Keira Knightley Accepted Her OBE While Wearing a Chic Chanel Boater Hat
The actress was awarded the OBE honor, joining the ranks of Emma Thompson and Tom Hardy.
Keira Knightley has officially cemented her status as one of British pop culture’s most influential figures with an Order of the British Empire, joining the ranks of Emma Thompson, Mary Beard, and Tom Hardy, all of whom were honored with an OBE earlier this year.
Knightley was joined by her mother, father, and husband at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, and was honored with the OBE by Prince Charles for her partnership with WaterAid and Oxfam charities, as well as for her contribution to the arts (drama, specifically, as if there were any question). The OBE is an order of chivalry for British nationals, but in the case of Knightley, her name will not be preceded with “sir” or “dame.” Instead, she will simply be listed on proper documents as Keira Knightley, OBE.
The actress’s look—a yellow tweed Chanel suit from the spring 2017 couture collection, cinched with a rose gold belt and paired with a matching boater hat to complete the ensemble—was deemed more than appropriate for the occasion. On the other hand, Knightley’s husband, James Righton, reportedly broke one major rule with his suit. The Daily Mail consulted Bartlett and Butcher, Investiture specialists, to discover that “a black tailcoat should be worn with a grey top hat and gloves (which should be carried), and a dove grey waistcoat” in the case of attending Buckingham Palace to witness the honor of the OBE. Righton skipped the tie to go for a more relaxed look, and therefore disregarded royal protocol, but Prince Charles did not appear to be the slightest bit pressed. Righton, a former member of nü-rave band Klaxons, is a rock star after all.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 13: Actress Keira Knightley with her husband, James Righton (L), and her parents, Sharman Knightley (2nd R) and Kevin William Knightley (R), as she arrives to receive an OBE for her services to drama and charity, at Buckingham Palace on December 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Knightley may have been snubbed by the Golden Globes for her performance as the turn-of-the-century French writer-slash-socialite Colette in the film of the same name, but at least the British royal family can recognize talent when they see it.
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