Ralph Lauren to receive British knighthood

PanARMENIAN.Net - On Wednesday, November 14, WWD reported Queen Elizabeth II named Ralph Lauren an Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Lauren, who celebrated 50 years in business in September, now can request to be called Ralph Lauren KBE, if he wishes, CNN says.

Antony Phillipson, Queen Elizabeth's Trade Commissioner for North America and British Consul General to New York, says Lauren earned the honor because "in fashion, business and philanthropy," he has played a "key role in forging transatlantic cultural and economic connections." Phillipson went on to call the designer a "vanguard for the global fashion industry and American style for nearly half a century."

This isn't Queen Elizabeth's first time awarding a designer this year. In February, the Queen sat front row next to Anna Wintour at Richard Quinn's AW18 presentation, where she was on hand to present the designer with the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.

Lauren is the first American fashion designer to receive such an award; among the rare group of Americans similarly celebrated by the British monarchy, he's now in the company of Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, former New York City Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph Giuliani, Angelina Jolie, Steven Spielberg, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Angela Ahrendts. Lauren's honorary knighthood insignia will be presented by one of the Queen's men at a ceremony next year.