Announcing Sir Terry (Article Updated And Revised)

Queen Elizabeth II’s annual New Year honors list includes Terry Pratchett, who was named a Knight Bachelor for services to literature earlier today (Wednesday in the U.K.).

Pratchett has previously been named an Officer Of The British Empire (OBE).

This comes after a failed petition in August 2007 to award Pratchett the honor of knighthood.

Terry Pratchett responded to the announcement by saying, “there are times when phrases such as ‘totally astonished’ just don’t do the job….I am of course delighted and honored and — needless to say — flabbergasted.”

On PJSM Prints, he reiterated his surprise, saying “There are times when the phrase ‚ÄúAbsolutely, totally, gobsmackingly, mindbogglingly amazed‚Äù just doesn‚Äôt cover it, but I find that in the Queen‚Äôs New Year Honours list I am now a Knight, for services to literature. This means that fans, while not calling me Sir, must now refrain from throwing things. Regrettably, no sword is included in the box :)

“What more can a modest Knight say?”

In April of 2007, when asked on the Usenet group alt.fan.pratchett about being knighted, Pratchett said, “I think that making me a knight would be extremely silly, and would therefore embrace the idea in true Chestertonian fashion by taking it seriously. I would buy a suit of armour (and stand vigil over it, but since praying in a chapel is not my scene, maybe the Humanists would let me sit in their lobby and read Darwin. Maidens, dragons… oh, the possibilities are endless.”

BBC interviewed Pratchett in his office, and Pratchett confides that being knighted didn’t feel “real” until the television crews started showing up.

Pratchett told theBookseller that he still was in “total amazement.” To quote the article:

Pratchett told The Bookseller: “I really am in a very English way ‚Äì you know beforehand so it‚Äôs not exactly a surprise when a whole load of journalists descend ‚Äì just flabbergasted especially as I will now be married to a Lady after all these years.” … The writer, best known for this blockbusting fantasy drama series Discworld, added: “I‚Äôm very grateful and pleased on behalf of the genre because the fantasy genre lags behind the crime genre in, shall we say, appreciation.” … In 1998, Pratchett was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to literature. He commented on how life has imitated art. The fictional character, Commander Vimes of the City Watch from his Discworld series is also knighted…. Pratchett said: “He [Vimes] has been gradually elevated. It‚Äôs funny how reality copies [fiction]. He was made a knight and was completely puzzled as to what he should do with it.” … However, Pratchett, added: “It [a knighthood] would be very nice to have I am sure. I will be able to look Jacqui Wilson in the face.” … Asked whether the knighthood might help him in this campaign work he said: “One imagines the ‚ÄòK‚Äô on the name will help the Alzheimer society work but I have got it for services to literature ‚Äì that‚Äôs what it says on the tin.”

An audio interview can be found on the BBC website.

Pratchett said he was “a bit embarrassed but quite pleased” about the honor, according to CNN. To quote the article:

“I never set out to write literature, but I suppose it’s a nice catch-all term,” he told ITN. “I have had a lot of fun over the past 25 years. I have written a lot of books and I have sold an awful lot.”

The author joked that he will only use his new title of “Sir Terry” on letterhead if he is “writing to the magistrates

Below is embedded a video from Telegraph.co.uk:

Fans may remember that David Jason predicted this event at the premiere of Colour Of Magic, as recorded by DenOfGeek.com:

TP:
You’re a Knight [Jason], I’m only an OBE, so excuse this.

[Pratchett kneels ceremoniously in front of Jason]

DJ:
You’ll make it one day.

[laughter]

Other honorees on Elizabeth II’s list, which includes MBEs and CBEs, include rock singer Robert Plant, Scottish cyclist Chris Hoy, and car-racer Lewis Hamilton.

Thanks to Colin Smythe, WOSSNAME, and Sandra Kidby for additional information in compiling this article.

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