What is a female knight called in England?

A female knight in England goes by the title Dame. Women who have been appointed to the Order of the British Empire or dubbed by the monarch with an honorific knighthood are entitled to use the title Dame before their name.

The first woman to be honored with this title was Dame Cicely Saunders in 1974 for her work in palliative care. Since then, numerous British women across various fields like entertainment, politics, science and more have been appointed Dames by the monarch.

Some key facts about what female knights are called in England:

• The official title is Dame (Name) rather than Dame Sir (Name)
• It is the female equivalent of the honorific Sir for men
• To be appointed a Dame, a woman has to be honored by the monarch with an order of chivalry or the Order of the British Empire
• Dames are entitled to use the title for life after appointment
• The honorific is used before their name rather than replacing their first name
• It is considered the female equivalent of a knighthood

Now let’s take a more in-depth look at the history and process behind how women become Dames in England.

History of Female Knights in England

While the existence of female knights can be traced back centuries in legend and literature, they did not actually exist in England during the medieval era. Knight was strictly a male title conferred by the monarch through a dubbing ceremony.

It was not until the 20th century that England appointed women to knightly orders and bestowed Damehood as the female equivalent to a knighthood.

Here is a brief timeline on key events related to female knights in England:

• 1917 – The Order of the British Empire is established by King George V to honor contributions to arts and sciences. It contains multiple levels, including knights and dames.
• 1936 – The monarchy confers Dame Commander and Dame Grand Cross ranks in the Order to women, formally establishing damehood.
• 1974 – Dame Cicely Saunders is the first woman honored with the title Dame for her work in palliative care.
• 1983 – Damehood is expanded beyond the Order of the British Empire. Queen Elizabeth II dubs Jean MacNamara a Dame for her medical research.
• 2014 – Dame Sally Davies becomes the first female Chief Medical Officer in England.

Over the decades, appointments of Dames steadily increased as women made notable contributions across numerous fields in Britain. Today, Damehood is widely recognized as the female equivalent to a knighthood.

Path to Becoming a Dame in England

There is no definitive career path or checklist to become a Dame in England. It is an honor bestowed at the discretion of the monarch. However, there are some common steps:

1. Make significant contributions to British society, usually over an extended period of time
2. Get appointed or promoted to senior roles and high offices in your field
3. Receive honors and awards recognizing your service and achievements
4. Be nominated to the Order of the British Empire or for damehood directly
5. Have your nomination approved by the Honors Committee
6. Get the title conferred by the Queen or another member of the royal family

Outstanding British women who have dedicated their lives to the arts, sciences, charity, government service, or another worthy cause are prime candidates to be considered.

It is rare for the title to be given prior to one’s 60s or 70s after a lifetime of accomplishment. Damehood is seen as the crowning achievement of an illustrious career.

Why Women Receive the Title Dame

There are several reasons why accomplished women in England have been bestowed the title of Dame over the years:

• To honor exceptional contributions to the nation in areas like the arts, sciences, medicine, politics, philanthropy, etc.
• To recognize their commitment to excellence and public service
• To inspire more women to pursue excellence in male-dominated fields
• To promote gender equality by elevating women to the same status as knights
• To allow the United Kingdom to benefit from the talents and leadership of outstanding women
• To bring attention to causes and institutions they champion

In essence, the title Dame allows England to officially acknowledge and reward female British citizens who have made the nation proud through their intellect, innovations, leadership, and selflessness.

Famous Dames in England

Hundreds of British women have been honored with the title Dame over the past century. Here are some of the most prominent Dames in English history across different fields:

Entertainment

• Dame Julie Andrews – Award-winning actress renowned for films like Mary Poppins
• Dame Judi Dench – Acclaimed actress known for Shakespearean roles and James Bond films
• Dame Maggie Smith – Esteemed actress of stage and screen, known for Downton Abbey
• Dame Helen Mirren – Oscar-winning actress admired for playing queens like Elizabeth I and II

Literature

• Dame Agatha Christie – Considered the Queen of Crime; created detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple
• Dame Iris Murdoch – Renowned novelist and philosopher of the 20th century
• Dame Hilary Mantel – Booker Prize winning author of the Wolf Hall novels about Thomas Cromwell

Politics

• Dame Margaret Thatcher – First female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• Dame Shirley Williams – Served as Education Secretary and founded the Social Democratic Party
• Dame Louise Ellman – Longest serving female MP in the history of the Labour Party

Science

• Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell – Astrophysicist who discovered pulsars as a graduate student
• Dame Sally Davies – Served as the first female Chief Medical Officer for England
• Dame Athene Donald – Professor of Experimental Physics at Cambridge University

Philanthropy

• Dame Cicely Saunders – Pioneer of the hospice movement for palliative care of the terminally ill
• Dame Stephanie Shirley – Philanthropist who donated most of her wealth to autism research

As exemplified by these famous Dames, British women who demonstrate excellence and serve as inspirations in their fields are often honored with this prestigious title.

Benefits of Being a Dame

In addition to the great honor and prestige, there are some tangible benefits that come with being appointed a Dame in England:

• You can use the title Dame in front of your name for life
• You may get precedence in the Order of Precedence
• You can have your coat of arms encircled with the insignia of your Order
• You may be invited to certain royal events like garden parties, jubilees, weddings, etc.
• You can use post-nominal letters of your Order after your name
• Your Damehood often brings greater prominence and public attention

However, there are no monetary rewards or regular stipends associated with being a Dame. The benefits are mainly reputational.

Being made a Dame signifies you are role model who has made an outstanding impact worthy of honor by the Crown. It cements a lasting legacy as one of the most accomplished British women of your era.

Ceremony Traditions

The conferral of Damehood involves some traditional ceremonial elements:

• The appointment is usually announced publicly in the newspapers and Gazette
• The Investiture ceremony is conducted by the Queen or another senior royal
• The award recipient kneels on a ceremonial stool in front of the royal
• The insignia of the order is pinned to their lapel or fastened around their neck
• The royal taps the shoulders of the recipient with a sword
• The Dame makes a pledge reflecting the responsibilities of the honor
• The royal then says “Arise, Dame [Name]” to complete the ceremony

The Investiture is typically held at Buckingham Palace, though may occur at Windsor Castle or Holyrood Palace in Scotland as well. Male recipients have a similar ceremony but are dubbed with the words “Arise, Sir [Name]”.

Friends and family of the new Dame are often in attendance. Afterward, a congratulatory tea or meal may be held. The media will also report on the Dame’s ceremony as it is a public honor.

Conclusion

In England, accomplished women who have been appointed to an order of chivalry or the Order of the British Empire hold the title Dame. It is considered the female equivalent to a knighthood. Dames have made significant contributions to British society over their careers and serve as inspirations in their fields.

While female knights did not truly exist in medieval times, the monarchy revived the tradition in the 20th century by conferring damehood on deserving women. There are now hundreds of Dames recognized for excellence across the arts, sciences, politics, philanthropy, and more. The title Dame remains both a great privilege and a testament to exceptional achievement.