J.K. Rowling received an OBE, or Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in 2001 for services to children’s literature. The honor was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
The recognition came while the Harry Potter books were becoming a global publishing phenomenon. By that point, the series had already attracted major sales and awards, and Rowling’s work had helped renew interest in long children’s novels among many young readers.
An OBE is one rank within the Order of the British Empire. It is not the same as an MBE, which is a lower rank, or a CBE, which is a higher rank. Rowling later received other public honors and awards, but the 2001 recognition specifically was an OBE.