Distinctive Sign of a Knight Bachelor
A Knight Bachelor is a man who has been knighted by the British Queen, or her representative, without being included in a knight order. Knights who also belong to one of the British knight orders are "Knight Companion". A Knight Bachelor receives a dragon, which he carries on the neck. The title is not hereditary. Unlike the barons and other hereditary nobles, a Knight Bachelor who is sentenced for a crime can lose his rank. A recent report criticizes that women can not be "Lady Bachelor". The wife of a Knight may call "Lady So-and-so". However, that is only a form of courtesy. She does not belong to the nobility.
Example of a Knight Bachelor: Sir Charles Chaplin. His wife is Lady Chaplin. Sir Salman Rushdie received this award in 2007. In 2010 Patrick Stewart was beaten into Knight Bachelor for granted theater services. Also see
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