Bloomberg Bestowed With Honorary Knighthood
Just don’t call him ‘sir’
October 07, 2014
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on September 28, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (David Buchan/Getty Images for Masters Grand Slam Indoor)
The Queen of England bestowed one of the highest honors upon former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg: She named him an honorary knight, citing his “prodigious entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors, and the many ways in which they have benefited the United Kingdom and the U.K.-U.S. special relationship.”
But since Bloomberg isn’t a British citizen, he misses out on one of the main perks of knighthood.
Bloomberg, alas, “cannot be referred to as ‘sir’ in the common parlance of knighthood,” the New York Times explains. (See: Sir Ian McKellen; Sir Paul McCartney; regular Michael Bloomberg).
Still, it’s high praise coming from Her Royal Majesty. Mazel tov to the former hizzoner (rhymes with sir!).
Stephanie Butnick is the founder of GOLDA, a Jewish lifestyle newsletter. She hosted the Tablet podcast Unorthodox, co-authored The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia: From Abraham to Zabar’s and Everything in Between, and worked as a writer and editor at Tablet.
