King Charles not only mentioned BLACKPINK in his speech, but also awarded the group with special honors
On November 21 (local time), BLACKPINK participated in the state banquet held at Buckingham Palace and received special recognition from King Charles III of the United Kingdom.
The state banquet was held to welcome the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, the First Lady, and the delegation, and BLACKPINK was among the honorary guests invited to the event.
In his speech, King Charles mentioned the members of BLACKPINK by name, saying, “It is especially inspiring to see Korea’s younger generation embrace the cause,” King Charles said. “I applaud Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé, better known collectively as BLACKPINK, for their role in bringing the message of environmental sustainability to a global audience as Ambassadors for the U.K.’s Presidency of COP 26, and later as advocates for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.”
Alongside this honorary mention, King Charles also bestowed Roseanne Park (Rosé), Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim, and Lalisa Manoban (Lisa) with the title of Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) to recognize the band’s role as ambassadors for the COP26 summit/
Significance of MBE honors
The United Kingdom has a system of awards for individuals through Honors, Medals, and Orders to recognize their contributions, service, or bravery. These honors are typically announced and awarded twice a year by the monarch, and the list includes knights and dames. The specific medal awarded varies based on the individual’s achievements.
The MBE medal received by the four members of BLACKPINK ranks third in the system of honorary medals in the United Kingdom (excluding knighthoods/damehoods), following the CBE – Commander of the Order of the British Empire and OBE – Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
It is known that the MBE medal is often awarded to individuals with outstanding achievements or contributions that have a significant and lasting impact on the community.
Prior to BLACKPINK, many other celebrities have also been awarded the MBE medal, including the singers Adele and Ed Sheeran, footballer Harry Kane, and football manager and former player Steven Gerrard.
