Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has received an MBE at Windsor Castle for her services to people with brain injuries.
The Prince of Wales honoured the actress and her mother Jenny at a ceremony today (February 21) for their work on SameYou, a brain injury recovery charity they co-founded after Clarke survived two brain haemorrhages.
"I think I underestimated the magical nature of being here and the ceremony of the whole thing. His Royal Highness William was just delightful and made us feel so comfortable," Clarke said after receiving her award (via The Standard).
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Clarke went on to share how running a charity is one of "the hardest things" she's ever had to do, though receiving such an award has given her a "boost".
"There are times when it feels like an uphill struggle that you don’t think you’re going to reach the top of at any point," she explained.
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"There are lots of dark moments like that when you run a charity, and I speak for most people who run a charity who feel the same way. So to get something like this… it gives you such a boost of energy and momentum."
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In 2019, Clarke revealed that she almost died after suffering from two brain haemorrhages towards the beginning of Game of Thrones' run.
She later explained how she thought her health could put her role as Daenerys Targaryen in jeopardy, as she couldn't bring herself to inform the production team.
"With the first one, I couldn't let them know what had happened until they knew that I wasn't going to die," she recalled on Jessie Ware's Table Manners podcast, adding: "I just was, and consistently, so scared of being fired for whatever reason. So I was just like... that was just me, more than [them].
"I had no idea how taken care of I was."
Game of Thrones seasons 1-8 are available on DVD and Blu-ray. House of the Dragon airs on HBO in the US, and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
