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href="/low/english/entertainment/newsid_1142000/1142446.stm">Low Graphics</a></DIV></FONT> </TD> <TD><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH=5 HEIGHT=200 ALT=""></TD> <TD VALIGN=TOP> <SPAN CLASS="date">Tuesday, 30 January, 2001, 12:20 GMT </SPAN> <DIV CLASS="headlinestory"><B>Spielberg receives Royal honour</B><BR></DIV> <FONT FACE="sans-serif" SIZE="2">  <DIV CLASS="inlineimage"> <IMG alt="Steven Spielberg and British ambassador Christopher Meyer" vspace=0 border=0 width="315" height="180" src="/olmedia/1140000/images/_1143953_spielberg300.jpg"> <DIV CLASS="caption"><SMALL>Steven Spielberg receives his honorary knighthood</SMALL><BR></DIV> </DIV>  <DIV CLASS="bodytext">Director Steven Spielberg has received an honorary knighthood in a ceremony at the British Embassy in Washington. <P> The director of Schindler's List and ET said he was surprised by the honour, describing it as the fulfilment of a childhood dream. <P> </FONT><TABLE ALIGN="RIGHT" CELLSPACING="0" BGCOLOR="#FFFFCC" WIDTH="150" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3">  <TR><TD><IMG SRC="/furniture/startquote.gif" WIDTH=23 HEIGHT=18 BORDER=0 VALIGN="TOP" ALT=""><BR><DIV CLASS="boxbody"> This is the stuff that all of our childhood fantasies come from </DIV><IMG ALIGN="RIGHT" SRC="/furniture/endquote.gif" WIDTH=23 HEIGHT=18 BORDER=0 VALIGN="ABSBOTTOM" ALT=""><BR CLEAR=ALL></TD></TR>  <TR><TD BGCOLOR="CCCC99"><DIV CLASS="boxhead"> Steven Spielberg </DIV></TD></TR></TABLE><FONT FACE="sans-serif" SIZE="2"> <P> He was the awarded the knighthood by British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer to recognise Spielberg's "unique and outstanding contribution to international film". <P> "The truth is, I stand before you now and I'm a knight," said Spielberg afterwards. <P> He added: "This is the stuff that all of our childhood fantasies come from. You know, courtliness, civility and honour." <P><B>Important contribution</B> <P> Sir Christopher said the knighthood recognised, in particular, "his services to the entertainment industry of the United Kingdom". <P> Spielberg, 53, has not become Sir Steven, as he is not a British citizen, but will be able to use the letters KBE after his name, for Knight of the British Empire. <P> Honorary knighthoods are conferred by the Queen, on the advice of the foreign secretary, on those who have made an important contribution to relations between their country and the UK. <P> </FONT><TABLE CELLSPACING="3" ALIGN="RIGHT" WIDTH="154" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3"><TR><TD><FONT FACE="sans-serif" SIZE="2"> <DIV CLASS="inlineimage"> <IMG alt="Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw " vspace="0" border=0 width="150" height="180" src="/olmedia/1140000/images/_1143953_apcapstick150.jpg"> <DIV CLASS="caption"><SMALL>Spielberg and wife Kate Capshaw were guests at a special dinner </SMALL><BR></DIV> </DIV> </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><FONT FACE="sans-serif" SIZE="2"> "Mr Spielberg's career has had a global impact. But the impact in the United Kingdom stands out," Sir Christopher added. <P> Spielberg's films have helped double cinema admissions in Britain since the early 80s and his movies rank among the most successful of all time. <P><B>'Cultural partnership'</B> <P> "Mr Spielberg epitomizes the cultural partnership between our two countries," Sir Christopher said. <P> Spielberg was joined by his actress wife Kate Capshaw, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former first lady, actress Holly Hunter and Senator John Warner, a Virginia Republican. <P> In a brief acceptance speech, Spielberg paid homage to British filmmakers who have influenced his work, including Alfred Hitchcock, Lord Attenborough and Carol Reed. <P> The director is due to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. <P> <B>Private dinner</B> <P> His latest film AI (Artificial Intelligence) is due to be released later this year. <P> The film director is not the first American to receive an honorary British knighthood. <P> Other recent recipients include former presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan, Secretary of State designate Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf, comedian Bob Hope, and conductor Andre