Sometimes, seeing is believing. People reports that on Tuesday, Prince William made J.K. Rowling a Companion of Honour for her ongoing commitment to philanthropy and literature, proving to the world that magic is very real.
The honor, which is essentially the adult equivalent of getting accepted into Hogwarts, is only awarded to the cream of the crop.
People reports that Rowling joins 64 other people — including Desmond Tutu, Stephen Hawking, and Maggie Smith — who are currently part of the Companions of Honour. Because the Royal Family's site states that 65 is the maximum number of people allowed in the prestigious group, it's safe to assume the decision was not made lightly.
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The Royal Family commended Rowling's accomplishment on Twitter, and included one of her quotes: "To be included in the distinguished and diversely talented company of the other Companions of Honour, especially as a female writer, is a particular privilege."
"To be included in the distinguished and diversely talented company of the other Companions of Honour, especially as a female writer, is a particular privilege."
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 12, 2017
Congratulations to @jk_rowling who today became a Companion of Honour for her services to literature & philanthropy. pic.twitter.com/d1W35JYTBz
Rowling, who famously penned the Harry Potter series, has devoted a lot of her energy to her charity, Lumos, which aims to reunite children with their families or find them adoptive parents with the goal of eradicating orphanages entirely by 2050. The Guardian reports that her work with Lumos and the Volant Charitable Trust, which she founded in 2000, made Rowling one of the most charitable people in the U.K. in 2016.
Over the past year, Rowling has proven to be a defiant force on Twitter, sharing her thoughts on politics in the U.S., fighting against sexism, and voicing her support for the countless women who have shared their experiences with sexual assault and harassment. So it's understandable that fans criticized her earlier this month after she defended the decision to cast Johnny Depp, an accused abuser, as the lead in the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Hopefully, the backlash will inspire Rowling to reflect on what it means to be a supporter of women and marginalized people who truly admire her otherworldly approach to life.
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