London ? He won’t be allowed to call himself Sir Ted, but U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy has been awarded an honorary knighthood by Britain.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the honor Wednesday during an address to a joint session of Congress in Washington. Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer, did not attend Brown’s speech.

Brown said Kennedy had helped bring peace to Northern Ireland, expand health care for Americans and improve access to education for children around the world.

“And for all those things we owe a great debt to the life and courage of Sen. Edward Kennedy,” Brown said.

Brown referred to the senator as “Sir Edward Kennedy,” although unlike British knights he is not entitled to use the honorific “Sir” before his name.