King Charles Knights Queen! See Brian May Receive His Honor at Buckingham Palace
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It was an especially regal meeting when King Charles knighted Queen guitarist Brian May!
On Tuesday, the King, 74, made the legendary rocker, 75, a Knight Bachelor during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace. May was awarded the honor for his services to music and charity.
"No words," he wrote in an Instagram tribute, posting a photo of himself smiling with pride as King Charles laid a sword on his shoulder.
The iconic rocker was among the 1,100 individuals celebrated in the 2023 New Year Honours List, King Charles' first New Year Honours list as monarch. Buckingham Palace announced the news in December 2022, and May voiced his joy in an interview that followed.
"Maybe a few more people will listen to me than would otherwise, you know, if it's Sir Brian on the phone," he told the Associated Press of having "a little bit more clout."
Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Brian May performs during the Platinum Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace
In addition to his musical accomplishments, May had advocated against badger culling and fox hunting through his animal welfare group Save Me, established in 2010 and named after the Queen song.
The "We Will Rock You" songwriter added that his wife, Anita Dobson, looked forward to using the title of Lady May after he received the royal honor.
"She's thrilled to bits. Yes, yes, she's very happy about that. Yes, Lady Anita will be enjoying it, and it's a thrill to me to be able to kind of confer that on her," May told the AP of sharing the achievement with his wife of 22 years. "It makes me feel proud that she gets an honor beside me because God knows I wouldn't be here without her."
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Dobson, 73, was all smiles with her husband after the investiture, who previously performed at Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022 and on the roof of Buckingham Palace at her Golden Jubilee in 2002. May also got to meet Queen Elizabeth at a reception in 2005 alongside fellow guitar legends Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.
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Saxophonist YolanDa Brown was also named in the New Year Honours List and received her OBE from the King Tuesday. Brown performed at the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on Monday, King Charles' first as sovereign. Brown and May even posed for a photo together, proudly displaying their honors.
May joins fellow musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, Sir Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Sir Rod Stewart and Sir Tom Jones in being awarded the prestigious honor.
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During the annual Commonwealth Day event, King Charles gave his Commonwealth Day address from the Great Pulpit at Westminster Abbey, in which he remembered his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.
"Commonwealth Day was an occasion of particular pride for my beloved Mother, The late Queen — a treasured opportunity to celebrate our Commonwealth family, to whose service she dedicated her long and remarkable life," he said. "In succeeding Her Majesty as Head of the Commonwealth, I draw great strength from her example, together with all that I have learnt from the extraordinary people I have met, throughout the Commonwealth, over so many years."
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"The Commonwealth has been a constant in my own life, and yet its diversity continues to amaze and inspire me," he continued. "Its near-boundless potential as a force for good in the world demands our highest ambition; its sheer scale challenges us to unite and be bold."
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Throughout Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign, the Commonwealth grew from just seven nations to 54 members. Gabon and Togo joined in 2022, bringing the total number of nations to 56.
"Working in collaboration towards shared economic, environmental, social and democratic goals, the Service seeks to highlight a vast community which spans every geographical region, religion and culture, embracing the diversity of it its population of 2.5 billion people, of which over 60 percent are under 30 years old," the palace said in a statement of the celebration.
The Commonwealth Day Service marked the first public outing for Queen Camilla after she had to cancel her planned visit to Newmarket for a pair of royal engagements last Thursday due to inclement weather.
