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Acclaimed author Margaret Atwood, who graduated from the University of Toronto's Victoria College, has received the Companion of Honour for her major contributions to literature.

Atwood accepted the award and shook hands with Queen Elizabeth on Friday at a ceremony at Windsor Castle,

The Companion of Honour is granted to people who have made a significant impact in the arts, science, medicine or government. There are only 65 companions at any one time. Past recipients include Stephen Hawking and Desmond Tutu. 

Earlier this year, Atwood shared the Booker Prize with British writer Bernardine Evaristo for The Testaments, Atwood’s highly anticipated sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. 

Atwood graduated from Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1961 and later returned to Victoria College to serve as writer in residence. She has donated over 600 boxes of materials to Â鶹ÊÓƵ Libraries, including the first handwritten draft of The Handmaid's Tale.