News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Returning to Kathmandu a few days later, they discovered that Hillary had been made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire and Hunt a Knight Bachelor for their efforts. He received his knighthood on his return to London in July 1953. Further honours were showered on Hunt and the expedition team: the Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society, the first time the medal was awarded on a collective basis, though individual bronze replicas were made for Hunt, Hillary and Norgay; the Founder's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society; the Lawrence medal of the Royal Central Asian Society; and honorary degrees from Aberdeen, Durham, and London universities.