J.K. Rowling received an OBE in the UK 2001 New Year Honours.
The award was an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, abbreviated OBE. It recognized her services to children’s literature. Rowling had already become an international publishing success by that time, with the Harry Potter books attracting readers in Britain and around the world.
The Order of the British Empire has several ranks. An OBE is below a CBE and above an MBE, so it is not accurate to describe this honor as a CBE or a damehood. Rowling later received other distinctions, including the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award in 2010.
The New Year Honours are announced in the United Kingdom as part of a system recognizing achievements and service. Rowling’s OBE is separate from honorary degrees, literary prizes, and awards given to the Harry Potter books themselves.