Arise Dame Angelina: After days of hobnobbing at rape summit, starstruck William Hague hands Tinseltown's queen Jolie a gong

  • Foreign Secretary William Hague has made Hollywood actress a dame
  • Miss Jolie, 39, given surprise accolade as part of Queen's birthday honours
  • She and Hague have been working together at a summit on rape in London
  • Hugely unusual for an American citizen to receive an honour from Britain
  • Star of Tomb Raider said the gong meant a 'great deal' last night

By Sam Greenhill and Jason Groves and Tamara Cohen

Published: 16:30 EST, 13 June 2014 | Updated: 06:20 EST, 14 June 2014


Angelina Jolie has been made a dame by William Hague.

The starstruck Foreign Secretary, who has spent most of the week at the Hollywood actress’s side, bestowed the surprise accolade on her as part of the Queen’s birthday honours.

The pair have been working closely together at a summit on rape in London – despite the escalating political and military crises in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine.

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Star power: William Hague, in Chelsea boots, with wife Ffion and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt yesterday

Star power: William Hague, in Chelsea boots, with wife Ffion and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt yesterday

Starstruck: The Foreign Secretary, centre, has given the Hollywood star, right, a surprise gong as part of the Queen's birthday honours

Starstruck: The Foreign Secretary, centre, has given the Hollywood star, right, a surprise gong as part of the Queen's birthday honours

Speech: The actress, a UN Special Envoy, talks to those attending the summit. The honour recognises her 'extraordinary' work to stamp out rape as a weapon in war zones

Speech: The actress, a UN Special Envoy, talks to those attending the summit. The honour recognises her 'extraordinary' work to stamp out rape as a weapon in war zones

 

Miss Jolie, the 39-year-old star of Tomb Raider, said: ‘It means a great deal to me.’

But eyebrows were raised at the headline-grabbing damehood, which seals two years of growing friendship between the A-list actress and Mr Hague.

As an American citizen, it is highly unusual that Miss Jolie has received an honour from Britain.

Foreigners are occasionally awarded them – there was an honorary knighthood for Bob Geldof, who is Irish, after Live Aid.

 

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Labour MP Paul Flynn said that giving a top award to a celebrity with friends in high places rather than an unsung British hero undermined the credibility of the honours system.

‘The honours system is becoming increasingly discredited and this is another step in that direction,’ he said.

‘Angelina Jolie is doing creditable work but it is ridiculous to honour people who are already over-endowed with privileges and wealth.’

Critics also said damehoods are usually bestowed later in life, after a recipient has earned a lower honour such as an OBE or a CBE. 

Arrival: Miss Jolie and partner Brad Pitt arrive at the summit. The actress said the honour meant 'a great deal'

Arrival: Miss Jolie and partner Brad Pitt arrive at the summit. The actress said the honour meant 'a great deal'

Power couple: Miss Jolie and Brad Pitt. Eyebrows were raised at the headline-grabbing damehood last night - which seals two years of growing friendship between the A-list actress and Mr Hague

Power couple: Miss Jolie and Brad Pitt. Eyebrows were raised at the headline-grabbing damehood last night - which seals two years of growing friendship between the A-list actress and Mr Hague

The honour to Miss Jolie, a UN Special Envoy, recognises her ‘extraordinary’ work to stamp out rape as a weapon in war zones, culminating in a landmark international summit in London to tackle the menace.

Mr Hague said she thoroughly deserved the award because she had ‘made a real difference and achieved lasting results’, referring to the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative the pair launched in 2012.

Miss Jolie said: ‘To receive an honour related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to.’

She becomes an honorary Dame Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

It is awarded to those who ‘render extraordinary or important non-military service in a foreign country’.

It can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs.

Mr Hague and Miss Jolie have made a number of visits to war zones around the world together.

