King Charles III recognized the K-pop group BLACKPINK for their efforts in climate change awareness. He made the members Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim, and Lalisa Manoban honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire.
Rosé Park, who has dual citizenship in New Zealand, received an MBE without the 'honorary' tag, as New Zealand is among the 14 countries where the UK monarch is head of state.
At Buckingham Palace, the accolades were bestowed to acknowledge BLACKPINK's contribution to promoting the COP26 summit's efforts on climate change in Glasgow, Scotland, two years prior. The awards are part of Britain’s honours system, which recognises outstanding service to the nation and the wider world.
Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo, and Rosé greeted King Charles III while receiving their medals.
For the event, Jennie and Jisoo donned black attire, while Lisa wore a baby blue dress with a short cape, and Rosé opted for a grey pantsuit.
During a state banquet for Korean President Yoon, first lady Kim Keon Hee, and King Charles praised the K-pop group for their contribution to spreading the message of environmental sustainability worldwide.
At the ceremony, King Charles III jokingly said to BLACKPINK members, ‘It's amazing you're still talking to each other after all these years… I hope I shall be able to see you perform live at some point’.
In July, BLACKPINK scripted history by becoming the first K-pop group to headline a significant UK music festival. They also graced the stage at the BST Hyde Park summer festival in central London, performing for a sold-out crowd of 65,000 attendees.
Since their debut in 2016, BLACKPINK has become one of the most successful girl groups in the world, breaking records such as becoming the most subscribed music artists on YouTube.
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