# Non-British citizens receiving an honorary knighhood many not call themselves "Sir". Is that correc

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-british-citizens-receiving-an-honorary-knighhood-many-not-call-themselves-sir-is-that-correc/680026>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 29, 2014, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-british-citizens-receiving-an-honorary-knighhood-many-not-call-themselves-sir-is-that-correc/680026 "2014-01-29T10:32:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-british-citizens-receiving-an-honorary-knighhood-many-not-call-themselves-sir-is-that-correc/680026/61 "2014-02-01T17:45:15Z")

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> [@UDS](#):
>
> _Honours_, possibly, but the OP asks specifically about _knighthoods_. You don’t get a knighthood for fifty years’ loyal service as an ambulance volunteer.

That sounds more like an MBE level achievement, but knighthoods are also part of the honours system. Fifty years in the civil service would probably do the trick, or the diplomatic service, or certain sporting achievements, like Sir Alex Ferguson or Dame Kelly Holmes.

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