Which order did Queen Elizabeth II appoint J.K. Rowling to in 2001?

Queen Elizabeth II appointed J.K. Rowling an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2001.

The appointment recognized Rowling’s services to children’s literature. In the British honours system, Officer of the Order of the British Empire is commonly abbreviated OBE. It is one of the grades within the Order of the British Empire, which recognizes contributions to the arts, sciences, public service, and other areas.

Rowling’s honour came after the extraordinary success of the early Harry Potter books. By that point, the series had already become a major international publishing success and had begun its transition to cinema.

The exact honour is sometimes shortened incorrectly to “the Order of the British Empire” without naming the grade. Rowling received an OBE, rather than a knighthood or a higher rank in a different order.