Elizabeth Strips Honorary Knighthood From Mugabe
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II has stripped Zimbabwe's leader, Robert Mugabe, of his honorary knighthood.
JOHNNY EGGITT/AFP/Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II receives President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his wife at Buckingham Palace at London in March 1997.
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The highly unusual move is meant to show Britain's revulsion with human rights abuses by his regime.
The queen acted today on the advice of the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.
Mr. Miliband said Mr. Mugabe should have the honor revoked because of widespread violence and intimidation of Zimbabwe's opposition before a presidential runoff this week. The opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has withdrawn from the vote.
Britain, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe, says it will not recognize the result. Mr. Mugabe was made an honorary knight in 1994, when he was considered an anti-colonial hero.
