On Wednesday, 3 November in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Eric Clapton was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE. The honour was conferred by the Princess Royal (Princess Anne). He described it as "the icing on the cake" of his career.
The award was announced in the 2004 New Year’s Honours List by Queen Elizabeth II on 31 December 2003.
In 1994 the Queen granted him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for “contribution to British Life.”
In descending order, the honours are knighthood, CBE, OBE and MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). Those who have been awarded CBEs, OBEs, and MBEs have no title but can put the letters after their names.
Additional news coverage available from BBC News
Photo at Royal Insight (official page of the British Monarchy)
For more information on the various ceremonial honours and their meanings, visit the Cabinet Office / Ceremonial Secretariat.
