Brian May is writing rock history with his band Queen, and now the guitarist is being knighted. King Charles III appoints the musician, who in future may call himself Sir Brian, a knight. The musician associates great commitment with the title.
Queen guitarist Brian May is hired by King Charles III. raised to the nobility. The 75-year-old will be knighted and his future name will be Sir Brian, the palace said. “I see it as a kind of commission to do what you would expect a knight to do – fight for justice, fight for people who have no voice,” May told the British PA news agency. Queen drummer Roger Taylor was awarded the “Order of the British Empire” in 2019 for his services to music and, above all, for his commitment to fighting AIDS. The late Queen Elizabeth II knighted numerous rock stars, including the Beatles Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger and Elton John.
The rationale for May’s tribute reads: “Brian May is an acclaimed musician and songwriter, founding member of the rock group Queen. In 2020 he was voted the Greatest Guitarist of All Time by Total Guitar Magazine. Queen’s Live Aid performance in 1985 is considered the best live concert in history.”
The physicist May is also “an accomplished astrophysicist who now serves as a stereoscopist for many NASA space exploration teams. He re-founded the London Stereoscopic Company in 2008, co-founded Asteroid Day in 2015 to protect the Earth from asteroid impacts and was from 2008 until 2013 Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.” The palace also recognized “his work protecting Britain’s wildlife.” On Instagram, May wittily commented on his new title: “Cheers! Sir Bri. OK …. If you want it formal: Dr. Sir Brian Harold May, CBE. Bri”
It is the first time King Charles has approved the New Year Honours. Traditionally, the royal family honors numerous people with orders and awards for their social commitment at the turn of the year. This year, a total of 1,107 people are on the honors list, including several celebrities such as England Women’s European Football Champions Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Ellen White. You will receive medals of merit. National coach Sarina Wiegman receives an honorary award. As a non-British woman, the Dutchwoman cannot officially get a title.
Also knighted are politicians Julian Knight of the Conservative Party and Chris Bryant of the opposition Labor Party, who had hit ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson hard. The British ambassadors in Kyiv and Moscow, Melinda Simmons and Deborah Bronnert, are made “ladies”. The title is equivalent to the chivalrous “Sir” for men.
At 18, Dara McAnulty is the youngest awardee. The Northern Irishman receives a British Empire medal for his commitment to environmental protection and work with the elderly. The oldest is 100-year-old Peter Davies, who works as a volunteer reader at a primary school and also receives such a medal.