Joan Collins, 81, Becomes a Dame and Rocks Regal Look at Palace, Celebrates With Family and Delicious Treat—See Pics!

The actress played the cunning Alexis on the '80s primetime soap Dynasty and portrays the mother of Elizabeth Hurley's character Queen Helena on the E! show The Royals

By Corinne Heller Mar 26, 2015 6:45 PMTags
Dame Joan CollinsJohn Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images

You can now officially call Joan Collins, the queen of '80s primetime soap Dynasty and an upcoming guest star on The Royals, a dame.

At a ceremony in Buckingham Palace on Thursday, Prince Charles, the first in line to the U.K. throne, presented the 81-year-old actress with an insignia for her new title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), which makes her an honorary dame, the female equivalent of a knight.

Wearing a cream dress with a ruffled knee-length skirt, a matching cape jacket, black gloves, black and white pumps an ornate white pillbox hat with a black birdcage veil and bright red lipstick, Collins accepted the honor as her husband Percy Gibson, daughter Tara Newley and son Alexander Newley watched.

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"It is extraordinary," Collins told ITV News in a TV interview. "It's something I never, ever would have expected. I'm terribly, terribly honored, I really am and I hope I can live up to what being a dame means."

"I will not ask anybody [to call me 'dame']," she added. "if they choose to call me Dame Joan, I will be delighted. Most people will still call me Joan."

She plans to celebrate her honor with her family and have a "huge party."

Before the bash, she had a celebratory lunch, where she was presented with a delicious treat.

In 1997, Collins was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contribution to the arts. She was made a CBE for her charity work. She has helped groups such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the International Foundation for Children with learning Disabilities and the Shooting Star Chase children's hospices.

The actress' damehood was  announced in December, when she was named as one of more than 1,000 people on Queen Elizabeth II's annual New Year's honors list. Past CBE recipients include Angelina Jolie, 39, who was honored in 2014 but cannot be addressed as a "dame" because she isn't a U.K. citizen.

"It means a lot, a hell of a lot, because I've been working with certain charities for over 30 years, particularly one that's very close to my heart, which is the Shooting Star Chase children's hospices and that's for children who, frankly, do not have much life expectancy," Collins told E! News weeks before she received her CBE.

Collins rose to fame playing the cunning, fan favorite Alexis Carrington on the '80s primetime soap Dynasty. There, she rocked several looks suited for royalty.

Aaron Spelling Productions / Paramount Home Entertainment

She can be seen on TV again soon guest starring as the mother of Elizabeth Hurley's character Queen Helena on the E! show The Royals. Watch what she told E! News about her role.

Watch: Joan Collins' Reveals Manipulative Role on "The Royals"

Watch The Royals on E! on Sundays at 10/9c!

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