Angela Lansbury, ‘Murder She Wrote’ star, is now a dame

Angela Lansbury is officially a dame — a dame of the British Empire, that is.

The 88-year-old “Murder She Wrote� actress was one of 1,195 people honored with the Order of the British Empire, given to people for services to their community or national life, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

“This is awarded for having a major contribution in any activity, usually at national level. Other people working in the nominee’s area will see their contribution as inspirational and significant, requiring commitment over a long period of time,� reads the official British government explanation of the knight or dame honor. Or, as they put it, “honour.�

In a release accompanying the lists, it was noted that “Angela Lansbury Shaw has worked tirelessly carrying out extensive and wide-ranging charitable, voluntary and philanthropic work over many years to support organizations helping to improve the lives of many people.

“With selfless determination and generosity of spirit she has willingly lent her prominence and popularity, raising large sums of money for numerous charities including scholarships for young students and support for medical research.

“An accomplished actress, Angela Lansbury is well-known for her long and successful acting career and many achievements in the entertainment industry where she has repeatedly given back and helped others, including working with younger people to inspire the next generation of actors.�

Not bad, eh? In addition to her work as Jessica Fletcher in “Murder, She Wrote,� which ran from 1984 to 1996, Lansbury was thrice nominated for an Oscar -- for supporting actress in “The Manchurian Candidate,� “The Picture of Dorian Gray� and “Gaslight.� She has won six Golden Globes and been nominated multiple times for Emmy Awards, in addition to taking home four Tony Awards. Born in Britain, Lansbury came to the United States around the start of World War II, according to IMDb.

Also on the new year’s edition of the twice-yearly list: Dr. Marcus Setchell, the queen’s gynecologist, who oversaw the safe delivery of her great-grandson Prince George. The doctor was made a knight.

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