Grant Morrison, writer well know for his individualistic scripting in comics ( All-Star Superman, Animal Man, Batman and Robin, Batman R.I.P., The Filth Final Crisis. The Invisibles, Seven Soldiers, and Zenith ) is on the honours list as being awarded Member of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire "for services to Film and Literature." He will get to meet, and I believe kneel before, Queen Elizabeth II
The MBE was established by King George V in 1917 with the view to extend the honours system to include a wider range of social classes and recognise all levels of service to the country during the first 'total' war. It has evolved to embrace service and achievement in all fields. Unused since 1993 it has recently been restored.
For some in the UK the very idea of honours from the Queen raises questions about , monarchy, egalitarianism, social differences, deference, patronage, feudalism et al. and this particular award doubts about Empire.
Many gifted and dedicated people have received it. Refusal to accept it was usually unannounced. Writers and Artists who have turned it down are CS Lewis, Roald Dahl and Aldous Huxley, Philip Larkin, Robert Graves, FR Lewis, JB Priestly, Evelyn Waugh, JG Ballard, Henry Moore, Lucien Freud, Alfred Hitchcock, Francis Bacon, LS Lowry, Helen Mirren, Ken Loach, and Benjamin Zephaniah.