Several Caribbean roots Britons have been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II as part of her 2020 New Year’s honors.
“Benjamin” Among them are film directors Sam Mendes and Steve McQueen, as well as singer and songwriter Billy Ocean, chef Ainsley Harriott, composer Errollyn Wallen, actor Rudolph Malcolm Walker and Dame Floella Benjamin.
Mendes, whose roots run to Trinidad and Tobago and who directed the James Bond films “Skyfall" and “Spectre", as well as “American Beauty” and “Road ToPerdition”, said he was “amazed, delighted and extremely proud” to be knighted.
McQueen, who directed the Oscar-winning movie “12 Years A Slave”, as well as “Hunger”, “Shame” and “Widows”, and whose roots run to Grenada and Trinidad, was also knighted.
“Ocean'
Also knighted were Harriott, 62, who was born in Paddington, London and is of Jamaican heritage; Trinidadian singer Ocean, 69, for services to cookery and music, respectively,and Trinidadian-born actor Rudolph Malcolm Walker for services to drama and diversity.
Trinidadian-British actress, author, television presenter, singer, businesswoman and politician Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin, was made a dame for services to charity while Belizean composer Errollyn Wallen, who was the first black woman to have her work performed at the Proms, had her MBE upgraded to a CBE for services to music.
