J.K. Rowling was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, in the 2001 New Year Honours.
The honour recognised her services to children’s literature. Rowling had become internationally famous after the publication of the first four Harry Potter novels, and the series had already developed a large readership in Britain and abroad. An OBE is a grade within the United Kingdom’s Order of the British Empire.
The honours system has several grades, which are often confused. MBE means Member of the Order of the British Empire, while CBE means Commander of the Order of the British Empire. OBE sits above MBE and below CBE. “Damehood” is not the correct description of Rowling’s 2001 honour.
Rowling received other recognition during her career, including the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2010. The OBE was an official national honour, whereas prizes such as the British Book Awards were literary awards presented by particular organisations.