queen consort Camilla has left a legendary dancer and Sex and the City star “humiliated” after presenting him with the highest honor of the Royal Academy of Dance on Wednesday. Mikhail Baryshnikov, who played Carrie Bradshaw’s love interest Alexander Petrovsky in the HBO show, received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award for his contribution to the dance industry.
Mr. Baryshnikov was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1948 when it was part of the Soviet Union.
After initially studying ballet in his hometown in 1960, he moved to Leningrad four years later, where he joined the Kirov Ballet.
However, while touring with the Bolshoi Ballet in Toronto in 1974, he defected to Canada and applied for political asylum in Canada.
He soon moved to the United States and established himself with the American Ballet Theater and the New York City Ballet.
Before Mr. Baryshnikov presented the award, the queen consort described it as an “honour”, joking that there was no one else who deserved it more.
She said: “It is a great honor to give you the award, no one deserves it anymore.”
Previous winners of the award include Rudolf Nureyev, who also defected from the USSR, and Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, Artistic Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
After receiving the award, Mr. Baryshnikov described the joy dance had given him from an early age.
READ MORE: Sophie and Edward announced as royal guests of honor for TV show
“So when I look at the list of previous recipients of this great honor, I am humbled to say the least.”
Reflecting on the department’s previous winners, he hailed them as “titans of the dance world”, adding that he was “touched” to be added to the list of recipients.
He said, “Some of whom I’ve been lucky enough to know and work with.
“They all helped to keep dance vital and really meaningful.
“I am delighted, humbled and moved and deeply grateful to have been added to this illustrious list.”