J.K. Rowling received an OBE, or Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in 2001.
The honor recognized her services to children’s literature and was announced in the 2001 Queen’s Birthday Honours. Rowling received the award during a period when the Harry Potter books had become an international publishing phenomenon, but the honor also reflected the books’ impact on children’s reading.
An OBE is one rank within the Order of the British Empire. It is below a CBE and does not confer the title “Dame.” Rowling has received other awards and honors, including the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2010, but those are separate from the 2001 OBE.