Queen Elizabeth II strips Harvey Weinstein of prestigious honorary title

Seven months after he was convicted of rape, disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein has been stripped of his CBE honor by Queen Elizabeth II.

An announcement on Friday said that the queen had stripped Weinstein of the prestigious honor he received in January 2004 and that "his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order," The Wrap and NBC News report.

Questions about whether the honor, which The Hill writes is "one of the United Kingdom's highest" and according to Variety is awarded to those who have made a "distinguished, innovative contribution to any area," would be rescinded have swirled ever since dozens of sexual harassment and assault allegations against Weinstein came to light in 2017. The British government says that the Commander of the Order of the British Empire honor can be taken away when the recipient has "done something to damage the honours system's reputation," The Wrap notes, although according to NBC, such a step is rare.

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Additionally, BBC News writes that the Honours Forfeiture Committee was likely previously "reluctant to take action" against Weinstein "while a legal process was underway." Others who have had top U.K. honors rescinded, BBC notes, include entertainer Rolf Harris, who was convicted on indecent assault charges. Weinstein in February was convicted on sexual assault and rape charges, and he was sentenced to 23 years in prison.