Maggie Smith (Who You Might Know as Professor McGonagall)
Long before Maggie Smith was playing Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, she received the honor of being Knighted by the queen. In 1989 she officially became a “Dame” at Buckingham Palace.
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The humble actress had this to say about the experience: “It doesn’t change anything at all, except people end up calling me Dame Maggie, and I don’t suppose that’ll happen much”. Later, the Queen also made her one of the Campions of Honour.
Paul McCartney
The famed musician was KNighted in 1997. It’s no secret as to why the Beatle band member was granted such an honor. It appears, the Queen was as much a victim of Beatlemania as the rest of the world.
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Though he was given the title of “Sir”, McCartnmey expressed that he would never refer to himself as such. He said he is “proud to be British and it’s a long way from a little terrace in Liverpool”.
Elton John
Among the other British musicians who earned their Knighthood is Elton John. He received the title in 1998 for his illustrious music career as well as his philanthropic work.
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Elton John has expressed his gratitude for the title as well as his pride for his country. Not to mention, he was a long-time friend of the late Princess Diana.
Mick Jagger- Denied by the Queen and Granted by Prince Charles
Mick Jagger came into his Knighthood in a very peculiar way seeing as the Queen all but refused to grant him the honor. Apparently, the Queen was vehemently against it due to his anti-establishment views.
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Instead of granting him the title herself, she sent Prince Charles to do it in her place. The ceremony still took place at Buckingham Palace but the Queen was not present.
Bill Gates
It’s not only British celebrities who are granted the honor; Bill Gates also became an honorary knight in 2005. The Queen recognized him for his impressive charity work.
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After founding Microsoft he dedicated much of his life’s savings and time to philanthropic efforts. Interestingly, since he was named an honorary knight he cannot actually use the title “Sir”. This is simply because he is not actually British, but he is still considered to have the honor.
Angelina Jolie is a Dame
Angelina Jolie is another American who received honorary Damehood in 2005. It was not her acting that earned her to award, but rather her work off-screen. Jolie has dedicated much of her life to humanitarian work, specifically as it pertains to her fight against sexual violence.
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She explained the honor was truly gratifying: “To receive an honour related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to”. She appreciated the title as it was an acknowledgment of her hard work with the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.
Anna Wintour of Vogue
Anna Wintour is well known for sitting on the sidelines of fashion shows she directed and put together. As the editor-in-chief of Vogue she has certainly crafted a name for herself as a leader in the high fashion world.
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The Queen granted her Damehood in 2017. Wintour, who is known for almost never taking off her sunglasses, removed her glasses for the ceremony as a sign of respect. Anna Wintour grew up in the city where the ceremony took place and noted it as a very special moment in her career.
Lewis Hamilton of F1
Lewis Hamilton is widely regarded as the most impressive Formula 1 racing driver of his time. His name will likely go down in history among those like Michael Schumaker and Jackie Stewart.
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Prince Charles granted him Knighthood, and while he is the fourth racecar driver to actually be Knighted, he is the first to be given the honor while still actively racing.
Judi Dench
Judi Dench was given the honor in 1988. Before that, she was actually granted the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1970. This is an award given to civilians who have completed work that impacts the entire nation.
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Later, in 2005 she was also granted the Order of the Campion of Honour for her contributions to the arts.