Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been stripped of his knighthood by the King. In the aftermath of his conviction he asked to be removed from the Privy Council and for his knighthood to be forfeited. The notice, published by the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood stated: "THE KING has directed the cancellation and annulment of the knighthood conferred upon Jeffrey Mark Donaldson on the 11 June 2016 as a Knight Bachelor." The forfeiture of his knighthood means his wife Eleanor Donaldson loses the courtesy title of Lady Donaldson. He was previously a member of the Ulster Unionist Party, which has said it will appoint an independent, external organisation to establish a process for people to confidentially share information about Jeffrey Donaldson during his time in the party.