Kate Winslet Honored With CBE by Queen Elizabeth II

Oscar winner is made a Commander of the British Empire in a prestigious ceremony held at Buckingham Palace

Kate Winslet has long commanded the big screen, now she's commanding something else entirely: the British Empire. Well. Ish.

The Oscar-winning actress was today awarded a prestigious CBE honor (which does indeed stand for Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire—no one does superlatives quite like the U.K.) by Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony that took place at Buckingham Palace.

The accolade was given for "services rendered to drama." Sounds about right to us.

"The sense of gravity is enormous and you very much feel you are being acknowledged by the whole country in a way," the 37-year-old said on receiving her honor.

Donning a smart black skirt suit and requisite fascinator (a black-and-white feathered piece by Natalie Ellner for Ellsewhere), Kate made small talk with the queen while getting her medal.

So, what did the queen have to say to her? And, more intriguingly, what did she say back?

After being asked how much she enjoyed acting (not the most creative of questions, granted, but just think of how much chatting the queen has to make on any given day), Kate replied, "I said yes, I liked it, but not as much as being a mother.

"She said, 'It is the best job.'"

Next stop, damehood.