The former mayor and forever billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who has an apartment in London, was bestowed the title Honorary Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his “prodigious entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavours, and the many ways in which they have benefited the United Kingdom and the UK-US special relationship,” the Brits announced today. But don’t call him “Sir.”
Because Mr. Bloomberg is not a British citizen, he cannot be referred to as “Sir” in the common parlance of knighthood. But he “may forthwith put ‘K.B.E.’ after his name if he wishes,” the announcement said, signifying his status as a knight of the British Empire.
Even Bloomberg money, it turns out, can’t buy you into the Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen clique.
