Dame is the female equivalent of address to Sir for a British knighthood. In the UK honours system, this can be the title of a woman who has been awarded the Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Royal Victorian Order, or Order of the British Empire. Because there is no female equivalent of a Knight Bachelor, women deserving an honour of this rank are appointed Dames of the Order of the British Empire instead. Formerly, the wife of a knight was called a Dame, but this usage was replaced by "Lady" during the 17th century.
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Quotations
- "It [becoming a dame] means you've got to behave very well. That's very, very boring." Dame Judi Dench [1]
- "My street cred is gone." Dame Helen Mirren on becoming a dame [2]
Further
- The youngest person to receive a damehood is Dame Ellen MacArthur at 28. The eldest was Dame Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, who received hers at the age of 100.
