What honor did J.K. Rowling receive in the UK in 2001?

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

The honor was announced in the 2001 Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to children’s literature. In the UK honours system, Officer of the Order of the British Empire is commonly abbreviated to OBE. It is a specific rank, distinct from the lower MBE and the higher CBE.

Rowling’s appointment came after the publication of the first four Harry Potter novels and during the rapid expansion of the series’ international readership. It is sometimes described loosely as a knighthood or damehood, but those are different honors and titles. Rowling was not made a dame by this appointment; the formal recognition was an OBE.