Previn. <P> The ceremony took place after a private dinner for Spielberg and his family with the British ambassador. <P> He did not have to kneel or be tapped on each shoulder with a sword, as is the practice with full knighthoods. <P> </DIV> </FONT> </TD> <TD><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH=10 HEIGHT=1 ALT=""></TD> <TD VALIGN=TOP><TABLE WIDTH=170 BGCOLOR="#CCCCCC" BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0> <TR><TD BGCOLOR="#666699" COLSPAN="2" CLASS="avheader"> WATCH/LISTEN</TD></TR> <TR><TD BGCOLOR="#000000" COLSPAN="2"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="170" HEIGHT="1" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD></TR> <TR><TD BGCOLOR="#9999CC" COLSPAN="2" CLASS="avsubheader"> ON THIS STORY</TD></TR> <TR> <TD BGCOLOR="#9999CC"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="1" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#9999CC"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="155" HEIGHT="1" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD> </TR> <TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><IMG SRC="/furniture/blue_video.gif" WIDTH="12" HEIGHT="8" BORDER="0" VSPACE="3" HSPACE="1"></TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP"> <A href="/olmedia/1140000/video/_1144387_spielberg20_ahmad_vi.ram"> <SPAN CLASS="tighterB"> The BBC's Tazeen Ahmad<BR> </SPAN> </A> <SPAN CLASS="avtext"> "His glow in the dark finger pointing alien captured hearts in every strata of society"<BR CLEAR="ALL"> </SPAN> </TD></TR> <TR><TD COLSPAN="2"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="170" HEIGHT="2" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD></TR> <TR><TD VALIGN="TOP"><IMG SRC="/furniture/blue_video.gif" WIDTH="12" HEIGHT="8" BORDER="0" VSPACE="3" HSPACE="1"></TD> <TD VALIGN="TOP"> <A href="/olmedia/1140000/video/_1144387_spielberg13_sillito_vi.ram"> <SPAN CLASS="tighterB"> The BBC's David Sillito<BR> </SPAN> </A> <SPAN CLASS="avtext"> "He'll be able to use the letters KBE after his name"<BR CLEAR="ALL"> </SPAN> </TD></TR> <TR><TD COLSPAN="2"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="170" HEIGHT="2" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD></TR> </TD></TR> <TR><TD BGCOLOR="#000000" COLSPAN="2"><IMG SRC="/furniture/nothing.gif" WIDTH="170" HEIGHT="1" BORDER="0" ALT=""></TD></TR> </TABLE> <FONT FACE="sans-serif" SIZE="2"> <DIV CLASS="puffbox"></DIV> <DIV CLASS="rhslist"><DIV CLASS="rhshead"><B>See also:</B><BR><IMG SRC="/furniture/grey_pixel.gif" WIDTH=170 VSPACE="2" HEIGHT=1 ALT=""><BR></DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><SPAN CLASS="seealsodate">29 Dec 00 | Entertainment</SPAN><BR> <A HREF="/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_1092000/1092161.stm" CLASS="heavy">Steven Spielberg: Movie man</A> </DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><SPAN CLASS="seealsodate">05 Nov 00 | Entertainment</SPAN><BR> <A HREF="/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_1008000/1008141.stm" CLASS="heavy">Britain honours movie king</A> </DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><SPAN CLASS="seealsodate">21 Sep 00 | Entertainment</SPAN><BR> <A HREF="/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_935000/935360.stm" CLASS="heavy">Spielberg and Scorsese 'form dream team'</A> </DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><SPAN CLASS="seealsodate">01 Feb 00 | Entertainment</SPAN><BR> <A HREF="/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_626000/626955.stm" CLASS="heavy">Spielberg's top directing honour</A> </DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><SPAN CLASS="seealsodate">04 Jan 01 | Northern Ireland</SPAN><BR> <A HREF="/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1100000/1100205.stm" CLASS="heavy">Spielberg accused in movie row</A> </DIV> </DIV> <DIV CLASS="rhslist"> <DIV CLASS="rhshead"><B>Internet links:</B><BR><IMG SRC="/furniture/grey_pixel.gif" WIDTH=170 VSPACE="2" HEIGHT=1 ALT=""><BR></DIV> <DIV CLASS="aitem"><A href="http://www.britainusa.com/" CLASS="heavy">British Embassy in Washington</A></DIV><DIV CLASS="aitem"><A href="http://www.dreamworks.com/" CLASS="heavy">Dreamworks</A></DIV> <SPAN CLASS="disclaimer"><BR>The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet 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