Poitier was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. He received numerous honors including the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1982, the Kennedy Center Honor in 1995, Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1999, and the Honorary Academy Award in 2002. In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. In 2016, he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film. From 1997 to 2007, he was the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan.
Poitier was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974 He received numerous honors including the Golden Globe Cecil B DeMille Award in 1982 the Kennedy Center Honor in 1995 Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 1999 and the Honorary Academy Award in 2002 In 2009 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama In 2016 he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film From 1997 to 2007 he was the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan