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On September 8, 2022, it was announced that England’s longest-ruling monarch — Queen Elizabeth II — had passed away after 70 years on the throne. While news of her passing was not unexpected — she was 96 years old — it was still a shock to many Britons, who had known her as the only ruler for their entire lives.
Many people took to social media to share their condolences with the Queen’s family and the people of Great Britain, including former Walt Disney CEO, Bob Iger, who shared some surprising, humbling, and exciting information.
Credit: Disney
According to Iger, before she passed away, Queen Elizabeth II had made Iger an honorary Knight of the British Empire. The official Honorary Awards were updated on September 23 and can be seen by clicking here.
It is one of the great honors of my life to have the honorary Knight of the British Empire conferred on me by Queen Elizabeth II before she passed. I have great affection for the people of the UK & have always appreciated and been inspired by their extraordinary contributions.
It is one of the great honors of my life to have the honorary Knight of the British Empire conferred on me by Queen Elizabeth II before she passed. I have great affection for the people of the UK & have always appreciated and been inspired by their extraordinary contributions.
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) September 24, 2022
Knighthood is bestowed upon people who are being honored for their service to their country. It is an honor given explicitly by the Queen — or King — if they feel certain criteria have been met. The monarch can also choose to provide the title of Honorary Knighthood to those who are not British citizens but have other significant achievements.
In the case of Bob Iger, the Queen made him an honorary Knight for his contributions to the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.
Credit: Disney
Iger was not the only one awarded honorary Knighthood who is known to Disney fans. John Williams — the creative genius behind scores to hit franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones — was also made an honorary Knight for his “services to film music”.
Iger stepped down from his role as CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2020 and took over the role of Executive Chairman — a role which he exited in December 2021. Disney Parks Chairman Bob Chapek took over for Iger as CEO, but his tenure has been full of missteps, and he has been unable to attain the popularity that Iger had in his more than 15 years as CEO.
