Catherine Zeta-Jones Now a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for Some Reason

She's Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, if you please.

Today the Welsh actress-turned-Hollywood celebrity became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, in a Buckingham Palace ceremony. Prince Charles bestowed the honor in recognition of Zeta-Jones' acting career and charity work.

When the Queen's Honours List was announced last year, The Daily Mail sniped that Zeta-Jones "has not lived in the U.K. for over a decade, preferring the life of a sun-soaked tax exile."

The Order of the British Empire was created by George V in 1917 to recognize "distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the civil service and work with charitable and welfare organizations of all kinds." In other words, despite the official-sounding title, Zeta-Jones won't be able to give orders to the British military. If she were, there'd probably be more a lot more shuffle-ball-changing in boot camp:

Zeta-Jones joins a long list of entertainers who have been invested in the Order of the British Empire. Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant is a fellow CBE, and guitarist Jimmy Page holds a lower rank, Officer of the British Empire. American actor Kevin Spacey was made a CBE in 2010 after serving as artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre for seven years; in 2007 Australian comedian Barry Humphries, better known as Dame Edna Everage, became a CBE because of, not in spite of, his career satirizing the rich and famous.

More entertainment stories from Surge Desk:
Mitch Hedberg: A Birthday Tribute to the Late Comedian [VIDEOS]
Melissa Molinaro: Meet the Old Navy Star Who Looks a Lot Like Kim Kardashian
Maria Aragon: Canada's Latest Cute YouTube Phenomenon [VIDEOS]

Follow Surge Desk on Twitter.