Dame Maggie Smith received the prestigious
Order of the Companions of Honour this week, for her incredible acting career, ranging from two Oscar wins down to her work
Harry Potter and the current series
Downton Abbey. Photos of Smith getting the honour from Queen Elizabeth II during an during an investiture at Windsor Castle can be seen here.
Quote:
The Order of the Companions of Honour was instituted in 1917 by George V at the same time as the Order of the British Empire was founded, and it is sometimes regarded as a junior class of the Order of Merit.
Recipients include painter Lucian Freud, Professor Stephen Hawking, naturalist Sir David Attenborough, painter David Hockney, historian Dr Eric Hobsbawm, politicians Sir John Major and Lord Patten of Barnes, General John de Chastelain, dramatist Harold Pinter, conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, the Reverend Chad Varah, and scientist Professor Anthony Pawson.
The order confers no knighthood or other status, but recipients of this one-class order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'CH'.
Many congratulations in order to Dame Maggie Smith, who was already 'knighted' as a dame years ago.