Ralph Lauren has received the ultimate seal of approval from Buckingham Palace.

The fashion mogul became the first American designer to receive an honorary knighthood on Wednesday, as reported by Vanity Fair. The honorary KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) title was bestowed upon the designer by Prince Charles in a private ceremony that took place at Buckingham Palace, for his services to fashion.

The knighthood was first announced last November, with Antony Phillipson, the UK Trade Commissioner for North America, highlighting Lauren's role as a "vanguard for the global fashion industry and American style for nearly half a century" as one of the reasons he was selected for the honor. An Instagram post by the brand underlined Lauren's "extensive philanthropic efforts, his unparalleled influence on the landscape of global style, and his long-time love of the culture, heritage, and people of Great Britain."

Read also: Ralph Lauren marks 50th anniversary with Central Park fashion gala

"I've always loved England because it was non-fashion," Mr. Lauren said in a statement published via Instagram. "It was timeless. It was not about what was the latest new sleekness. It was about weathering and those things that get better with age."

The move follows the 50th anniversary of Lauren's eponymous fashion empire last year, which saw the designer celebrate with a catwalk extravaganza at New York Fashion Week, in addition to a capsule menswear collection created for the retailer Mr Porter. The designer was also honored with the Members Salute at the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards, as an acknowledgement of his contribution to the fashion industry.

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