Prince William honors Emilia Clarke with a medal for charity work
Prince William, Emilia Clark.
Getty Images (2)Emilia Clarke may not have gotten the Iron Throne, but Prince William gives her her own prize.
William, 41, presented the medals for the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) to Emilia, 37, and her mother, Jennifer Clarke, at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, February 21. The mother-daughter duo received the award for the help they provide to people with brain injuries through their organization SameYou, which helps brain injury survivors receive better mental health care.
“From Westeros to Windsor, it's a real pleasure today to present @emilia_clarke and her mother Jennifer with the award for their charity work with @sameyouorg in support of brain injury recovery care 🎖️,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote via Instagram next to a video of the ceremony. “Congratulations to all today's recipients!”
In the clip, Jennifer said it was “such an honor,” while Emilia was excited about being recognized for a cause close to their hearts.
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“To receive such an award… icing on the cake,” said the Game of Thrones said alum. “I'm going to have my picture taken because of this prize. And people will say, 'Why did this person that we recognize get this award?' And we're going to say, 'It's for brain injury recovery.'
Last month, Emilia and Jennifer reacted when they learned they had been selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious award.
“Still so stunned and amazed that my mother and I have been given the incredible honor of MBEs…!,” Emilia wrote via Instagram in January. “But all this glamor and excitement is pictures, this MBE really is for anyone who has had or continues to have a brain injury.”
Emilia and her mother decided to found SameYou in 2019. Upon founding the nonprofit, the actress revealed that she was inspired to start the organization after surviving two brain hemorrhages while working Game of Thrones.
During an interview with The New YorkerEmilia recalled feeling ill during a training session and was later diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage, a life-threatening form of stroke caused by bleeding into the space around the brain. She underwent emergency brain surgery.
Although the procedure was successful, it also caused many side effects, including memory loss and aphasia. After Emilia recovered from the initial hemorrhage, a doctor discovered another aneurysm, which required more invasive surgery.
After revealing her near-fatal experience, Emilia said she felt compelled to share her story so she could help others in a similar situation.
Many celebrity couples like to reward this with their involvement in numerous charitable efforts. Although Beyoncé and Jay-Z are known for their successful music careers, they both also run their own foundations. In 2003, the rapper and his mother founded the Shawn Carter Foundation, which provides scholarships to people who don't qualify for aid. […]
“I knew I had to tell this story because I wanted people who suffer from it to know that this is also what a brain injury looks like, and that you can do it,” she said. Additional in April 2019. “I wanted people not to feel alone when they did. I knew it was my duty, but it's hard.'
William has appeared solo at most royal events in the past month, like his father, King Charles IIIand wife, Princess Kate Middleton, are facing their own respective health battles. Kate, 42, is still recovering from her planned abdominal surgery that took place in January. That same month, Charles, 75, underwent prostate surgery to treat an enlarged prostate. The monarch later revealed that he had been diagnosed with 'a form of cancer'.
While attending the BAFTAs on Sunday, February 18, William apologized for Kate's absence from the ceremony. “I'm sorry Catherine isn't here,” he said Elaine Bedell, CEO of the Southbank Center, at the awards ceremony, adding that he and his wife always watched the nominated films together. “She really likes the BAFTAs.”