Ted Kennedy Awarded British Knighthood

(AP)  He won't be allowed to call himself Sir Ted, but U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has been awarded an honorary knighthood by Britain.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the honor Wednesday during an address to a joint session of Congress in Washington. Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, did not attend Brown's speech.

Brown said Kennedy had helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, expand health care for Americans and improve access to education for children around the world.

"And for all those things we owe a great debt to the life and courage of Sen. Edward Kennedy," Brown said.

Brown referred to the senator as "Sir Edward Kennedy," although unlike British knights he is not entitled to use the honorific "Sir" before his name.

Knighthoods are bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II, but recipients are selected by the government or an advisory committee.

Kennedy, scion of an Irish-American political dynasty, is known in Britain for his involvement in the long process that led to Northern Ireland's 1998 Good Friday peace accord.

The 77-year-old brother of the late President John F. Kennedy has served in the Senate since 1962.

In a statement, Kennedy said he was "deeply grateful to her majesty the queen and to Prime Minister Brown for this extraordinary honor." Kennedy, whose father, Joseph Kennedy, was U.S. ambassador to Britain between 1938 and 1940, called the knighthood "a reflection not only of my public life, but of things that profoundly matter to me as an individual."

Other Americans to receive honorary knighthoods include Microsoft chief Bill Gates, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.

Local Video from WBZ in Boston

---

[harbinger19]

That's nice. Maybe they should give him an Oscar and a Tony too. It appears to be the standard action these days--to give the dead and dying lots of accolades and gifts and call them heroes--when most are not heroes (since hero used to mean saving someone) and all will have absolutely no used for a fvcking Oscar, Knighthood, or Tony--where they are headed. It would be better to give Kennedy, Ledger and others some "worm be gone" to keep them from feeding on their corpses.

[cmp271]

Is the Queen out of her mind. Not only has she Knighted a murderer, Kennedy, but former drug addict Rock singers. What a joke this honour has become.

The Kennedy's will be a glad to see them go dynasty.

Maybe Ted will give her a ride home, like Elizabi-t-c-h gave Diana a ride in Paris!!!!

[BigEasyNative]

Some people think we have a queen as president. Maybe one day he will admit he was born in Kenya and has another life.

[BigEasyNative]

I think it is a good thing that Kennedy has a sword to fall on, when he realizes that most people think he left Mary Jo to drown!

[quapawsix]

That will be a slap in the face of every American since the revolution if he accepts this, how dare the figure head Queen, who does she think she is and if Ted takes this then he is a traitor to the country and the Flag and every American who has ever given their life to defend this country.
Down with the Queen.

[whitemale08]

Elizabeth is a nobody and how dare she call herself a 'queen'.

President Obama must not fall for this garbage if he's picked to be the next one.

The British oligarchy is nothing but a lazy bunch of financial parasites that have looted Africa, America and now the world!

To be recognized by these phonies in clown make-up and costume should be an insult to all Americans.

Let these oligarchs give return all of the money they've looted an go jump in the un-employment line like everyone else.

[billpl-2009]

Knights are supposed to be men of honor.

No man of honor would leave a helpless woman to drown.

He should have declined the offer.

[staycalm]

From Charles and Diana to London's skanky teenagers, the sun has certainly set on the once great British Empire.

[zeitmin77]

This is probably a gift by the British to get on the right side of Obama.

[platteman]

Guess the best health care money can buy didn't help the old fat drunk.
Now Knighthood, for a killer.

I am sure that Mary Jo is looking down from heaven and wondering why??