Non-British citizens can be knighted by the British Crown, but the award comes in a different form. Foreign nationals receive an honorary knighthood or damehood rather than a substantive one. That single word changes what the recipient walks away with: the insignia and post-nominal letters, yes; the title “Sir” or “Dame” and the sword-tap ceremony, no.1The Royal Family. Knighthoods and Damehoods
What an Honorary Knighthood Actually Gives You
Three practical things separate an honorary award from a substantive one.
The title is the first. Substantive recipients gain the legal right to place “Sir” or “Dame” before their name. Honorary recipients do not. An American or French citizen who receives an honorary knighthood remains “Mr.” or “Ms.” in formal British usage.1The Royal Family. Knighthoods and Damehoods Whether the title can be used informally at home depends on the recipient’s own country, but the British system itself does not grant it.
The ceremony is the second. In a substantive investiture, the monarch taps the recipient on each shoulder with a sword. Honorary recipients are not dubbed. They still attend an investiture and receive their insignia, but the sword stays put.1The Royal Family. Knighthoods and Damehoods
The post-nominal letters are the third, and here the honorary recipient does get something tangible. Both substantive and honorary knights and dames are entitled to place the relevant letters after their name. An honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire can write “KBE” after their name in exactly the same way a substantive recipient can.2The Gazette. American Citizens With Honorary British Knighthoods and Damehoods
Who Counts as British for a Substantive Award
Substantive knighthoods and damehoods are reserved for British citizens and citizens of Commonwealth realms — the countries where King Charles III serves as Head of State. That group includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and roughly ten others. Hold citizenship in any of them and you are eligible for a full substantive honour with the “Sir” or “Dame” title attached.3GOV.UK. Nominate Someone for an Honour or Award
Dual nationality shifts the picture. If one of your citizenships is British, the honours system treats you as British and you qualify for a substantive award regardless of your other passport.2The Gazette. American Citizens With Honorary British Knighthoods and Damehoods
There is also a route for people whose status changes after the fact. An honorary recipient who later becomes a British citizen can apply to convert the award to a substantive one. Conversion is not automatic; you have to apply for it. Once granted, the recipient gains the right to use “Sir” or “Dame.”2The Gazette. American Citizens With Honorary British Knighthoods and Damehoods
How Honorary Awards Are Nominated
Honorary awards don’t move through the same domestic committees as substantive ones. They are handled by the Honours Secretariat within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Anyone can submit a nomination, and the FCDO vets it before making a recommendation to the monarch.4UK Honours System. How to Nominate – UK Honours System Honorary knighthoods typically recognize contributions that benefit the United Kingdom, strengthen international relations, or represent extraordinary global achievement.1The Royal Family. Knighthoods and Damehoods
A Constitutional Wrinkle for American Recipients
Americans face a restriction most other nationalities don’t. The U.S. Constitution bars anyone holding a federal office from accepting a title from a foreign state without the consent of Congress.5Congress.gov. Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 – Titles of Nobility and Foreign Emoluments Private citizens and retired officials have accepted honorary British knighthoods without legal difficulty, since the restriction applies to current officeholders. A sitting senator or cabinet secretary would need Congressional approval first.
Non-British Citizens Who Have Been Knighted
The roster of honorary recipients includes some familiar names. U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush all received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg were made honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Angelina Jolie received an honorary damehood in the Order of St Michael and St George for her humanitarian work, and Melinda Gates received hers in the Order of the British Empire.2The Gazette. American Citizens With Honorary British Knighthoods and Damehoods None of them use “Sir” or “Dame” in the British system. All are entitled to the post-nominal letters.