Spielberg to Be Knighted

December 29 -- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — Maybe now the neighbors will shut up about that $7 million indoor riding ring he wants to build near his home.

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg will be knighted on behalf of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his contributions to that country's film industry, says a spokesman for the British Consulate.

Spielberg, whose notable films include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Schindler's List, will be awarded his honorary knighthood on Jan. 29 at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., by British ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer.

"It's an honorary knighthood because knighthood per se is just for British citizens," Spielberg spokesman Marvin Levy said, adding that the director was "enormously honored and humbled."

"It's an extraordinary honor," Levy said. "He has great affection and respect for the British film industry and the British people. He has always enjoyed every moment he's spent in the U.K. — or anywhere where the British flag flies."

Levy said Spielberg has also been selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame sometime in the next year.