London: Bill Gates, the Microsoft chief and the world's wealthiest man, is to receive an honorary Knighthood from British Queen Elizabeth II for "services to global enterprise".

The recommendation for the honour was made by Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Buckingham Palace is expected to announce it tomorrow (Jan 26, 2004) when Gates will speak at a conference on "Advancing Enterprise", organised by Brown.

Bill Gates is worth an estimated 22 billion Pounds.

Other Americans who have received the KBE include George Bush Senior, the former President, Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of New York, Steven Spielberg, the film director, and Alan Greenspan, the chairman of the US (United States) Federal Reserve.

The American Constitution forbids them calling themselves "Sir".

Gates has been a notable donor to good causes. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was created in 2000 to improve "equity in global health and learning".

He has donated almost $ 26 billion to it.

The foundation set up a 139 million Pounds scholarship scheme three years ago to attract the brightest students to Cambridge University and has also given millions to research on AIDS vaccine.