Performers, fashion icons… and now honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) — that’s BLACKPINK’s growing list of achievements. If you’re curious about what this new honorary title entails, read on.
BLACKPINK were given honorary titles as Members of the Order of the British Empire by King Charles III. (Photo from: @theroyalfamily)
What is an MBE?
On 22 November during a Buckingham Palace ceremony, the South Korean quartet — formed by Kim Jisoo, Kim Jennie, Park Roseanne (Rosé), and Lalisa Manoban (Lisa) — was bestowed as new honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire or MBEs. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who were on an official state visit, were also present during the ceremony.
An MBE award is given to individuals who have made an outstanding achievement or service to the community. This Royal Honour — of which there are many tiers and this one, in particular, is typically given to members of the entertainment industry — comes to people who “have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their work or community and benefitted others through their achievements, wherever these are.” Other notable figures who have this award include Adele and Ed Sheeran.
An MBE is not equal to getting a title or a knighthood, which belongs to another tier of the Honours System of the United Kingdom. It’s still pretty symbolic and a big deal to get one.
So how did the BLACKPINK members qualify? In case you didn’t know, the K-pop singers were advocates for the 2021 COP26 Summit in Glasgow. They were appointed to the role by the UK government in January 2021, where the members worked to encourage millions of youth to engage with the global UN climate change conference and the topic of climate action.
MBE roles, benefits, and more
Aside from the social honour it adds to your name, a Royal Honour of this kind will give you a wider platform to talk about the cause or campaign you have been honoured for. In the case of the BLACKPINK members, they will now be able to advocate for further discussions on the importance of climate action. Of course, they’re also expected to continue to be role models in society.
However, did you know that there are other lesser-known perks that come with an MBE? One of these is being given access to a special chapel in the famous St. Paul’s Cathedral called St. Faith’s Chapel. The chapel is reserved for the exclusive use of individuals who have been awarded MBEs, Officers of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBEs), Commanders of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBEs), Knighthoods or Damehoods. Technically, the BLACKPINK singers can get married here and even have their children baptised in the chapel should they want to.
The girls certainly deserved this honour and we know that they’ll continue to inspire their fans to act for positive change. Congratulations, BLACKPINK!
(Cover photo from: @theroyalfamily)
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