Children’s champion Floella Benjamin, born in Pointe-à-Pierre, Trinidad, is officially a Dame!
To be precise, Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin, aka Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham, today received her damehood at Buckingham Palace. She has been appointed a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Dame Floella’s career on TV, on stage and in film saw her in programmes and shows as varied as Hair, Bergerac and Roland Rat, but she’s best known for her educational work with children. She is involved with several charities and, as chair of the Windrush Memorial Committee she provoked controversy by announcing that the memorial would be placed at Waterloo station rather than Brixton.
Her investiture ceremony was carried out by Prince Charles.