Idris Elba has been honoured with a knighthood by Britain’s King Charles.
The 53-year-old actor of hit shows like The Wire and Luther has been knighted for services to young people through his and his wife’s foundation, The Elba Hope Foundation.
According to SKY News, Elba said of the honour: “I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience has driven the work of The Elba Hope Foundation.”
“I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence,” Elba continued.
According to The Elba Hope Foundation, the foundation invests in actionable solutions focused on empowerment through education, economic opportunity, and entrepreneurship.
Click here for the full list of honours.
The meaning of British Knighthood
According to Royal.uk, to be made a Knight or a Dame is to receive one of the highest honours in the United Kingdom, and is usually granted to those who have made a significant contribution to their field, usually on a national level.
In modern times, knighthoods also recognise significant contributions to national life. Recipients range from actors to scientists, and from school head teachers to industrialists.
Idris Elba’s recent Madame Tussaud’s statue unveiling
An excited Idris Elba saw the statue version of himself for the first time when Madame Tussauds unveiled it in London, according to The South African.
The statue was so lifelike that even Elba was overwhelmed by the similarities. He was visibly stunned when he came face-to-face with the wax figure.