His name's Brad, but you can call him Don.

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, the second-longest-serving elected official in the statehouse, is about to be granted The Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica on behalf of his majesty the King Juan Carlos I de Borbon.

Translation: Owen will be a Spanish knight.

Also being honored with a similar award will be Owen's longtime advisor Antonio Sanchez.

The impending honor -- the ceremony's slated for April 2 -- prompted some ribbing from the Senate last week. Will they have to call him "Sir Brad Owen?" one asked.

"You will be able to address me as Don Brad," Owen replied, to laughter. "That is the correct term."

Owen said in an interview today that the ceremony does not entail a sword, and that no, he doesn't expect that anyone will seriously call him Don.

But he said he appreciates the honor, which follows several Spain-related art, cultural and trade programs he's been involved with. Although his office deals with a lot of foreign consuls and dignitaries, this is the first time he's been knighted.

"The closest I've probably come is being named the godfather of a fire station in Peru," he said.

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