British actress Emilia Clarke and her mother Jennifer became Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) at Windsor Castle in England on Feb 21.
The mother-daughter duo received the titles from Prince William, in recognition of their services to people with brain injuries as founders of the charity SameYou. The organisation also helps survivors of brain injury get better mental health treatment.
“From Westeros to Windsor, a real pleasure presenting @emilia_clarke and her mum Jennifer with their honours today for their charity work with @sameyouorg supporting brain injury recovery care,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote on Instagram, alongside a video from the ceremony.
According to the BBC, they are the first mother-daughter duo to be honoured with the same title in the same honours list.
The Clarkes set up SameYou in 2019 after Emilia survived two brain haemorrhages.
The 37-year-old actress, known for playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game Of Thrones (2011 to 2019), had her first haemorrhage in 2011 after she had finished filming the first season of the hit television series. The second came two years later.
Mrs Clarke, chief executive of SameYou, said at the ceremony that to become an MBE was such an honour. “More importantly, we started the charity because the consequences of brain injury are just so unknown,” she added.
“To have an award like this… cherry on the cake,” Emilia said.
Mrs Clarke added: “We’re doing it to try and help other people, who have been doing it for a lot longer than us, make the changes that are so desperately needed.”
In an interview with British news agency PA on Feb 21, Emilia said running a charity “is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do”, adding that she was spurred on by the memory of feeling “ill-equipped to be a normal person” after surviving her haemorrhages.
She added that Prince William made them feel “so comfortable” when he presented them with their titles at the investiture. She joked that she thought her mother was going to ask the Prince of Wales to be on the board of trustees.
“I nearly did,” said Mrs Clarke.