New friends: Hague's wife Ffion - who usually shuns publicity - and Miss Jolie at the Global Summit To End Sexual Violence in London. It is highly unusual for an American citizen to receive an honour from Britain

New friends: Hague's wife Ffion - who usually shuns publicity - and Miss Jolie at the Global Summit To End Sexual Violence in London. It is highly unusual for an American citizen to receive an honour from Britain

Coverage: How the Mail covered the summit - which took place despite escalating crises in Iraq and Syria

Coverage: How the Mail covered the summit - which took place despite escalating crises in Iraq and Syria

The Foreign Secretary has seemed bewitched by the actress all week, with he and David Cameron looking like awestruck schoolboys when they welcomed her to Britain on Tuesday.

Mr Hague gushed that she was ‘a pleasure to work with’, and said her ‘power to speak to the whole world’ and his ‘levers of decision-making and action’ were a formidable combination.

Whitehall officials confirmed Miss Jolie’s damehood was an honour ‘from the Foreign Office ... for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war zone sexual violence’.

The Foreign Office refused to confirm it was Mr Hague who had nominated Miss Jolie.

Campaign: US Secretary of State John Kerry, William Hague and actress Angelina Jolie speak to crowds during the fourth day of the London conference. Hague said he had discussed the Iraq conflict with Mr Kerry

Campaign: US Secretary of State John Kerry, William Hague and actress Angelina Jolie speak to crowds during the fourth day of the London conference. Hague said he had discussed the Iraq conflict with Mr Kerry

Working together: Mr Hague was all smiles as he appeared at the closing session of the summit with Miss Jolie, who wore a grey kimono-style dress

Working together: Mr Hague was all smiles as he appeared at the closing session of the summit with Miss Jolie, who wore a grey kimono-style dress

Yesterday Mr Hague was all smiles as he appeared at the closing session of the summit with Miss Jolie, who wore a grey kimono-style dress.

Her partner Brad Pitt and Mr Hague’s wife Ffion, who usually shuns publicity, were also present.

Later he said he and US Secretary of State John Kerry, who also attended the summit, had ‘obviously’ discussed the deepening conflict in Iraq.

Downing Street defended Mr Hague’s decision to devote a week to accompanying Miss Jolie.

Mr Cameron believed it was the ‘right thing to do’ to carry on with the ‘very important initiative’, said a spokesman, who insisted Mr Hague had not taken his eye off the ball on Iraq.


 

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PATHETIC ans brings a worthy accolade in to disrepute !

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where are her hands in the last photo?

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Angelina Jolie is a great role model for women. She shows that you can change your life, become a better person and help other people. She used to be a man eating whild child and look what she has evolved into. She isn't just an actress, she is a great mother and humanitarian who does so much for charity. She has inspired so many people and shown that just because you work in Hollywood you don't need to be shallow. She also inspired a lot of people with her masectomy story. Please don't be-little William Hague in this way too - its just nasty.

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The British JK Rowling who's donated over £100 mill. to charities in the UK (and worldwide) and got a generation of British (and worldwide) youngsters interested in reading only gets an OBE. While an American actress who's donated zero money, only talks to victims and at conferences, made a movie about the Balkan war in which the ra-pe victim fell in love with her rap-ist (a movie greatly criticised by real war ra-pe victims) and only flies polluting private jets gets a Damehood. Beyond ridiculous.

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How utterly shameful that this "news"paper has decided to go with the "starstruck" narrative rather than report on the hugely important topic that this summit is about, and the fantastic work that everybody involved has put in so far. I guess it's just easier to print shallow, celeb-obsessed rubbish than do any real journalism.

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Lame.

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Angelina, are you aware Hague is a more right wing warmonger than that last clown you had in the White House. George Flaming Bush!

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Whilst Ms Jolie does deserve praise for her charity work should she be made a Dame before somebody like Professor Judith Chessels who worked tirelessly at Great Ormond Street Hospital as Professor of Haemotology and Oncology in advancing treatment of Leukaemia in children and helped save hundreds of lives. Why would she be considered to be at a lower level than all these millionaires actresses? The whole Honours list is shown to be of no value when politicians have no grasp of the real value of the great people in our society.

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woman looks a right state with her boney legs and screney face. needs to eat some food

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I don't understand why she has this title. What has she done for this country ?

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