Annie Lennox © Associated Press Annie Lennox Annie Lennox honored by queen for charity work Dec. 30, 2010, 7:01 PM EST LONDON (AP) -- Sweet dreams are made of this for Annie Lennox, honored by Queen Elizabeth II in the monarch's New Year list of awards. Bing: Who are the most charitable celebs? The statuesque Scottish singer, who came to fame in the 1980s with the duo Eurythmics, was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for her work with charities fighting AIDS and poverty in Africa. She is an ambassador for development group Oxfam, and founded the SING campaign to help women and children with HIV. Related: What were the top albums of 2010? Lennox said she was "getting my fake leopard pillbox hat dusted and ready" for the Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony. "As somewhat of a renegade, it either means I've done something terribly right — or they've done something terribly wrong," she said. More: Music's most shocking moments of the year Lennox, 56, is among several 1980s icons honored in Friday's list. Fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, creator of that decade's oversized "Choose Life" slogan T-shirts, and Grammy-winning music producer Trevor Horn, who honed the futuristic sound of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, were both named Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE. Also: 2010's musical hits and misses Britain's honors are bestowed twice a year by the monarch — at New Year's and on her official birthday in June — but recipients are selected by committees of civil servants from nominations made by the government and the public. In descending order, the honors are knighthoods, CBE, OBE and MBE — Member of the Order of the British Empire. Knights are addressed as "sir" or "dame." Recipients of the other honors have no title but can put the letters after their names. Related: Who were the top-selling music artists of the year? Most of the honors go to people who are not in the limelight, for services to their community or industry, but they also reward a sprinkling of famous faces. Actor David Suchet — best known for playing Agatha Christie's Belgian detective Hercule Poirot on television — and actress Sheila Hancock both received CBEs. Other entertainers honored were veteran actor Burt Kwouk — best known as Cato in the "Pink Panther" movies — and folk-rock musician Richard Thompson. Both received OBEs. There also were OBEs for Academy Award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell ("Shakespeare in Love," "The Aviator") and movie director Andrea Arnold, whose gritty feature "Fish Tank" was a Cannes Film Festival prizewinner.
 © Associated Press Annie Lennox Annie Lennox honored by queen for charity work Dec. 30, 2010, 7:01 PM EST LONDON (AP) -- Sweet dreams are made of this for Annie Lennox, honored by Queen Elizabeth II in the monarch's New Year list of awards.Bing: Who are the most charitable celebs? The statuesque Scottish singer, who came to fame in the 1980s with the duo Eurythmics, was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for her work with charities fighting AIDS and poverty in Africa. She is an ambassador for development group Oxfam, and founded the SING campaign to help women and children with HIV. Related: What were the top albums of 2010? Lennox said she was "getting my fake leopard pillbox hat dusted and ready" for the Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony. "As somewhat of a renegade, it either means I've done something terribly right — or they've done something terribly wrong," she said. More: Music's most shocking moments of the year Lennox, 56, is among several 1980s icons honored in Friday's list. Fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, creator of that decade's oversized "Choose Life" slogan T-shirts, and Grammy-winning music producer Trevor Horn, who honed the futuristic sound of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, were both named Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE. Also: 2010's musical hits and misses Britain's honors are bestowed twice a year by the monarch — at New Year's and on her official birthday in June — but recipients are selected by committees of civil servants from nominations made by the government and the public. In descending order, the honors are knighthoods, CBE, OBE and MBE — Member of the Order of the British Empire. Knights are addressed as "sir" or "dame." Recipients of the other honors have no title but can put the letters after their names. Related: Who were the top-selling music artists of the year? Most of the honors go to people who are not in the limelight, for services to their community or industry, but they also reward a sprinkling of famous faces. Actor David Suchet — best known for playing Agatha Christie's Belgian detective Hercule Poirot on television — and actress Sheila Hancock both received CBEs. Other entertainers honored were veteran actor Burt Kwouk — best known as Cato in the "Pink Panther" movies — and folk-rock musician Richard Thompson. Both received OBEs. There also were OBEs for Academy Award-winning costume designer Sandy Powell ("Shakespeare in Love," "The Aviator") and movie director Andrea Arnold, whose gritty feature "Fish Tank" was a Cannes Film Festival prizewinner. |
