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Bob Iger Named Knight of British Empire by Late Queen Elizabeth II

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger has been decorated as an Honorary Knight of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, who approved the award prior to her death.

The honorary award given to recipients who are not U.K. citizens is the second-highest rank in the order and is designated for individuals who have made “a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity,” per the Honours’ website. According to the official citation, Iger was recognized for his contributions to U.S.-U.K. relations.

He was joined in receiving the honor Friday by John Williams, the conductor and composer behind the “Harry Potter” and Indiana Jones franchises, along with many other of Steven Spielberg’s most popular works.

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“These last few weeks we have been reminded of the extraordinary life and service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is truly special and one of the great honors of my life to have the honorary Knight of the British Empire conferred on me by her before she passed,” Iger said in a statement.

“Our two nations share a strong bond, which I have seen up close over many years through my deep personal and professional connections to the United Kingdom. I have great affection for the people of the UK, and have always appreciated and been inspired by their extraordinary contributions, particularly in the creative arts.”

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Other foreign nationals honored with various awards on Friday include Costa Rican diplomat and international climate leader Christiania Figueres; Englishmen Benjamin Barkow, who served as the Chief Executive Director of the Wiener Holocaust Library for 20 years; and Verena Katharina Hefti, the CEO and founder of British gender equality foundation Leaders Plus.

Among the American honorees, former congressman George Holding (R-NC) was recognized for his services to U.K. and U.S. relations, as was Oliver Franklin, Honorary Consul for Great Philadelphia and Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation.

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