Queen grants Ted Kennedy honorary knighthood
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 | 3:58 PM ET
CBC News
Senator Edward Kennedy has been awarded an honorary knighthood, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
The Massachusetts Democrat, who is battling brain cancer, did not attend the session which Brown addressed Wednesday, but said in a statement he was "deeply grateful" for the "extraordinary honour."
The two men spoke on Tuesday night and Brown told the senator that the Queen had made him a member of British nobility.
Brown called Kennedy, 77, a "great friend" and referred to him as "Sir Edward Kennedy." However, only British knights are permitted to use Sir or Dame before their names.
The British prime minister said Kennedy had helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, expand health care for Americans and improve access to education for children around the world.
Ted Kennedy, scion of an Irish-American political dynasty and the youngest brother of slain president John F. Kennedy, is known in Britain for his involvement in the long process that led to Northern Ireland's 1998 Good Friday peace accord.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
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