What honor did J.R.R. Tolkien receive from Queen Elizabeth II in 1972?

J.R.R. Tolkien was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972.

The appointment gave him the post-nominal letters CBE. It was announced in the 1972 New Year Honours, and Tolkien received the insignia from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace later that year.

The CBE is the third-highest rank in the Order of the British Empire, below Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander. It is therefore not the same as a knighthood. Tolkien is sometimes described informally as “Sir Tolkien,” but he was not knighted and did not use the title “Sir.”

The honor came after the publication of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings had made Tolkien internationally famous. He died in 1973, only about a year after receiving the decoration.