuliani of New York and the actor Angelina Jolie.
Commonwealth knighthoods
UK citizens are very occasionally awarded knighthoods or damehoods by Commonwealth Realms through their own honours systems, including to orders of which The Queen is not Sovereign. Such awards are made by the Realm's Governor-General on the advice of the Realm's Prime Minister.
Customarily, the Governor-General will seek The Queen's permission for a British citizen to receive such an honour with either restricted or unrestricted permission for them to wear its insignia in the UK. British citizens are usually granted unrestricted permission to wear the insignia of such awards and they may also be entitled to use any relevant post-nominal letters.
However, they would not be permitted to use the titles 'Sir' or 'Dame' as, in line with established protocol, the UK Government considers such awards to be honorary.
www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Honours/Knighthoods.aspx