Dame Angelina…. It has quite a ring to it doesn’t it?
So, Laura Croft has finally got her gong having survived innumerable death defying escapades.
The British Gazette has three comments about this particular gong to this particular lady.
Firstly, let us debunk the nonsense about this being an “honorary knighthood.” There is no such thing! One is either a member of an order of chivalry of knight rank or one is not. Citizenship has nothing whatsoever to do with it! Then why do Westminster politicians persist in using this phrase?
Political sensibilities. At the end of World War Two when the gongs were being handed out, his late Majesty, King George VI wished to honour the senior officers of the USA. Thus Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur became GCB (Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath). Being US citizens they did not use the title “Sir.” US political sensibilities meant that these were sometimes referred to in the USA as honorary knighthoods. When the Irish Citizen Bob Geldorf was invested the same, the Irish political sensibilities ensured that the term honorary knighthood was used.
Secondly – and this is no criticism of Dame Angelina – is the embarrassing behaviour of Cameron and Hague. These two have been seen acting like overawed and over excited schoolboys in her presence. Of course, Dame Angelina will be quite accustomed to such fawning – it is for her an occupational hazard. However, when such is performed by Ministers of the Crown, it reflects on us.
Thirdly, notwithstanding the comment above, this particular honour is not undeserved. Dame Angelina has lent her prominence to a very serious cause and has been prepared to venture into some dangerous corners of the world were life is very cheap and has “put her head above this particular parapet.” This organ salutes her.
Speaking the Truth unto the Nation
I was quite shocked at the Foreign Secretary’s fawning. Shocked and disappointed.
As you say, she well deserves recognition for the work she is doing.