It’s a common mistaken belief that Americans are not permitted to accept knighthoods. I mean, it follows a logical chain of thought. The British were the enemy once, they tried to rule America and knights of the British empire are the foremost servants of the British cause, so how can an honest American ever agree to a knighthood.
The answer my friend blows in the winds of politics that can change course to dodge and dribble past all questions of logic, propriety, sense. In this case, Ted will not be kneeling in front of the queen and she won’t be tapping him with a Gillette blade, so its not going to be a proper knighthood; it’s just and honorary one. Let me tell you that once when the sun never set on the British empire; titles such as K.B.E and O.B.E were a great lure to get people on the British side. Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Bill Gates, Rudi Guiliani, Billy Graham, Alan Greenspan are just some of the many famous Americans to have been knighted. They cannot however add “Sir” to their names. Trust the cousins from across the pond to hold back on the sugar.
Basically there’s nothing to stop Edward Kennedy from accepting the honorary knighthood and becoming a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Ted Kennedy is a member of the powerful Irish-American political dynasty and he is being rewarded for his role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland. But surely, by accepting the award Edward Kennedy has rubbed a few people the wrong way and this includes Republicans, Irish Americans, and a few Irishmen as well.
Comments
No comments.