Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is set to receive an honorary knighthood from the Queen, in recognition of his services to global enterprise.
The Foreign Office announced early on Monday that Gates -- the software superstar who puts the Bill into billionaire -- will become a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. This is one of the highest honours that Britain can bestow upon those born outside the UK.
"Microsoft technology has transformed business practices and his [Gates'] company has had a profound impact on the British economy," said the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, in a statement.
According to The Sunday Telegraph, the chancellor, Gordon Brown, recommended that Gates, whose personal fortune is estimated at £22bn, should receive the award.
Gates's success has made him a popular figure with several senior UK politicians, but this hasn't been without its problems. In 2001, the prime minister, Tony Blair, was accused of giving Microsoft free publicity after he visited the company's UK headquarters just before the launch of Office XP.
A date hasn't yet been set for Gates's investiture. Once it takes place, he will have joined a select group of honorary knights including former presidents Bush and Reagan, Steven Spielberg, Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf and Bob Hope.
However, unless he renounces his American citizenship he won't be able to refer to himself as "Sir Bill Gates" -- the US constitution doesn't tolerate such titles -- but writing KBE after his name will be allowed.
Gates is visiting London this week to appear at conference on "Advancing Enterprise". He is also expected to appear at Monday's "Developing Software for the future Microsoft Platform" event in London's QEII conference centre.
Talkback
I was delighted to read that Tim Berners-Lee was to receive a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list. My reaction to the announcement that Bill Gates will too was the polar opposite. There's no doubt that his influence has been immense but at what cost. He has lied, cheated and bullied people to get his own way. And he gets an honour for that?
well it is our policy to reward criminals with holidays, part time prison sentence's in england!
To quote from the BBC website...
A constitutional amendment to outlaw such awards was written back in 1810 - just before Britain and the US resumed their warring ways.
"If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive or retain any title of nobility or honour, or shall, without the consent of Congress ¿ from any emperor, king, prince or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust."
+++
Any office of trust...
How about a £1 million per month licence fee
(sorry, Bill, that should be license) for the right to retain the gong?
Ah, Unix users are so funny when they're angry.
Tony Blair has never had a problem with monopolies. He would create a political monopoly and remove all political opposition if he could. His sole aim is to survive and retain power, no matter what criminals, lies, deceit or other unsavoury tools he has to utilise to achieve his ends. So to Blair, Bill Gates is a paragon of what he himself values - Bill has made a massive fortune by monopolising, pressuring, cajouling, threatening and generally abusing his increasingly powerful position. The two men are equals, one in politics and one in business.
Oh and on the matter of Gates's charitable donations, whose money is he giving away? His? Don't be silly, it's the fruits of his extortion! It's the money of those who had little choice but to pay the prices Microsoft has set!