What award was J.K. Rowling appointed to receive in the UK in 2001?

J.K. Rowling was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the UK in 2001.

The honour is commonly abbreviated OBE. Rowling received it for services to children’s literature, a recognition that followed the international success of the Harry Potter books. The appointment was included in the 2001 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The Order of the British Empire has several grades. An OBE is the third-highest ordinary grade in the order, below Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Commander. It is distinct from an MBE, or Member, and a CBE, or Commander.

Rowling has received many other honours and awards, including literary prizes and honorary degrees. The OBE is one of her best-known official British distinctions, but it did not make her a dame or a commander of the order.