Former president Nelson Mandela is to be created a queen’s counsel by the House of Lords in London on Wednesday, his office said. Mike Doig, a spokesman for the British high commission in Pretoria, said Mandela, a lawyer by training, would be conferred honorary queen’s counsel status by the British upper house of parliament. The honour is normally given to senior barristers and legal academics for recognition of their work and Queen Elizabeth II had to give permission for it to be awarded to Mandela. Mandela, 81, left for Britain on Tuesday. He will pay courtesy visits to the queen and Prime Minister Tony Blair before returning to South Africa on Thursday, his office said.