Margaret Atwood has just been given a great honor by Queen Elizabeth II herself. Atwood, who is the highly celebrated author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, has been awarded an investiture by the Queen. Read on to learn more.
Margaret Atwood is honored by the Queen
Atwood received an honor for her great services toliterature. She was awarded an Order of the Companions of Honour by the Queen.The Royal Family even shared a message on social media commemorating the honor bestowedon Atwood. “@MargaretAtwood was made a Companion of Honour by Her Majesty forServices to Literature. #Investiture Congratulations, Dr. Atwood🎖👏,” thetweet reads.
Atwood is one of three Canadians with the new honor
The investiture happened at Windsor Castle in the presenceof the Queen. Atwood joinsthe ranks of 62 people who have been given the prestigious award. The royalaward is given to recognize outstanding achievements in literature, the arts,science, and politics. Atwood is one of only three Canadians who have thehonor.
Margaret Atwood is a celebrated author with a huge cultfollowing. She’s already written over 40 books which include everything fromfiction, poetry, and essays as well. When The Handmaid’s Tale wasfinally released, Atwood gained fame and popularity. But it was with therelease of the hit Hulu series created from the book that really propelled herto become a household name.
Atwood was ‘emotional’ in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II
Atwood says she was “emotional” when she approachedthe Queen to receive such a rare honor. “I got a bit emotional,” Atwoodsays. “You’re really looking at a lot of history and I’m old enough to remembera lot of that history. Short form, she was brilliant in the war.”
Atwood continued: “When you see the Queen at her age and herschedule that she puts out, it’s an inspiration to everybody, you just keepgoing.” She also spoke after the ceremony itself about the great honor. “At myage, it’s not the usual thing. Usually at my age you sort of fade away and thatdoesn’t seem to be happening yet,” Atwood shared.
Margaret Atwood also received the Booker Prize recently
The honor from the Queen comes just weeks after Atwoodreceived the Booker Prize for Fiction for The Testaments, which sheshared with Bernardine Evaristo for Girl, Woman, Other. Evaristo is the firstblack woman to win the prestigious award.
The Testaments, which is Atwood’s ambitious follow-upto events in The Handmaid’s Tale, was published a whopping 34 yearsafter the first novel was released. The Testaments picks things up 15years after the ending to The Handmaid’s Tale.
‘The Testaments’ will hopefully be on television screens soon
The popular story has also been turned into a hit Huluseries which just keeps getting better and better. Things don’t seem to haveany signs of stopping. MGM TV and Hulu are workingtogether to develop The Testaments for viewer’s television screens.
The Handmaid’s Tale has already been given the go-ahead for season 4. Atwood spoke with EW about whether or not The Testaments could be used in future episodes. “What I have given them, in the locked writers’ room that nobody’s allowed into — including me — is a whole new whiteboard and a bunch of new characters,” Atwood explained. “The story of the characters in the show at the moment is left open, so it’s up to Bruce and the highly competent writing team as to how they get those people into position.”
Margaret Atwood has clearly changed pop culture with her unique novels. It will be interesting to see how The Testaments transfers to the screen.
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