12 Renowned Foreigners Who Have Been Awarded Honorary Knighthoods and Damehoods

While orders of chivalry for military members can be traced back to medieval times, King George V introduced a new chapter for knights and dames by establishing The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1917. Unlike previous orders, those appointed to the OBE don't have to have been soldiers to receive the honor. A tap from a ceremonial sword (or, in modern times, a handshake) can be given to individuals who have made a notable impact on the arts, sciences, or charitable causes outside of the civil service.

Interestingly, you don’t need to be British to receive this distinction. Many Americans have been honored with knighthood or damehood, and the recognition is open to any foreigner across the globe. While non-Commonwealth individuals cannot adopt the titles of Sir or Dame, these individuals are still considered knights and dames, just like any British honoree.

1. Steven Spielberg

In 2001, filmmaker and producer Steven Spielberg was honored with an honorary knighthood, presented by British ambassador to the U.S., Sir Christopher Meyer. The ambassador highlighted Spielberg's global influence on cinema, noting its particular impact on British film, which saw a surge in box office sales since the early '80s. This shift likely began with films like 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark and 1982's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Spielberg was also recognized for his support of the British film industry, often choosing England as the location for major productions, such as the 2001 mini-series Band of Brothers. Even Tony Blair's son joined the action, spending a week on set for work experience.

"This is the stuff that fuels all of our childhood dreams," Spielberg remarked following his investiture. "You know, courtliness, civility, and honor."

2. Franco Zeffirelli

Spielberg was later joined by Italian filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli, the first Italian to receive the honorary knighthood. Zeffirelli was awarded the KBE in 2004 for his significant contributions to British performing arts, including his famous adaptations of Shakespeare's works and the 1999 film Tea With Mussolini, which featured three British dames: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Joan Plowright. An Oscar-nominated director, Zeffirelli joyfully declared his knighthood as "the greatest conquest, recognition, I have received in my life, practically."

3. Bono

Paul Hewson, better known as U2's lead singer Bono, is granted honorary knight status because he is an Irish citizen (similar to his fellow honorary knight, Irish actor Pierce Brosnan). Despite Ireland being part of the British Isles, Irish citizens aren't eligible for a "substantive" knighthood. This means he cannot be addressed as Sir Bono, unlike British citizens like Sir Elton John and Sir Patrick Stewart. In 2005, the same year Bono shared the title of TIME Magazine's Person(s) of the Year with Bill and Melinda Gates, he was awarded an honorary knighthood by the British ambassador to Ireland for his humanitarian work. The ceremony, held in Dublin, his hometown, made the occasion even more meaningful.

4. and 5. Bill and Melinda Gates

Bill Gates, who manages vast sums of wealth that most people can barely imagine, is also an honorary knight of the British Empire. In 2005, he was honored for his many contributions, including the creation of 2,000 British jobs through Microsoft and the $210 million in scholarships from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Cambridge University for international graduate students. This was just a small part of the $750 million the Foundation later gave to help establish Gavi (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation), highlighting the couple's commitment to improving public health in developing countries.

6. Ralph Lauren

In 2018, Ralph Lauren became the first American fashion designer to be awarded an honorary knighthood. His company, the Ralph Lauren Corporation, funded The Ralph Lauren Centre for Breast Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and two additional cancer centers in the U.S. British Consul General Antony Phillipson praised Lauren's dedication to public health and his role in strengthening transatlantic cultural and economic ties, calling him a "pioneer for the global fashion industry." Lauren’s influence extends to celebrities like Duchess Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, both of whom wear his designs. One of Princess Diana’s most iconic outfits—a beaded, white halter gown—was a Lauren creation, worn by her at a fundraiser for his first cancer hospital.

7. Angelina Jolie

Although Angelina Jolie is best known for her Oscar-winning acting career, her royal recognition was not for her work in Hollywood. The Order of St. Michael and St. George, which was originally established to honor officers in the Napoleonic Wars, has since been broadened to reward "extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country." Jolie was appointed to this prestigious order in 2014 in recognition of her extensive humanitarian efforts, particularly her work with the United Nations and the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.

The announcement of Jolie's honor came at the same time she co-chaired the End Sexual Violence in Conflict global summit in London. During this event, she expressed her gratitude upon receiving the news and reiterated her commitment to dedicating her professional life to foreign policy. She was officially awarded the title in a private audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

8. Pelé

Given soccer's revered status as the national pastime in the UK (though technically, cricket holds the title of national sport), it is not surprising that several professional footballers are recipients of Britain’s highest chivalric honors, along with numerous OBEs like David Beckham. Pelé, the legendary Brazilian footballer, former Minister of Sport, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, was once named FIFA's "greatest footballer in the history of the game." While his honorary KBE was awarded for his activism, particularly in ecology and the environment as a UN ambassador, his Guinness World Record for most career goals (1,283) likely added to the recognition.

In 2017, two decades after receiving his knighthood, Pelé shared a nostalgic photo of himself proudly holding his medal, reflecting that the moment would "stay always in [his] memory."

9. and 10. Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg

In a remarkable demonstration of international diplomacy, Queen Elizabeth II honored former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani with an honorary knighthood in 2002. The formal announcement was made by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, on Giuliani's home turf, where he expressed his nation’s gratitude for Giuliani’s "outstanding help and support to the bereaved British families" following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Giuliani later made his way to Buckingham Palace, where he joined other honorees in front of the Queen. She personally expressed her appreciation for his leadership and humorously wished him "less stress in [his] life now."

Michael Bloomberg, another prominent former NYC mayor, was also named an honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire for his "prodigious entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors." Bloomberg called the distinction "especially meaningful" as he had long regarded Britain as a "second home." While his official investiture occurred in 2015, it was reported by The New York Times that, in jest, a person had once celebrated the opening of Bloomberg's London office by donning full military regalia and ceremoniously knighted him with a sword.

11. Plácido Domingo

2002 was a landmark year for renowned tenor Plácido Domingo. Shortly after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in July, the Spanish singer (one-third of the celebrated opera trio The Three Tenors, alongside José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti) was knighted by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in Washington, D.C. in October. At the age of 61, Domingo had already performed at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden for three decades, which he considered "among [his] greatest experiences." By the time of his investiture, he had sung 119 distinct operatic roles, a number unsurpassed in history. It only seemed fitting that Domingo had amassed such an impressive collection of honors to match his illustrious career.

12. Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

When the celebrated leading man Douglas Fairbanks Jr. passed away in 2000, British newspaper The Independent hailed him as "Hollywood royalty and knight of the realm." Despite never renouncing his American citizenship, Fairbanks dedicated much of his life to England. During World War II, he served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy under Lord Mountbatten and played a crucial role in several British-American joint operations. For his exemplary service, he was knighted by King George VI in 1949 for "furthering Anglo-American amity." After a break from acting, he moved to London, where he spent two decades entertaining distinguished figures, including members of the royal family. Ultimately, he retired to the iconic Palm Beach, Florida.

Not one to shy away from grandeur, Fairbanks fully embraced his honorary knighthood. Although he couldn't formally adopt the title of "Sir," he created a personalized coat of arms bearing the Latin motto Fides, Conatus et Fidelitas, meaning "Faith, Striving, and Loyalty," etched on a scroll. The design also prominently featured both a bald eagle and the circlet of the Order of the British Empire, an apt symbol for a man who cherished both nations.