Posted on 10/13/2001 5:04:47 PM PDT by Walkin Man
Giuliani Said to Get British Honor
By Associated Press
LONDON -- New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani will be given an honorary knighthood for his leadership following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, British news reports said Saturday.
The national news agency Press Association, attributing its story to an unidentified source, said Queen Elizabeth II or her representative would bestow the title on Giuliani in recognition of his compassion toward British victims.
Buckingham Palace could not confirm the report because it was a matter for Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, which selects the people to be honored. And Blair's 10 Downing St. office said it was not in a position to confirm the report.
But the Sunday Telegraph, usually well-informed on royal matters, quoted an unidentified Buckingham Palace official as saying, "The queen believes that Rudolph Giuliani was an inspiration to political leaders around the world as well as to his city. She was grateful for his support for Britons bereaved by the tragedy and feels that this will also be a gesture of solidarity between America and Britain.
"Her regard for Mayor Giuliani is reflected in her desire to present the honor in person at Buckingham Palace," the official was quoted as saying.
As an honorary knight and a foreign citizen, the mayor would not use the title 'Sir.'
Knighthoods and similar honors usually are announced twice a year -- at the New Year and in mid-June.
Other Americans who have received honorary knighthoods are former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, British-born actor Bob Hope, Secretary of State Colin Powell, film director Steven Spielberg and conductor Andre Previn.
All the more reason to bestow the honor upon him, because he has risen to the occassion even when it is a task no one would ever want to encounter. He did not run tail or leave the responsibiliity to anyone else. As a New York City resident I salute our mayor, a man of great sacrifice.
Way to go Sir Rudy!
Kewl idea, ah what?
I'll bet this TICKS OLD HILLARY OFF!!
And now for something totally different....
There's precedent: Other Americans so honored include Ronald Reagan and George Bush, British-born Bob Hope, Secretary of State Powell, Steven Spielberg and conductor Andre Previn. Each has received a medal proclaiming him an Honorary Knight of the British Empire.
There's no mention of Clinton. I wonder what chance he has now of knighthood.
In all likliehood, those words are probably true of virtually every Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient as well...I'm still glad they were there to do the things they did, and grateful that recognition was bestowed upon them.
Slim to none I'd say! (c:
Maybe bubba can be elected dog-catcher somewhere back in Arkansas.
By Joe Murphy, Political Editor (Filed: 14/10/2001)
RUDOLPH GIULIANI, the mayor of New York, is to be given an honorary knighthood for his leadership after the World Trade Centre tragedy.
The Queen will bestow the honour on him in recognition of the compassion he showed towards British victims of the terrorist attacks and his determination to get the city back on to its feet. The award was recommended to the Palace by Tony Blair.
As a mark of British esteem, she is expected to invite Mr Giuliani to Buckingham Palace to receive the honour, which will proclaim him a Knight Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The mayor will not be allowed to call himself Sir Rudi, however, because he is not a British citizen. The knighthood ceremony for foreigners is less elaborate and the Queen will not touch the Sword of State to his shoulders, as she would with a Briton.
Mr Giuliani joins a prestigious list of Americans given honorary knighthoods, including Ronald Reagan, the former US president, Bob Hope, the British-born actor, Colin Powell, the Secretary of State and Gulf War leader, and Steven Spielberg, the film director, and Andre Previn, the composer and musician.
A Buckingham Palace official said: "The Queen believes that Rudolph Giuliani was an inspiration to political leaders around the world as well as to his city."
The official added: "She was grateful for his suport for Britons bereaved by the tragedy and feels that this will also be a gesture of solidarity between America and Britain. Her regard for Mayor Giuliani is reflected in her desire to present the honour in person at Buckingham Palace."
After the attacks, Republican Mr Giuliani, 57, won acclaim for voicing the spirit of New York and rallying its citizens.
He visited Ground Zero, the site of the collapsed towers, immediately, prompting favourable comparisons with President Bush who did not travel to the city until later, and took a lead in supporting firefighters and police who led the rescue attempts.
Mr Giuliani is legally obliged to retire at the end of this year having served the maximum term of eight years in the post. Although he is still riding a wave of popularity since the disaster, he is no longer seeking an extension to his mayoralty.
The Queen is also expected to give honours to Bernard Kerik, the police commissioner of New York, and Thomas Von Essen, the city's fire commissioner, probably in the New Year List.
http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/14/wguil14.xml&sSheet=/news/2001/10/14/ixhome.html
Another story this is from the Telegraph, a British paper.
I saw the Coldstream Guards(?) playing our national anthem during the changing of the guard on TV. It was very moving, a large crowd of people were watching with tears in their eyes including the Queen, if I remember right.
I am so happy for Rudy and his police and fire commissioners. They are more than deserving of all honors bestowed upon them.
Yes I'm glad the NYC Police and Fire Dept will also be honored. They lost many men trying to rescue victims of the terror.
LOL, other people think so too, see reply 13! Hitlerly is heinous, isn't she?
Getting an honorary knighthood means nothing to a kid who survived being a Yankee fan in Brooklyn in the 1950's.
He is unopposed in his approach to The City.
He has also merely acted the way any human being should have acted, in this crisis. RG is NOT special because he tenders normal human feelings.
We praise RG bc his simple human decency needs to be praised, in our times.
It is precisely normal human decency which is the essence of America. RG does us no favor by recognizing it.
I think his decision to wimp out on the Senate seat may have proven his ambitions are far more deep than public office.
I don't deny for one moment the very genuine "My city kicks your city's ass" attitude of Rudy (I still have my button, as a matter of fact.)
I can imagine some mayors would have reacted differently. They would have gone into hiding. Rudy showed real courage and real leadership when it was really needed. He had the freedom to move around and speak in a way Bush could not. I'm glad he was there.
Notwithstanding the actions of her family, HRH has more class in her pinky finger than most elected officials could ever dream of in an entire lifetime. 4 years ago during her arrival for the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of John Cabot's (or Giovanni Caboto's) discovery of Canada, she went out of her way to greet the Aboriginal delegation, which was not invited, but came to quietly remind that with the arrival of the Europeans came the extinction of the Newfoundland Beothuk and the beginning of the displacement and marginalization of Native Peoples. While the politicians awkwardly ignored them, the Queen went right to Ovide Mercredi, leader of the Assembly of First Nations, to tell him how happy she was that they came.
IMO, as long as she sits on the throne, the republican movement in Canada will not gain an inch. She is my head of state.
The Queen remembers the Blitz well. Buckingham Palace copped a few.
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