THE US: Already awarded Time magazine's Man of the Year title, the former New York mayor, Mr Rudolph Giuliani, was given another accolade yesterday when he received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth.
He admitted he was "excited and very humbled" at the thought of becoming a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in honour of his leadership in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. He said the honour was recognition for the people of New York "who have overcome the worst attack in American history".
At the Buckingham Palace ceremony, Mr Giuliani bowed in front of Queen Elizabeth, who was wearing black during the official period of mourning following the death of her sister, Princess Margaret, and she handed him the insignia of the KBE. In a touching tribute, Queen Elizabeth wished the former mayor "less stress" in his life ahead.
As the former mayor is not a British citizen he cannot use the "Sir" title, but he may use the letters KBE after his name.
Afterwards, he explained how he had turned to Britain's wartime history for inspiration following the September 11th terrorist attacks.
"After September 11th, I looked to the example of Winston Churchill and of the British people during the second World War. We need good friends and we have no better friend than Great Britain."
Developing the theme at a lunch held in his honour a few hours later at the Mansion House, Mr Giuliani said he had struggled for some time to explain to devastated New Yorkers how they might cope with the attack on their city. He told the guests, who included Prince Andrew and the Lord Mayor of London, Mr Michael Oliver, that when he saw people jumping from the World Trade Centre he knew New York was "in totally uncharted territory".
He added: "All of a sudden, the following thought hit me: the people of London and the Battle of Britain in 1940. They were bombed and really bombed. I thought, that's the way we'll explain it.
"We can do it because the people of London did it in the 1940s and they were attacked worse than we were and it went on for months, and somehow they were able to withstand it and get on with their lives. And if they can do it, we can do it."
It was also announced at the Mansion House that Britain had so far raised nearly £5 million for the families of those killed and injured in the terrorist attacks.