Britain's King Charles III conferred honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) upon K-pop sensation BLACKPINK for their outstanding contribution to raising awareness about climate change at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.
The distinguished recognition was bestowed upon members Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim, and Lalisa Manoban.
Notably, bandmate Roseanne (Rosé) Park also received an MBE, a distinction made without the 'honorary' qualifier due to her dual citizenship in New Zealand, one of the 14 countries where the UK monarch serves as the head of state.
The ceremony, attended by BLACKPINK members Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé, took place at Buckingham Palace, acknowledging the group's pivotal role in promoting the objectives of the COP26 summit on climate change held in Glasgow, Scotland, two years ago.
Britain's honours system, which recognizes exceptional service to the nation and the global community, marked this occasion as a testament to BLACKPINK's significant impact on environmental advocacy.
During a Korea-UK state dinner hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace the previous day, the band received praise for their instrumental role in conveying the message of environmental sustainability to a worldwide audience. The dinner, organized in honour of Korean President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, celebrated BLACKPINK's influence beyond borders. Dressed in elegant attire, with Jennie and Jisoo in black outfits, Lisa in a baby blue dress with a short cape, and Rosé opting for a grey pantsuit, the BLACKPINK members graciously accepted their medals from King Charles III, smiling and greeting the monarch during the ceremony.
In a historic milestone, BLACKPINK made headlines in July by becoming the first K-pop group to headline a major UK music festival. The quartet took the stage at the BST Hyde Park summer festival in central London, captivating a sold-out crowd of 65,000 with their electrifying performance.