A Royal Honor

Queen Elizabeth II bestowed an honorary Officer, Order of the British Empire award upon Rebecca Eaton '69 this past December. Ambassador Sir David Manning presented the medal to Eaton at the Washington, DC, ceremony (pictured below). The OBE, which is one of England's Orders of Chivalry, recognizes "individuals who have made an important contribution to British interests."

Eaton has been the executive producer of the PBS series Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! since 1985. Both shows are dedicated to skillfully presenting British drama to an American audience. For her work on the productions, Eaton has won numerous Emmy and Peabody awards, and been nominated for two Oscars (for Mrs. Brown).

As a non-British citizen, Eaton was only eligible for an honorary OBE, but the tribute is no less respected or notable. "One of the joys of my job is the opportunity to present England's rich culture and history to American audiences through drama," said Eaton. "It's gratifying to be honored for work which I love."

Read an article on Rebecca Eaton's work for PBS, which appeared in the Winter '89 Quarterly.