J.K. got an OBE?

[pengolodh_sc]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter, "Shaun Hately" wrote:


> On 30 Mar 2003 at 4:53, Ripleywriter wrote:


> 


> > Hi again, 


> > 


> >   I'm doing research for a project on J.K. and HP, and during my


> > research I came across this bit of info from scotsman.com:


> > 


> > " JK Rowling has amassed a personal fortune of at least £220


> > million and received an OBE from Prince Charles in March last


> > year. "


> > 


> > Two questions from the Britishly challenged: What's an OBE? And


> > how does £220 million translate to American dollars?


> > 


> > I'd appreciate any replies!


> 


> OBE = Order of the British Empire. It's an honour granted by the


> Crown on the advice of the British Government. Basically it confers


> a medal to wear, and the right to follow your name with the initials


> OBE. There are various ranks of honours - the OBE is a kind of 


> middle rank one (and I suspect is only the first that JKR is likely


> to receive over the course of her life).




The O.B.E. is the second-lowest of five ranks of the Most Excellent 
Order of the British Empire - the abbreviation can be taken to mean 
Officer of the (Most Excellent Order of the) British Empire.  The 
lowest rank is Member (M.B.E.), and above O.B.E. one finds Commander 
(C.B.E.), Knight or Dame Commander (K.B.E. or D.B.E. - and you get to 
call yourself "Sir" or "Dame"), and Knight or Dame Grand Cross (G.B.E. 
- also confers the right to the prefix "Sir" or "Dame").




If JKR was created an O.B.E. (media sometimes makes a mess and calls 
any rank of the Order of the British Empire and O.B.E.), then I'd 
think it is not impossible that she will be promoted to at least a 
C.B.E., and maybe even to D.B.E. (in which case she would be referred 
to as "Dame Joanne Rowling") - certainly if the next books remain such 
stunning successes.  




There is quite a bit of information about the Order of the British 
Empire at:


http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page490.asp and


http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/about/imperial.html (also about other 
British Honours)


I also have a lengthy summary with an order of precedence for British 
orders posted at:


http://www.livejournal.com/users/pengolodh_sc/24548.html




Best regards


Christian Stubø